Dear Entrepreneur:
“Marc….if you can learn this simple skill you’ll make a ton of money. Take the time to learn it and you will prosper”. My earliest mentor imparted this wisdom when I came to work for him as a freelance salesman.
It was like Yoda teaching his young apprentice.
My “Yoda” was M.F…..a multimillionaire. He made several fortunes in produce, travel services, real estate and direct sales.
M.F took me under his wing (I’m not sure why) and taught me a simple skill. When I started applying it I saw the numbers in my commission checks skyrocket.
Look…even if the idea of sales makes you sick…you can still learn this money making formula! George Foreman (former heavyweight boxer and multimillionaire entrepreneur) made this comment about the skill….
“If you learn this simple skill you’ll never go hungry”.
This skill has helped me in other ways too, including relationships with family, friends and associates. It enabled me build dozens of profitable businesses, negotiate mind boggling deals and multiply my wealth. The skill I’m talking about is closing a sale.
Don’t worry… this isn’t a sales seminar and pep rally! I’ll show you the secret behind closing a sale. The “essence” of this technique will enable you to close more deals then you could ever imagine.
On top of that… if you’re a multimillion-dollar sales superstar you’ll learn something new today too.
I’m serious!
You can “test” this skill over the next few days, and you’ll see what I mean. It won’t make any difference if you’re selling in person, on the radio, TV, in print, on a blog or by direct mail.
The technique I learned is by asking your “qualified” prospect a simple question when it’s time to close the sale.
Simply ask your qualified prospect a question:
“What can I do to make this work for you?”
I know, it sounds like a used car pitch. But think about it for a second and you’ll begin to see the wisdom behind it.
Most people FAIL to close a sale because they’re focused on themselves and what they want. However, the most powerful sales gurus on planet Earth focus on what the other person wants. Seasoned pros will craft their “close” around the prospect’s response to this question.
In other words, when you ask your prospect what you can do to make the deal work for them 98% of the time they’ll tell you – plain and simple.
“That’s fine “Sales Boy”. But what happens when my prospect asks for something outlandish or ridiculous”?
If your prospect asks for something outlandish there’s a good chance you’re not working with a “qualified” prospect. And this is a violation of the “golden rule” of selling:
Never sell to an UNQUALIFIED prospect
An “unqualified” prospect is someone who has NEVER purchased what you’re selling, at approximately the same price.
If someone came into your auto dealership and they had never purchased a new car for approximately the same price as the cars you offered he or she would be considered an “unqualified” prospect.An “unqualified” prospect
might buy a brand new car for $45,000. But it’s highly unlikely. If an “unqualified” prospect came into my dealership I would give this lead to a salesperson.
I’ll tell you more about qualified prospects in a second.
But first, let’s see how we can put this to work for you as a freelance salesperson.
There are endless opportunities for freelance salespeople in this economy. This morning on CraigsList, Monster, oDesk, Hot Jobs, and Indeed.com I found hundreds of opportunities in every state and Canada.
I’m confident you’ll find a good fit for your situation.
Consider this …
Even when the economy sucks, companies still need sales. What’s more, companies are shifting to freelance and independent sales contractors in droves!
It simple math….
The top-producing salespeople at most companies are usually the most expensive to maintain. Big shot corporate sales people command large stock option portfolios, medical and dental plans, bonuses, paid vacations, cars, and expense accounts, etc.
You might think high-flying $250,000 per year sales gurus would be the last to go when things get tight. But many times they’re the first to go… at least in the corporate world. Large corporations often dump their top heavy salespeople and replace them with young less-expensive upstarts.
Granted, rookie salesmen (and women) won’t produce like superstars (in the beginning). But they receive much less in the way of compensation, bonuses, benefits, and stock option packages, etc.
Management realizes they might lose some sales – but by cutting the “dead weight,” they’ll be able to reduce expenses (and save their jobs). This scenario plays out in many small companies too.
This creates incredible opportunities for entrepreneurs who can sell products and services as freelance salespeople or independent contractors.
The best part is… You’ll find many businesses would gladly extend larger commission and bonuses if you can produce results. I’m talking about more money than you could ever make as an employee!
George Foreman said it best, “If you can close sales you’ll never go hungry.
But you need to be in the right market with “qualified” prospects in order to close sales. Here are some hot rising markets which are often open to independent salespeople:
- Real Estate (single-family homes, modular, mobile homes and small commercial buildings to name a few)
- Real Estate Services (this is the market that sells to the real estate industry)
- Information and Network Technology (the opportunities in this market are unlimited)
- Travel (tours, cruises, vacation rentals, travel packages, and all-inclusive resorts)
- Building Contractors (yes…even in a depression! You can generate projects for them)
- Printing (print is NOT dead. The real opportunity is with small to medium-sized businesses and direct marketers)
- Direct Mail Services (Go to DMNews.com for a scope of this market.)
- List Rentals (snail mail and email list rentals are alive and well, and so are the opportunities for freelance sales people)
- Medical Equipment and Supplies (The sky’s the limit here folks)
- Pharmaceuticals (love or hate them the opportunities for freelance sales are considerable)
- Casino Group Sales (Las Vegas is struggling there are empty rooms and suites that need to be filled. But Las Vegas is not the only place to gamble)
- Cruise Ship Group Sales (This continues to be a rising trend – and theme cruising is hot)
- Computer Sales ( Yes….plenty of opportunity)
- Networking Services
- Fresh Seafood Sales (I’ve made a ton of money in this market)
- Scrap Metal (This is a growing market. Go to Alibaba.com to see the size of this market– there are opportunities for freelance sales closers)
- Modular Homes (The opportunities for freelance sales pros in this market are huge)
- Direct Marketing and Copywriting
And the list goes one!
Every business needs sales to survive. You’ll find most business owners very receptive to the idea of using freelance sales closers. One reason is the “out of pocket” expenses are so low.
Freelance salespeople typically receive a higher commission than salaried employees. The downside is you may forgo some of the so-called benefits, like healthcare, pensions, stock incentives, paid vacation, and expense accounts, etc.
And that’s why most salespeople are afraid to go freelance or independent. Most people refuse to work without the perceived “safety net.” But in my experience the money making potential of being freelance usually exceeds what you could make from a regular sales position.
The Secret to Selling Anything to Anybody
As I said…Rule #1 is, never sell to an UNQUALIFIED prospect.
Most salespeople think everyone is qualified. However, nothing could be further from the truth. I was in a meeting a couple of weeks ago. When it concluded I was cornered by a one of the attendees, a salesman.
He said, “You look like a winner. I have something most winners love. A second home in Florida”.
I said, “Are you kidding me?” with a big grin.
“No, I’m not kidding. I have timeshares in Florida that are perfect for you and your lifestyle”.
The problem is this guy knew nothing about my lifestyle. If he did he would have known I’m not a qualified prospect. On top of that, this so-called salesman would have known I think timeshares are worse than student loans.
I own all of my homes free and clear. When we rent homes I go direct to the owners by using VRBO.com. I would never buy a timeshare in Florida.
This salesman was clueless as to “qualified” prospects. If he took the time to learn what I’m showing you today he would probably increase his income ten-fold.
Anyway… a “qualified” prospect is someone who has already purchased what you’re selling.
An unqualified or “B” prospect is someone who is interested and may have asked for more information. Most unqualified prospects are tire kickers.
There’s a huge difference between an “A” and “B” prospect.
If you obtain a list of people or companies who have purchased what you’re selling, and preferably at the same price point, and ideally repeat buyers…you’re in business!
You can start making money this weekend by asking “qualified” prospects what you can do to make this work for them.
Your humble host,
Marc Charles
(Ed Note: Marc Charles is referred to as “The King of Business Opportunities” ….and for good reason. He should be known as “The King of Legitimate Business Opportunities”…because he’s launched, bought, sold reviewed and advised on hundreds of businesses and money making opportunities. He understands legitimate opportunities.)