In most businesses, sadly, sales is an act, not a process.
-Dan Kennedy
In aviation in particular, we’ve found that companies fail in sales for one of two reasons
- They consider sales as an afterthought, thinking that the “product will sell itself,” or
- They consider each sale as an improvisational act, impulsively cold-calling leads, offering ad-hoc discounts, or otherwise “trying things” in an attempt to make a sale.
Sometimes it can be a pendulum between the two – companies start out with ultra-low-key (or nonexistent) sales efforts, then when the cash flow situation (or the salesperson’s personal finances) start to get desperate, the desperation becomes apparent to the client.
Whether they turn people off with high-pressure sales tactics or not, desperate salespeople are ironically repellent. This applies to anybody who comes into contact with the customer – whether this person is designated by a “sales” title, wears plaid golf pants, or is the CEO of a company. Lack of confidence on the part of the person interacting with potential buyers makes people suspicious. They think a nervous salesperson must have a reason, and jump to the conclusion that the reason for the salesperson’s unease translates into danger for them – something illegal, immoral or fishy is going on. So, the prospective customer finds reasons not to buy, and the salesperson gets even more desperate.
How can you avoid these extremes?
- Integrate sales as part of the marketing process. If you’ve done the marketing correctly and taken enough time, sales becomes easier. Your marketing materials have brought you leads that are educated about your product, have decided that your product is a good possibility to meet their needs, and have come to you when they have a need. Having a “full pipeline” of prospective customers is one of the most important objectives of an effective marketing system.
- Be proactive about sales. The majority of aviation companies vastly underestimate the importance and difficulty of marketing and sales, and do nothing about setting or meeting realistic sales objectives until the lack of sales becomes a crisis. Even when you have a “full pipeline” of prospective customers, it usually takes human interaction from an intelligent, skilled salesperson to get over that final hurdle to a completed transaction.
- Get some help. In many aviation companies, people wear several hats. Its fine not to have dedicated sales staff, as long as the people who are responsible for making sales have the knowledge and skills to make it happen – whether they’re also the CEO, the chief pilot, the service provider, doctor or legal expert. Engaging a coach so that you can confidently make an effective sales presentation may be the biggest factor in improving your sales figures for the year.
Aviation products and services are typically high-trust, complex transactions. They aren’t purchased on impulse or whims. It usually takes well-positioned, well-designed and well-written marketing messages plus repeated interactions with an articulate, knowledgeable and confident human being to “close a sale,” or consummate a transaction.
Sales Presentation Checkride
We’re thrilled to have Mark Leeper on board as our VP of sales. He’s agreed to provide right-seat perspective on your sales presentation. For an introductory price of $299, Mark will sit in on one of your sales presentations on the phone (a real one, or Mark will pose as your “prospective customer,” and provide a thorough review with some very helpful pointers.
Don’t wait until your salespeople start getting desperate. Give us a call at 702-987-1679 to schedule your Sales Presentation Checkride today!
Our Long Cycle Marketing system is based on rational, respectful interaction between the company and the prospective client over a reasonable period of time. Now, our coaching programs includes rational, respectful, confident interaction with a salesperson as well.
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