These are the slides from sales guru Dean Mannix's webinar on Converting Opportunities into Sales. You can view the recording of the webinar at www.salesitv.com/webinars

1. Converting Opportunities into Sales!

2. © SalesITV - All Rights Reserved. !
Converting Opportunities into Sales | Understanding the Common Barriers!
Agenda!
• 11 common barriers to conversion!
• 11 solutions to the barriers!
• Questions!

3. Barrier #1!
Thinking that it’s all about closing and objection
handling…!

4. © SalesITV - All Rights Reserved. !
Barrier #1 !
Thinking that it’s all about closing and objection
handling…!
• Closing is easy – if you’ve “done the work”!
!
Converting Opportunities into Sales | Understanding the Common Barriers!

5. © SalesITV - All Rights Reserved. !
Barrier #1 !
Thinking that it’s all about closing and objection
handling…!
Converting Opportunities into Sales | Understanding the Common Barriers!
• Closing is easy – if you’ve “done the work”!
• Objections happen because you haven’t “done
the work”!

6. © SalesITV - All Rights Reserved. !
Barrier #1 !
Thinking that it’s all about closing and objection
handling…!
Converting Opportunities into Sales | Understanding the Common Barriers!
• Closing is easy – if you’ve “done the work”!
• Objections happen because you haven’t “done
the work”!
• So – DO the work!!

7. © SalesITV - All Rights Reserved. !
Barrier #1 !
Thinking that it’s all about closing and objection
handling…!
Converting Opportunities into Sales | Understanding the Common Barriers!
Solution!
It’s about earning the sale at the front end of the
sales process.!
• Closing is easy – if you’ve “done the work”!
• Objections happen because you haven’t “done
the work”!
• So – DO the work!!

8. Barrier #2!
Jumping ahead to offering solutions and pricing…!

9. © SalesITV - All Rights Reserved. !
Barrier #2 !
Jumping ahead to offering solutions and pricing…!
Converting Opportunities into Sales | Understanding the Common Barriers!
• If it was just about quoting – you would be a
computer!

10. © SalesITV - All Rights Reserved. !
Barrier #2 !
Jumping ahead to offering solutions and pricing…!
Converting Opportunities into Sales | Understanding the Common Barriers!
• If it was just about quoting – you would be a
computer!
• Do you get paid to write proposals?!

11. © SalesITV - All Rights Reserved. !
Barrier #2 !
Jumping ahead to offering solutions and pricing…!
Converting Opportunities into Sales | Understanding the Common Barriers!
• If it was just about quoting – you would be a
computer!
• Do you get paid to write proposals?!
• Don’t “price” until they’ve “paid” you something!
!
!

12. © SalesITV - All Rights Reserved. !
Barrier #2 !
Jumping ahead to offering solutions and pricing…!
Converting Opportunities into Sales | Understanding the Common Barriers!
• If it was just about quoting – you would be a
computer!
• Do you get paid to write proposals?!
• Don’t “price” until they’ve “paid” you something!
!
!
Solution!
Avoid providing free quotes or pricing and focus
on developing a relationship and understanding
that enables you to offer a genuine solution.!

13. Barrier #3!
Failure to build “trust” before selling a solution…!

14. © SalesITV - All Rights Reserved. !
Converting Opportunities into Sales | Understanding the Common Barriers!
Barrier #3 !
Failure to build “trust” before selling a solution…!
• Even surgeons have had to learn bedside
manner!!
• If they don’t “like” you, they will take your price/
solution and buy somewhere else!
!

15. © SalesITV - All Rights Reserved. !
Converting Opportunities into Sales | Understanding the Common Barriers!
Barrier #3 !
Failure to build “trust” before selling a solution…!
• Being a friend is NOT enough to confirm “trust”!
• People do what experts tell them to do!

16. © SalesITV - All Rights Reserved. !
Converting Opportunities into Sales | Understanding the Common Barriers!
Barrier #3 !
Failure to build “trust” before selling a solution…!
Solution!
Ensure you have a deliberate strategy for
building both rapport and credibility. !
!
Remember that experts are paid more than
friends.!

17. Barrier #4!
Failure to help the opportunity answer question #1
before moving to questions #2 and #3…!

18. © SalesITV - All Rights Reserved. !
Converting Opportunities into Sales | Understanding the Common Barriers!
Barrier #4 !
Failure to help the opportunity answer question #1
before moving to questions #2 and #3…!
Why do
anything?
Why do it
with you?
Why do it
now?
Question 1 Question 2 Question 3

19. © SalesITV - All Rights Reserved. !
Converting Opportunities into Sales | Understanding the Common Barriers!
Barrier #4 !
Failure to help the opportunity answer question #1
before moving to questions #2 and #3…!
Solution!
Remember that the opportunity does not care
about your solution until they care about their
situation.!
Do anything?
Do it with you?
Do it now?
WHY

20. Barrier #5!
Failing to understand why they haven’t yet bought
your solution…!

21. © SalesITV - All Rights Reserved. !
Converting Opportunities into Sales | Understanding the Common Barriers!
Barrier #5 !
Failing to understand why they haven’t yet bought your solution…!
I’m not aware of or don’t believe
your solution will improve my
situation
I’m happy/ content with the
current solution or no solution
It’s too hard, risky or expensive to
buy your solution
I’m ignoring the negative
consequences of doing it the
current way
AVOID PAINGAIN PLEASURE
PURCHASING
NOT
PURCHASING

22. © SalesITV - All Rights Reserved. !
Converting Opportunities into Sales | Understanding the Common Barriers!
Barrier #5 !
Failing to understand why they haven’t yet bought your solution…!
Solution!
Broaden your needs analysis questions to
explore all four reasons for not buying.!
I’m not aware of or don’t
believe your solution will
improve my situation
I’m happy/ content with the
current solution or no solution
It’s too hard, risky or expensive
to buy your solution
I’m ignoring the negative
consequences of doing it the
current way
AVOID PAINGAIN PLEASURE
PURCHASING
NOT
PURCHASING

23. Barrier #6!
Selling benefits instead of provoking, highlighting
and quantifying problems and issues...!

24. © SalesITV - All Rights Reserved. !
Converting Opportunities into Sales | Understanding the Common Barriers!
Barrier #6 !
Selling benefits instead of provoking, highlighting and quantifying problems
and issues...!
We can save you $200 on
your power bill per
quarter
You have been paying
$200 too much per
quarter on your power bill
and we can rectify it

25. © SalesITV - All Rights Reserved. !
Converting Opportunities into Sales | Understanding the Common Barriers!
Barrier #6 !
Selling benefits instead of provoking, highlighting and quantifying problems
and issues...!
Solution!
Present your benefits as problems to be solved.!
You have been paying
$200 too much per
quarter on your power
bill and we can rectify it

26. Barrier #7!
Failing to identify issues and develop provocation
strategies...!

27. © SalesITV - All Rights Reserved. !
Converting Opportunities into Sales | Understanding the Common Barriers!
Barrier #7 !
Failing to identify issues and develop provocation strategies...!
Issue Issue Provocation Strategy
Example:
Lack of coaching by sales
managers
• Where are your sales managers at in relation to coaching
performance and sales skills?
• Where would you like them to be?
• What do you think the issues they face are in relation to
coaching more effectively?
• How do you think they would coach something like
improving conversion?

28. © SalesITV - All Rights Reserved. !
Converting Opportunities into Sales | Understanding the Common Barriers!
Barrier #7 !
Failing to identify issues and develop provocation strategies...!
Solution!
Use questions to educate opportunities on what
the problems might be and get them to tell you
they have a problem you can solve.!

29. Barrier #8!
Selling to people that aren’t ready to buy...!

30. © SalesITV - All Rights Reserved. !
Barrier #8 !
Selling to people that aren’t ready to buy!
Converting Opportunities into Sales | Understanding the Common Barriers!
• How do you know if they’re “ready to buy”?!

31. © SalesITV - All Rights Reserved. !
Barrier #8 !
Selling to people that aren’t ready to buy!
Converting Opportunities into Sales | Understanding the Common Barriers!
• How do you know if they’re “ready to buy”?!
• Test BEFORE you put effort into solutions/
pricing!

32. © SalesITV - All Rights Reserved. !
Barrier #8 !
Selling to people that aren’t ready to buy!
Converting Opportunities into Sales | Understanding the Common Barriers!
• How do you know if they’re “ready to buy”?!
• Test BEFORE you put effort into solutions/
pricing!
• Include coaching for stalled deals in your
pipeline!

33. © SalesITV - All Rights Reserved. !
Barrier #8 !
Selling to people that aren’t ready to buy!
Converting Opportunities into Sales | Understanding the Common Barriers!
Solution!
Make sure you genuinely have an IDEA whether
the opportunity is serious about taking action
and solving the problems you’ve highlighted. !
• How do you know if they’re “ready to buy”?!
• Test BEFORE you put effort into solutions/
pricing!
• Include coaching for stalled deals in your
pipeline!

34. Barrier #9!
Failing to have a strategy to activate the four drivers
of action... !

35. © SalesITV - All Rights Reserved. !
Converting Opportunities into Sales | Understanding the Common Barriers!
Barrier #9 !
Failing to have a strategy to activate the four
drivers of action...!
• Benefits are weak as a motivator for
taking action! I’m excited about
buying and believe that
it will improve my
situation
I’m no longer content
with my current solution
I can justify buying from
you and its so easy to do
so
I understand, believe
and acknowledge that
there are negative
consequences if I don’t
buy
AVOID PAINGAIN PLEASURE
PURCHASING
NOT
PURCHASING

36. © SalesITV - All Rights Reserved. !
Converting Opportunities into Sales | Understanding the Common Barriers!
Barrier #9 !
Failing to have a strategy to activate the four
drivers of action... !
I’m excited about
buying and believe that
it will improve my
situation
I’m no longer content
with my current solution
I can justify buying from
you and its so easy to do
so
I understand, believe
and acknowledge that
there are negative
consequences if I don’t
buy
AVOID PAINGAIN PLEASURE
PURCHASING
NOT
PURCHASING
• Benefits are weak as a motivator for
taking action!
• Make it painful to not act!

37. © SalesITV - All Rights Reserved. !
Converting Opportunities into Sales | Understanding the Common Barriers!
Barrier #9 !
Failing to have a strategy to activate the four
drivers of action !
I’m excited about
buying and believe that
it will improve my
situation
I’m no longer content
with my current solution
I can justify buying from
you and its so easy to do
so
I understand, believe
and acknowledge that
there are negative
consequences if I don’t
buy
AVOID PAINGAIN PLEASURE
PURCHASING
NOT
PURCHASING
• Benefits are weak as a motivator for
taking action!
• Make it painful to not act!
!

38. © SalesITV - All Rights Reserved. !
Converting Opportunities into Sales | Understanding the Common Barriers!
Barrier #9 !
Failing to have a strategy to activate the four
drivers of action... !
I’m excited about
buying and believe that
it will improve my
situation
I’m no longer content
with my current solution
I can justify buying from
you and its so easy to do
so
I understand, believe
and acknowledge that
there are negative
consequences if I don’t
buy
AVOID PAINGAIN PLEASURE
PURCHASING
NOT
PURCHASING
• Benefits are weak as a motivator for
taking action!
• Make it painful to not act!
• Take away the objections!

39. © SalesITV - All Rights Reserved. !
Barrier #9 !
Failing to have a strategy to activate the four
drivers of action... !
Converting Opportunities into Sales | Understanding the Common Barriers!
Solution!
Motivating opportunities to buy requires
more than just talking about the
benefits.!
I’m excited about
buying and believe that
it will improve my
situation
I’m no longer content
with my current solution
I can justify buying from
you and its so easy to do
so
I understand, believe
and acknowledge that
there are negative
consequences if I don’t
buy
AVOID PAINGAIN PLEASURE
PURCHASING
NOT
PURCHASING

40. Barrier #10!
Failing to discuss barriers to buying and partner with
the prospect on removing them…!

41. © SalesITV - All Rights Reserved. !
Converting Opportunities into Sales | Understanding the Common Barriers!
Barrier #10 !
Failing to discuss barriers to buying and partner with
the prospect on removing them…!
I’m not aware of or don’t believe
your solution will improve my
situation
I’m happy/ content with the
current solution or no solution
It’s too hard, risky or expensive to
buy your solution
I’m ignoring the negative
consequences of doing it the
current way
AVOID PAINGAIN PLEASURE
PURCHASING
NOT
PURCHASING

42. © SalesITV - All Rights Reserved. !
Converting Opportunities into Sales | Understanding the Common Barriers!
Barrier #10 !
Failing to discuss barriers to buying and partner
with the prospect on removing them…!
Solution!
Help the opportunity hypothetically purchase
your solution and make sure you are forewarned
of any barriers to taking action. !
It’s too hard, risky or expensive to
buy your solution
AVOID PAIN

43. Barrier #11!
Giving it ALL away for free…!

44. © SalesITV - All Rights Reserved. !
Converting Opportunities into Sales | Understanding the Common Barriers!
Barrier #11 !
Giving it ALL away…!

45. © SalesITV - All Rights Reserved. !
Converting Opportunities into Sales | Understanding the Common Barriers!
Barrier #11 !
Giving it ALL away…!
Solution!
Solve enough of the problem to let the opportunity
know you can solve it all, if they’re serious about
taking action and buying from you.!

46. TRY SALESITV FREE!
14
day
free
trial,
no
credit
card
required.
Any sales skill. Anytime. Anywhere.!
/SalesITV! @SalesITV! SalesITV! +SalesITV!
blog.salesitv.com!