"Cut through the
Noise" a Mastery of Sales Newsletter
Forward from:
101 Tools, Using Act! to Develop a Sales
Strategy
While conducting a series of
training classes for Act! users, it became apparent that everyone using
Act! felt that something was missing in the training and use of the
software. What seemed to be missing was a way to make Act! a more
effective sales tool. Every user found value in teh name and address
features of Act! and the power of the variety of ways to schedule and
follow up on activities, but the fields were a mystery to most
users.
It occurred to me that what was
needed to make Act! an effective sales tool was the concept of a strategy
system of selling AND good customer service. I took a long, hard look at
the Act! contact screen and realized how flexible it really was.
Those fields could be changed and customized to fit just about any sales
situation. The concept of customizing the fields and using the
screen evolved into the system I introduce in the book. It is a
system of looking at what is needed in the sale: to understand the
customers needs, to determine whether those needs can be met in order to
get the sale, and to create a strategic planfor getting business.
The purpose of this book is similar
to the training classes I conduct - to create better sales results for you
in a short period of time - not to be better computer operators.
While you will know a lot more about Act! when you finish reading and
using this book, you will
also know how to get a sales decision faster. One sales manager told me
six weeks after one of my training classes, "Your system has helped
our people be more strategic in their actions with their customers and
territory." The goal of this book is that you too will be more
strategic and have less uncertainty in your selling activities as a result
of implementing its concepts.
In the books about Warren Buffett,
the billionaire investor, and Peter Lynch, the guru of the Fidelity
Magellan fund, it is pointed out that a single principle has been the
secret of their success-they buy and sell what they understand. They
read reports and do analysis of the company before they decide to buy or
sell. But the most important thing they study is people. This book
explains how you can use the same principle to increase your wealth.
I explain how to use Act! to create reports to analyze and understand your
customers. You will find examples of several reports and suggestions
on how you can customize them to help you sell more.
The concept is simple, one you learn
to use the principles described in this book, including how to use Act! to
become more organized, you will invest time in customers who will give you
the most business.
