How To Say It Business To Business Selling Pdf
- How To Say It Business To Business Selling Pdf
- How To Say It Business To Business Selling Pdf Free Download
After many years of working closely with businesses providing, divestiture and acquisition services, I have seen that many otherwise well-run companies are extremely disappointed when it's time to sell because they either don't receive the valuation they expect or, even worse, they don't get any any offers at all.With an aging baby boomer population, more businesses than ever will be looking for an. Buyers will have their pick of the litter, so to speak. That's why it's imperative that sellers make their businesses as attractive as possible. The strategies presented here will not only help you but will also be necessary to ensure that your business is salable in the future. Simple Keys to Maximize ValueIt can be hard to focus on increasing the value of your business if you have no immediate intention of selling. There are so many other competing demands for your time. But for those proactive business owners who see the end game of cashing out at some point, there are three simple concepts that will help you maximize the value of your business.
Focus most of your efforts on increasing. Put yourself in a buyer's shoes. Pick the best when the time is right and executeLet's look at each in more detail: Focus on Increasing Cash FlowCash flows are the No.1 factor that look at to determine the valuation placed on an acquisition target.
Buyers calculate the value of a business by estimating future cash flow and assessing the risk associated with generating that cash flow. A business that has a track record of sustainable or growing cash not only validates its product or service, but also demonstrates the management’s team’s ability to drive growth. Buyers pay more for the higher likelihood of future growth. Are important because they provide a good indication of what is possible.Because of the importance of determining value, I can't stress enough the need for owners to prepare future cash flow projections for their business. Bb5 software free download. Let's look at this logically. Would you rather have a potential buyer determine the value of your company from cash flow projections that they prepare or from ones that are prepared by you, with detailed support around why your projections are achievable? I think the choice is obvious.
Put Yourself in a Buyer's ShoesEven owners who are not planning on selling their businesses can learn a lot from how potential buyers perceive an. Based on my experience, these are five areas buyers scrutinize most when buying businesses: Strategic PlanningQuality businesses have a well-thought out and documented. A written plan gives any outside party (be it a bank, investor or potential buyer) the confidence that a business owner knows where a business is going and how it is getting there.
If your business doesn't have a strategic plan, make one.Strong ManagementA properly trained and widely knowledgeable management team is desirable for any company. A truly valuable team is deep (you have several key players with job-specific experience) and the knowledge of the business does not reside with any one individual. It is important to honestly assess the strength of your management team.Are you able to and feel comfortable that the business will run as efficiently or even better than if you were there? If not, start building a deeper management team through training, improved corporate alignment and, if needed, hiring. It may impact profitability in the short-term but it will more than make up for it by creating future value.
On top of that, wouldn’t it be nice to take an extended vacation with that peace of mind? Diversified and Recurring Revenue BaseA company that has is too risky for most potential buyers. If that customer were to leave, it would significantly impact revenue and cash flow. As such, customer concentration is an area that can have a significant impact on value.Review your sales per customer.
If any revenue is too concentrated among a few customers, find a way to get more revenue from others. One of the best ways to do this is by establishing a service that also builds up your value. High Barriers to Entrycan be created though intellectual property, such as patents or trademarks, significant capital investment, supplier or distribution agreements, etc. Companies that can deter competition from entering the market will be able to better sustain leading status.
Find that unique element in your company and use it to create an economic moat to protect you from your fiercest competitors. ScalabilityBuyers like companies that make significant investments in systems to serve customers, produce products, handle customer complaints, etc., measurable and repeatable processes make it easier and less expensive to hire and train employees and allow you to better service customers.
All businesses have functioning systems in place, but getting your employees to document and refine these systems will give your company the ability to grow much more quickly. Pick the Right Exit Strategy and ExecuteSelecting the appropriate exit strategy — and executing it — is a significant consideration for a business owner who wants to maximize value.
The following needs to be considered: PlanningTo be successful at, business owners must plan ahead. When more time is available to implement these strategies, more value can be created. Working on these tools today will also allow business owners to evaluate and take advantage of opportunities that present themselves in the future like a favorable market environment (i.e., high valuation ) or to be purchased. ExecutionCreating an effective with the use of a professional intermediary is critical to achieve the appropriate and value. These experts will better position your company, support your valuation, get more qualified buyers to the table and favorable terms. Other professionals, such as tax and, must be involved early in the process to maximize the after-tax dollar realized on exit.
This is the time when a business owner’s years of efforts are monetized, therefore this process should not be taken lightly. TimingEven with proper planning and execution, if the market is not right for M&A activity, you might not find the best buyer or get the valuation you deserve.
Be vigilant about staying on top of what is happening in the marketplace by talking to your bankers, accountants and others who have their ears to the street. If you're ready to sell when the M&A market heats up, that's the best time to pull the trigger for value maximization. Increase Your Chance of SuccessThese concepts sound simple and I know most entrepreneurs intuitively know them. The difficulty is staying focused and making these three simple ideas a priority in the day-to-day management of your business. Find any means necessary to help you remain dedicated to the worthy cause of increasing the value of your business. The rewards of being able to cash out on your terms (whatever they might be) is worth the effort. John is president and founder of Stone Oak Capital Inc., an M&A advisory firm, as well as a co-founder of Divestopedia.
How To Say It Business To Business Selling Pdf
For more than a decade, John has served his clients on numerous valuation, acquisition and divestiture assignments in a wide variety of industries. John holds the Corporate Finance designation, is a Chartered Business Valuator and a Chartered Accountant. He has made it his life's mission to help entrepreneurs build valuable businesses and Divestopedia serves as an avenue for this cause.
The language of sales is one in which complex thoughts are simplified. Vexing decisions are reduced to their obvious conclusions. Lack of clarity becomes crystal clear.This language contains words and phrases capable of stirring emotion, stifling indecision, conveying agreement, and convincing even the most adamant prospect.
Words are powerful.Words have made and ruined careers. It’s your selection — good and bad — that to a large extent determines your career. Scary thought? Not after you read this.There’s no love for the salesperson whose flowery prose is seen as too slick. There’s no respect for the salesperson who delights in displaying his full technical expertise on every question.So we’re not asking you to develop an arsenal of $100 words on a $2 budget. We’re asking you to learn to speak in terms in which the consumer can easily relate.You can begin by becoming aware of the words you use as well as the reactions you cause.
Are the reactions positive or negative? What facial expressions are reactions to your language? This chapter will expand on a few examples.Hot Sales Words to Exchange NowDo not use the word Contract. Use Agreement or Proposal.Contract is a traditional sales word that is seen as very formal or potentially destructive to the customer. The replacement word, agreement, involves the customer or another person.
The customer feels better because he is agreeing with you. Proposal implies the consumer makes the ultimate decision.Do not say “I need your signature here,” or “Sign this here.” Say “Please okay this here,” or “Please okay this and date it.”You want to make the consumer feel like he has power. It is, after all, his decision. The latter two phrases present the task simply and with much less formality. Signing is often associated with “Signing away something.” Okaying is much more like “Agreeing.”Do not say, Buy or Spend when you can say Invest.Buy and spend infer giving something up, something that may not come back.
Investment implies a return. You can also refer to something as a good investment or “getting a good return on this investment.Do not say, Your first payment. Say, Initial investment.Same as above.
One implication is negative; the other is more positive.Do not say, Our price or Our discount. Speak in terms of Your savings, Your payback, Your discount.Let these dollars become their dollars.
The inference is entirely different and far more agreeable.Do not say, Five thousand two hundred and eighty dollars. Say, Fifty-two eighty.Dollars are too valuable, and five thousand of them are too many. Reduce the blow by quoting your company’s prices with a little tact.
Remember, you’re selling value, not price. It’s an investment.To illustrate word choice illustrations, say these two phrases out loud. “With our price, you pay us five thousand two hundred and eighty dollars.”.
“Your discounted investment that will pay you back for years is just fifty two eighty.”Which sounds far less harsh? It makes a difference.It all adds up to a better, more approachable, less committal tone of language. The message is much easier to your new customer.Now try this out.
Which sounds better to you?. “Once you sign this contract, then we can set up our installation crews to come back.”. “Just okay this agreement and we’ll schedule the installation at your convenience.”The language of sales harmony is a song when compared to the brashness of low performance salespeople.What You Should Always SayNeed more words that have proven power? Yale University has found that the following words are the most persuasive in the English language:. easy. results.
save. discover, reveal. guarantee.
safety. free. profit, return. health. love. money, cash. investment.
proven. you, yours. gain, benefit. now, newIf you haven’t yet discovered the significance of these words, you aren’t making enough sales calls! In your sales presentation, adopt these words for your standard vocabulary.These words are used often in good marketing and should be implemented in your sales process.
Believe me, as a copywriter, I’ve seen massive differences in response by changing very few words.Words and language lead your prospects to draw inferences about your company and your knowledge.The following is a list of Dream Phrases that are more like thoughts you should convey to your poor, confused prospect who is just looking for a solution.Show him you know how to make his dreams real by conveying:. I know who you are. This dream phrase lets your prospects know that you know them, their needs, their neighborhood, and their demographics. You can say this by knowing a little service history, when they used your company last, who built the home, or the age of their system. This speaks to them as unique. I know how to fix your problem.
This dream phrase demonstrates your knowledge of HVAC systems. Your prospects put confidence in you.
You say this by fully explaining the problem, and telling them how you can give value with your solutions and your company’s plan. This speaks to them as fixable.When you close a sale, you’ve moved systematically towards that close in small incremental steps that have gotten agreement, or been acknowledged as okay with the prospect.Go too fast and you lose people. Go too slow and you bore people.
How To Say It Business To Business Selling Pdf Free Download
So unless you’re psychic, get small agreements and nods of approval en route. It’s easier, faster, and more fully understood.Often these pre-closes are called trial closes in order to gain access to the all-important closing process.Trial closes gently motivate your prospect to the next step.
In turn, they help you wrap up your presentation so you can move into getting the order from them. Try these out:. What do we still need to do? In a way, you are asking your prospect what he or she wants you to do in order to close the sale. The focus is on the consumer with an open-ended question.
Is their anything else I can answer for you about this? With this open-ended question, your prospect will tell you exactly what he wants or needs. You can leave a complication or sticking point knowing that it won’t come up as an objection later. You’re stopping the objection before it starts. Does this make sense?
You’re obviously seeking a “Yes” which is the most powerful thing they can say. You also know if you’re getting through to them. Only explain things that need to make sense or answer a direct question. Please don’t try to explain the theory of convection to them.
If they say, “Yes” to this, congratulate them and move on. They’ll feel understood and appreciated. How close are we to reaching an agreement? This will most likely get a direct answer.
From your prospect’s answer, you should know how you have progressed on this particular call. Your customer will inform you about what you need to do to convince him of your product or service. If they back up on you, you’ll know you have more work to do.
Do not ask this unless you’re sure you’re ready to close or it will turn them off. Does this sound fair? Seriously powerful question. It shows you’re out to obtain fairness. And that, my friend, is the object of any sale.What You Should Never SayEver met an annoying salesperson? The most annoying have a long list of the wrong things to say.You’ve doubtless seen the power in good word and phrase choices, but here are some things that rank very high on the annoyance meter. These cost sales every day for the low performance salesperson:.
The wrong name. You can surely get the name right for the hour or so. Run it through your head, out of your mouth, and in natural conversation whenever it fits. Any fake or invented answer. What a terrific way to break trust, set yourself up for embarrassment, and get complaints to your boss.
You just never know. It’s better to say, “That’s a great question and I’ll jot that down and find out for certain.”. Saying “I can’t” when you really mean “I won’t.” If something is honestly outside your job description, then the customer will understand if you tell them why you’re unable. Otherwise, if you refuse to be helpful due to laziness, unwillingness, or because it’s different, then get out of the “helper business.”.
Use “HVAC jargon” without explaining what it means. Hopefully, you explain thoroughly the benefits and not just the features. You’re supposed to emphasize your value, not speak over someone’s head for your own benefit. Don’t discuss irrelevant topics. Don’t discuss your problems at home, how hard you work, or how you’re having a mole removed next Tuesday. Your prospect’s time is of the essence. Drifting off the subject for the sake of hearing yourself speak will work against you every time.There are other important items to avoid saying, but I cannot tell them to you!
(At least not directly.) What I mean is your knowledge and sensitivity to your customer will guide your mind to respond correctly. You need to keep them on track too if it gets out of hand.To know what to say to a customer and how to say it, you must know a good deal about the customer before you speak to him or her. This relates directly to the dream phrases we covered earlier. It’s a nightmare if you don’t convey them!In the next issue, we’ll address some strategies for persuasive negotiation.Adams Hudson is president of Hudson, Ink, a creative marketing firm for contractors. Readers can get a free marketing newsletter and a free 16-page report called “Get More Leads in Less Time ” by faxing their letterhead with the request to 334-262-1115 or emailing to.
You can also call Hudson, Ink at 1-800-489-9099 for help or visit for other free marketing articles and reports.