THE FIVE PLANKS
THE FIVE PLANKS OF DOOR-OPENING SUCCESS TM
BY : CARYN KOPP , CHIEF DOOR OPENER , KOPP CONSULTING
THE perfect pipeline includes a consistent , incoming flow of new prospect relationships with the exact right decision makers . Most business leaders and sellers say they can close sales most of the time when they are in front of the right prospects . The problem is they just can ’ t get in front of enough of the right people . If this sounds familiar to you , and you are not meeting enough of the right prospects , there is likely a problem in one or more of the Five key Planks of your Door- Opening Success .
The Five Planks of Door-Opening Success :
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The Right Target .
In my experience , at least 25 percent of most sellers ’ time is spent on prospects unlikely ( or unable ) to say “ yes ” in a reasonable time frame . To narrow your focus on the right prospect group ( s ), ask yourself three questions : Is my offering the obvious solution to these prospects ? Will they willingly pay what I want to charge ? Do they have urgency around having a conversation and taking next steps ? Spend your valuable time on prospects who will say “ Yes !”
The Right Sales Message .
Your sales message is not the same as your marketing message . If you don ’ t have a sales message , get one . Be specific . Use compelling , relevant , emotional words and phrases to make strong connections with the exact right prospects . When communicating with a single decision maker , research and further personalize your message . Inspire individuals to act .
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The Right Hunter .
Finding the right hunter is hard . Some hunters are “ Openers ” who excel intuitively at ( and enjoy ) creating relationships where none existed before . Other hunters are “ Closers ” who excel at taking existing relationships from initial meeting to closed sale . It ’ s rare to find one hunter equally talented at both opening and closing . If you need an Opener but don ’ t have one , sales success will be difficult , unpredictable , and sometimes impossible .
The Right Execution .
Having the right target , the right message , the right objection answers , and the right hunter will not ensure success unless you are executing properly . While there are many aspects to execution — like how often to approach prospects , varying communication delivery , and enlisting support from gatekeepers — the most common mistake is not spending enough time weekly on door opening to make a difference . There is a direct correlation between time spent and success . To succeed in opening more doors , spend more time on door opening .
If you want to outpace your competition and need to meet more prospects to do so , take a hard look at your Five Planks . Make sure the right recipe is in place . Once you do , structure onboarding and management to ensure all sellers consistently follow the right recipe .
The Right Answers for Objections .
If you can ’ t overcome an objection , you will never close the sale . It ’ s that simple . Track objections which stall sales to know which answers need improvement . Using questions as answers for objections is an overlooked but powerful method to pinpoint real issues and move past them . Practice delivery of objection answers until they don ’ t sound rehearsed .
Caryn Kopp
Caryn Kopp is the Chief Door Opener at Kopp Consulting , whose Door Opener Service helps clients get in the door for initial meetings with high-level , hard-toreach , prospect decision makers . Kopp Consulting is recognized on the Inc . 5000 list , was named one of New Jersey ’ s 50 Fastest Growing Companies , and was named Sales Outsourcing Provider of the Year . Caryn ’ s book , Biz Dev Done Right , co-authored with Carl Gould , is an Amazon best seller . She is also the author of The Path to the Cash ! The Words You Need to Bypass Those Darned Prospect Objections and is a faculty member of Gazelles Growth Institute . You can reach her at www . koppconsultingusa . com .
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