If you’re new to reading our blog you may not know that we are the Business Coaching division of Brian Tracy.

I’ll add a quick paragraph at the end of this blog with a bit more insight into that…

But right now, let’s get to the 4 Ingredients to any sale. Its important to know these because these 4 Ingredients like directly to a few things

• How helping people buy is a direct link to being a successful sales person.
• Knowing the natural objections and how to answer these important concerns
• Consultative selling is about asking questions and listening
• Telling isn’t selling

By the way, if there are 4 ingredients to effective, respectful, consultative selling then I should also tell you there are only 6 objections to any sale. I’ll blog about that soon.

The 4 ingredients are:

• Budget
• Need
• Timing
• Reationship

Sounds simple, doesn't it?

Well, simple doesn't mean easy and easy doesn't mean a lack of skill or winging it will do.

Let me give you a quick insight into why I even have the right to comment on this subject. I look after Global Coaching Operations at FocalPoint. What that means is that I look after Coach Success and Client success.

So, I’m fortunate because I have the benefit of perspective. My team and I get to talk to our business coaches all around the world on business improvement issues they encounter with their clients. And business improvement always has a direct link to– sales improvement.

Here’s what we see in talking to businesses, big and small.

“Winging it.”

• If a plumbing company has 1 sales rep they wing it on sales calls
• An engineering firm selling soil remediation services – “wings it” in the sales meeting.
• A company making gaming software is out looking for a partner to pick up their game – and they wing it when making the pitch

I won’t go on….

See - the problem is that sales can seem like trying to hug a jellyfish. (Don't do this at home please). No matter how you try and pick it up, certain pieces just slip out. And the ones you can grab might sting you!

Why should I care about the 4 ingredients to any sale?

• You can increase sales by being more effective on the meetings you go to
• You embarrass your competition by being much more professional and in control
• You don't miss the most critical thing is sales –
  • knowing WHY people want to buy
  • Knowing if they can afford what youre selling
  • Knowing how their life or business will be better if they use your service
  • Knowing WHEN they can or will make a decision

More detail on the 4 ingredients to making any sale

Budget – I need to ask the right questions so I know with absolute clarity how much they can invest, what return it will bring them etc.

Need – do they need what I have to offer? Maybe they don’t, maybe they do. There are some great questions that figure this put pretty quickly. Do you know what the questions are in your industry??

Timing- Wow, is this ever important. Think about it. If I had a prospect who had the money, needed what I had to sell, and loved me and my company but was too busy to buy it , could I make the sale? No.

            Side note- were dealing with that right now internally. A huge local utility needs what we do and wants what we do, but the directive from politicians is taking them in another direction. We have to stay in a holding pattern or risk losing the sale later on.

Relationship – The prospect has to

• Know that I care about them and their needs first
• Know my company
• Respect my company
• Know me
• Respect me

Ok, I could go on longer but this isn’t a book –yet!

On that note, we’ve been invited to co-author a book being developed by KPMG. It's a very exciting book and its all about how the big boys sell. We’ll let you know when it comes out.

A final note as promised above….

Brian Tracy created FocalPoint ( you’ll recognize his book by the same name, of course) to deliver his proven material on  Sales Improvement and Business Improvement. Our full name is FocalPoint Business Coaching, powered by Brian Tracy.

We use Brian’s material as a proactive coaching model to walk business leaders through re-inventing themselves and their businesses.

Thanks for reading – get out there and change the world!

Dominic Rubino