12 Best Sales Methods for Small Business in Malaysia

 

Sales is both a science and an art form. The process of Sales can be vague. However, with the correct sales method in a clearly mapped sales process, the vague sales process becomes much clearer to identify.

Learning the critical difference between closing and losing a deal is vital.

What is a sales method?

A sales method is a framework that helps to guide your sales representatives to close clients. It helps to interpret goals and turn them into clear actionable steps for your sales representatives to complete during each stage of the sales process. This creates a sales model.

For example:

Strangers >>> Leads >>> Qualified Leads >>> Opportunities >>> Customers

Guiding the process from Awareness, Consideration and Decision.

Sales Model

A sales model is an approach to selling that outlines how to make a sales method work which is specific to your business.

The sales model defines specific parts of the sales cycle to implement best practices. For example if a sales representative identifies that a client is currently in the early stage of the sales cycle, a demo should be shown.

Every business should develop a unique sales process based on the business's specific customer needs, products and industry position.

12 Best Sales Methods for Small Business in Malaysia

1. N.E.A.T

This qualification framework was developed by the Harris Consulting Group and Sales Hacker. 

N = Core Needs

E = Economic Impact

A = Access to Authority

T = Timeline

The idea is to encourage sales representatives to not just focus on the surface-level pain that any prospect faces but to learn why it matters to them as an individual and why it would make a difference in the context of a business.

Next beyond presenting the solution's ROI, helping the buyer to understand the financial impact they're currently on track to realise versus what they will see if they implement your suggestions.

And all this effort would not make sense if you are not speaking to the person making the decision.

Finally, if there aren't any negative consequences to meeting any date, this is no longer a real deadline.

2. Conceptual Selling

This idea presents that customers buy a concept of a solution that a product or service provides and not the product or service itself. The idea is to encourage sales representatives to uncover the prospect's concept of their product and understand their decision-making process.

To do this sales representatives should ask questions that fall into these 5 categories:

1. Confirmation questions to reaffirm information.
2. New information questions to clarify the prospective customer's concept of the product or service
3. Attitude questions to understand a customer personally and discover their connection to the project
4. Commitment questions to learn about the customer's investment in the project.
5. Basic issue questions to learn about any potential problems.

3. SNAP Selling

• Keep it simple
• Be i(n)valuable
• Always align
• Raise priorities

4. Challenger Sale

According to Dixon and Adamson most B2B sales representatives fit into 1 of 5 personas:

1. Relationship builders
2. Hard workers
3. Lone wolves
4. Reactive problem solvers
5. Challengers

And they found that the most successful of the 5 were the challengers. Challengers are effective sellers because they implement the following controlled process:

Teach: First, they teach their prospects - not about the product or service in question, but about more significant business problems, new ideas and astute observations.

Tailor: Next, they tailor their communications to their prospect.

Take Control: Finally, they control the sale by not being afraid to push back on their customer and focusing more on the end goal than being liked.

5. The Sandler System

This method prioritizes building mutual trust between both sides. The sales representative acts as an advisor and asks questions to identify challenges in the qualification process.

And during the qualification process sales representatives are trained to raise and assess most obstacles and as part of the discovery when they notice that the solution won't truly address the customer's concerns they won't waste time convincing them.

6. MEDDIC

If your small business intends to implement a more complex enterprise sales qualification process MEDDIC is a good place to start.

Metrics: What's the economic impact of the situation?

Economic buyer: Who controls the budget?

Decision criteria: What are the formal evaluation criteria the business is using to pick a vendor?

Decision process: How will the business pick a vendor?

Identify pain: What are the trigger events and financial consequences of the problem?

Champion:Who is selling on your behalf?

7. Solution Selling

This method focus's on sales representatives leveraging on the benefits a custom solution can provide for the interested prospect. This acknowledges that people are more informed and allows sales representatives to fit the prospect's needs.

8. Spin Selling

Popularised by Neil Rackham, SPIN is an acronym for questions that generally surround 4 elements.

1. Situation by aiming to understand the current situation - encouraged through a call or a meeting.
2. Problem by getting to the heard of the problem
3. The implication by probing to think about the consequences of not solving the problem
4. Need-payoff prompts the prospect to consider how the situation would change if their problem wasn't solved.

9. Inbound Selling

This strategy encourages the strategy of meeting prospects where they are by leading prospects through a journey of awareness, consideration and decision-making stages which leads to 4 main actions:

• Identify, by prioritising active buyers rather than passive ones.
• Connect, by connecting with prospects through personalised messages on their socials or at in-person events.
• Explore, by focusing on building rapport and recap at previous conversations.
• Advise, by creating and delivering a personalised sales presentation covering what they've learned covering the needs and the value of the assistance the product or service can provide.

10. Target Account Selling

The idea is that picking the right prospects to engage with is the most crucial aspect of a sales process — that means paying careful attention to and conducting more extensive research during lead qualification and creating buyer personas.

11. Gap Selling

Highlighting the gap between where a prospect's business currently stands and where they would like it to be. Its underlying premise rests on addressing problems as opposed to touting products.

12. Command of the Sale

Selling with urgency, some degree of bravado, extensive product knowledge, and exceptional situational awareness — all aspects of sales that could be described as commanding in their own right.

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Happy New Year 2022 from EVERWORKS

“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” —Eleanor Roosevelt

Whatever the new year brings, we know we’ll achieve our goals with the continuous support of our customers. Happy new year to my forever love!

The EVERWORKS Team wishes our partners, clients, suppliers and everyone a Happy New Year.  

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5 Ways on How to Host Virtual (or Hybrid) Holiday Parties For Your Team

The pandemic has forced the traditional holiday office party to go virtual. But things are different this year — now, a variety of workplaces include remote and in-person employees (or a hybrid of both).  So here's the challenge — how can you host a fun holiday party that satisfies everyone? What activities can you plan? What logistics are involved?  There's certainly a lot to think about, but don't stress.

1. Spreadsheet to organize your activities

Planning a virtual holiday party requires plenty of logistics. That's why you should use a spreadsheet to stay organized.

2. Make it interactive

The goal here is to be creative because virtual events might automatically feel "hands-off". There are several online games and activities you can use for your virtual holiday party.

3. Incorporate food

When hosting an in-person event, providing food is typically part of the gig. Why can't this be true of remote holiday parties too?

4. Encourage people to dress up

Holiday parties are usually fun events where everyone can dress up and celebrate. Being remote shouldn't change this — so don't ditch the ugly holiday sweater just yet.

5. Always lead with an inclusive mindset

A major obstacle with remote meetings is that it's hard to feel included.  

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10 Funny Out-of-Office Messages to Inspire Your Own

It's the holiday season, people tend to fall into one of two camps: 

1. those who watch the clock incessantly, and 
2. those who are so busy before they leave, 

They might even forget to put up an out-of-office (OOO) email message.  If you're anything like I am, you probably fall into team two. That doesn't leave a lot of time to get creative. But if you plan ahead, you might be able to craft some pretty fun personal messages to colleagues and customers.

What are Out-of-Office Email Messages?

Also known as "autoresponder emails," out-of-office messages run the gamut. From funny to clever to snarky, this message can both show your personality and let senders know that, well, you’re out of office.  

While you can keep it simple, you can also have some fun with it.

Be warned, company culture is also important to note when crafting your email message. Having a too informal voice in an overly formal setting could be inappropriate.

What to Include in Your Email Messages?

In your away message, you typically include the following:

• A quick “I’m out of the office” phrase.
• The date or time range you’ll be out.
• Who to reach out to in case the sender needs immediate attention.
• A Sign-Off

Here are 10 Funny Out-of-Office Messages to Inspire Your Own

1. Thanks for your message! I’m currently buried in snow and will get back to you once I’ve defrosted on January 2nd.  And if you think I’m lying...

2. Hi there,  Sorry I missed you — I’m unable to get to my email right this second. Why? I’m on a backpacking trip, surviving on Spam, really good water, and trail mix. You should see the stars out here.  I’ll get back to you when I return to civilization. Or to an area with WiFi. Or to the office on May 10th. Whichever comes first.  If you need help right now, email my team at team@example.com.

3. Hi there,  You got this email immediately (classic autoresponder behaviour), which means I’m out of the office on vacation.  While I hypothetically could reach my email, while I hypothetically do have my phone on hand, and while I hypothetically do have access to WiFi, I’d rather enjoy time with my family. My kids are growing up at the speed of a supersonic jet, and if I blink one more time, they’ll be 35. And I’ll be 73. And I don’t want that.  If you still need to reach me, you can email interruptingfamilytime@example.com. Or you can email my assistant at assistant@example.com. They can point you in the right direction.  Looking forward to reconnecting once I’m back.

4. Hi, I’m Troy McClure. You might remember me from such out-of-office messages as Avenge My Death if I Don’t Return from DMEXCO and Bye Now, I’m on an Absurdly Long Cycling Trip.  I’m here to talk to you about someone you know. Catalina Wong is out of office until September 27. She wanted me to let you know that she’ll get back to you after her return.  That’s all for now. Watch for me in the upcoming out-of-office message, It’s Not a Hangover, It’s Food Poisoning — I Swear! And be safe out there.

5. Hey there — I’ve got good and bad news for you. Let’s go with the bad first.  The bad news is that I’m out of office. The good news is that I’m out of office and enjoying elotes in Cancún.  If you can’t wait for a response, my colleague will be happy to take care of you. Just email them at someone@example.com.  I’ll be back on February 7th.

6. "I am currently out of the office and probably chilling on the beach. Enjoy your work week."

7. Hello there,  I’m currently out of the office, enjoying some peanuts and Cracker Jacks with my family. Can you guess where I am? That’s okay, you’re busy.  If your message is urgent, fear not — we’ll get it addressed. Try doing one of two things:  Send me an email at TheresNoCryingInBaseball@example.com. Just kidding. That’s not a real email address. Reach out to my manager at manager@example.com in my absence. I’ll be back in the office on 7/19 and will happily respond then. Have a great weekend!

8. I am on annual leave until dd/mm/yyyy. I will allow each sender one email and if you send me multiple emails, I will randomly delete your emails until there is only one remaining. Choose wisely. Please note that you have already sent me one email.

9. Hey there,  Careful. Holiday revelry and debauchery ahead. Proceed with caution (if you dare).  By which I mean to say: I’m on holiday, I’m definitely sunburnt, and I’m sorry I missed your email.  Don’t you worry: while I pretend to be Santa in front of my kids, my colleague, Hannah, will cover for me. Just email her at hannah@example.com if you need urgent assistance.  Take care, and don’t get too carried away with the sunbathing!

10. Hey there,  Thank you so much for your email. I love it already. It’s wrapped so nicely in its charming subject line that I just knew this message was going to be something special. Gifts like these just don’t come around every day.  Unfortunately, I’m going to have to return your message. As it’s the holiday season, I’m currently away from the office. When I return, I’ll give your email a good solid read and find that your request is exactly what I needed after all! But until then, I’m going to keep it in the inbox so it doesn’t get damaged and revisit it after the holidays are over.  Happy holidays!

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Happy Winter Solstice 2021 from EVERWORKS

The origins of this festival can be traced back to the yin and yang philosophy of balance and harmony in the cosmos. After this celebration, there will be days with longer daylight hours and therefore an increase in positive energy flowing in. The philosophical significance of this is symbolized by the I Ching hexagram fù (Chinese: 復, "Returning").

Traditionally, the Dongzhi Festival is also a time for the family to get together. One activity that occurs during these get-togethers (especially in the southern parts of China and in Chinese communities overseas) is the making and eating of tangyuan (湯圓) or balls of glutinous rice, which symbolize reunion.

The EVERWORKS Team wishes our partners, clients, suppliers and everyone a happy Winter's Solstice.

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5 Digital Marketing Trends Set to Expire by 2020

When it comes to marketing tactics, unfortunately, there are no "Fixed" expiry dates. However, that doesn't mean what worked last year -- or even last week -- will work today. In fact, some of the most popular digital marketing trends have reached the end of their shelf life and are well beyond their expiration dates. 

1. Drip campaigns with no personalisation

Gone are the days where you can send out emails to a large contact list with no segmentation and personalisation. This will not work anymore moving forward.

2. Text-heavy e-books

With everyone working through their mobiles more and more gone are the days of the long-form PDFs with a lot of text. You should focus more on digital media purposed for the medium which it is being consumed from.

3. Focusing on Quantity and not Quality

The Internet is saturated with content (there's so much) but it's the quality ones that always stand out.

4. Making Scoring Leads to Complicated

You should make it easier for the engines to understand how you value a lead and where that lead will sit in the overall marketing lead generation pool.

5. Overloading on Marketing Automation

Initially intended for internal marketing activities, this has shifted to external marketing activities and brands are feeling it as it is not an entirely seamless implementation just yet. Customers are being put off by the inconvenience and hassle to interact with your business.

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6 Advertising Challenges Brands Could Face in 2022

Did you know that 90% of searchers haven't made their mind up about a brand before starting their search?  This is one of the main reasons that online advertising is so competitive. That ever-increasing competition is just one of the challenges that brands face when they do online advertising (and we'll dive into this more below).  Yet, advertising is a vital component of any business's marketing strategy. So, you might be wondering, "What are some other advertising challenges and how can we overcome them?"

1. Reaching the correct target audience

The adage goes that advertising (and marketing in general) is about reaching the right audience, with the right message, at the right time. But reaching the right audience is getting harder and becoming a challenge for advertisers.

2. How much is "enough budget"

Another challenge that advertisers will face in the future is allocating enough budget. Budget is usually a challenge in the marketing and advertising world of small to midsize companies, but this challenge will begin to impact larger companies as well.

3. Scalability

Of course, another advertising challenge that brands face is scalability. You'll need to run online campaigns that can grow with your company.

4. Competition

online advertising is competitive. That competition makes it challenging for brands to reach the right audience in the right way.

5. Relying on only 1 marketing channel

Online advertising doesn't exactly feel like an option at this point. However, a huge challenge in the advertising industry is to rely on one marketing channel.

6. Downplaying the power of emotions

In recent years, we've seen a wave of nostalgic and emotional content playing a large role in the advertising industry. While you might think this is just a trend that's going away, think again.  "Appealing to customers by using solely logic and forgetting the essential role emotion plays leaves a lot of money on the table. Ultimately people buy products and services because they feel like it's the right thing to do". "Emotion has been scientifically proven to drive decision-making behavior. Bottom line, when properly executed, this leads to more and more conversions, sales, and revenue."

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