By Cal Thomas, Sandler Training
​One of the classic selling rules David Sandler developed and shared with salespeople sounds a little harsh…but it’s true. Sandler warned us that “All prospects lie all the time.”  Maybe that sounds combative, but if we were to tweak the rule just a little bit, we could see past that and understand what Sandler was getting at. Suppose we were to say “All prospects are protecting themselves all the time.” Would that be clearer? Sure it would. Well, if we step back, we’ll realize that the two formulations are saying exactly the same thing.

by Cal Thomas, Sandler Training
We have all been in situations where we are on a sales call, and we get the sense that the other person has checked out of the discussion for some reason. Maybe there is an uncomfortably long silence on the phone. Maybe we can see the other person looking disengaged, making faces, getting distracted, or checking their phone.

The question is, what do we do then?

by Cal Thomas, Sandler Training
 
Quick! What is the best sales presentation you’ll ever give?
 
Were you stumped for a moment? Don’t feel bad. It was a trick question.
 
The best presentation that you’ll ever give is actually the one that the prospect never sees. 

by Cal Thomas, Sandler Training
When you know you’ve lost the business, what do you usually do?
 
We have all been in that position. We thought we had something. The deal fell through. We know it’s over. The buyer made a decision. We have to say something. The question is, what? There should be a go-to move in this situation, something we do consistently, as part of a process. So: Does that go-to move exist? 

by Cal Thomas, Sandler Training
Carlos was in a great mood. Forty minutes in, the meeting with his top prospect’s senior staff was going great. He was getting nothing but engagement, smiles, and positive body language from everyone around the table, including the CEO of the company. He knew what that meant. He was about to close his first big deal! The timing couldn’t have been better. Because this was a potentially major account, Carlos’ manager Charlene was in attendance. Today, she would get to see him work his magic first hand. 

By Cal Thomas, Sandler Training
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Believe it or not, your parents were wrong. Money actually does grow on trees. That's one of the essential Sandler Selling Rules.  

​Skeptical? Don't be. Just be willing to ask yourself: what kind of tree? And the answer is: a referral tree.