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As you know, we’re in pursuit of perfection and I’ve been asking clients, “What does the “perfect” sales call or business development opportunity look like?”

It has produced some powerful possibilities. My clients and I have identified four categories for success or perfection with a sales call or business-growth pursuit : 1. before, 2. during, 3. after and 4. ongoing.

Last week, we shared “before”, as well as “during” strategies, with the six steps and the respective “profit points” from the Opportunity Selling Business-growth System — excerpted from my Opportunity Selling CD learning-system and Peak Your Profits book.

The six OpPoRTuNiTY steps are:

O open; P probe; R reveal; T translate; N negotiate; TY the yes!

In part one, we also covered the Open, Probe and Reveal stages. Let’s then continue with the Translate, Negotiate and The Yes stages, to achieve perfection “during” a sales call.

Step 4: Translate — The translation of features into benefits. Not what a product or service is, but what it will do.

The translate profit points are:

1. Explain the feature — emphasize the benefit(s).

2. Stress how the value outweighs the investment.

3. Complement your benefit claims with others’ proof, testimonial and satisfaction.

4. Persuade both logically and emotionally.

5. Request confirmation that these are the benefits they’ve been looking for.

Step 5: Negotiate — Overcoming objections and solving problems in a win-win environment. The negotiate profit points are:

1. Provide solutions not confrontations.

2. Acknowledge a client’s concerns and assure them you understand the importance of their decision.

3. Isolate the obstacle(s). Discover what’s delaying their investment decision.

4. Ask your clients for their opinions, suggestions and ideas as to the best way(s) to resolve the situation.

5. Let them know you want them to make a wise decision and they won’t regret.

Step 6: The Yes - Getting others to say “yes.” The yes profit points are:

1. Expect a positive response.

2. Once again, emphasize the benefits versus the investment.

3. Ask several open-ended trial close questions to get their opinions, feelings, reactions and attitudes.

4. Ask for a “yes” decision. If there’s hesitation, find out why, resolve it and ask again for a “yes.”

5. Congratulate them on their wise investment decision.

For perfection after the sales call, you must:

-Determine, is this person a prospect or a suspect? What are your next steps?

-Plan follow-up

-Get answers to any questions from the decision-maker

-Honor any commitments made or deliverables promised

-Review your notes to best understand one’s needs and wants

-Review your own sales performance, what went well, what didn’t and areas for improvement

-Understand and analyze the decision-maker’s hot buttons or motivators, and how you’ll appeal to them in the future

-Keep things moving forward, determine the next step, i.e., another meeting and presentation of an action plan.

-Determine what product(s), service(s) or solution(s) to present to your customer

-Contact your new referral leads — obtained “during” the sales call

- Keep your initial decision- maker or “introducer” up-to- date on progress or success with referred leads.

For perfection that’s ongoing, you must:

-Keep an accurate customer database, informing decision- makers of changes, opportunities and valuable information

-Honor promises, delivery dates, written or oral commitments.

-Develop relationships with decision-makers — at the professional and personal levels

-Know important dates — i.e. birthdays and anniversaries.

-Acknowledge celebrations — i.e. holidays. Show an attitude of gratitude.

-Have periodic contact: phone, in-person, e-mail and/or newsletters.

-Be a source of new business for your customers

-Give them access to information, ideas and knowledge they can’t obtain elsewhere

-Know more about them and their business than competitors.

In the world of athletic competition, perfection is recognized and celebrated when judges award a 10.

Your “judges” are your decision-makers, customers, clients and prospects, who will cast their vote at your cash register, with their signatures on agreements, and on your bottom-line. Here’s to your pursuit of perfection!

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Jeff Blackman is a speaker, author, success coach, broadcaster and lawyer who lives part-time on Marco Island. His clients call him a “business- growth specialist.” Send an e- mail to jeff@jeffblackman.com or go to www.jeffblackman.com to subscribe to his free e-letter.