I hate to admit this, but I’ve been in sales for more than 20 years. It can sometimes feel like you’re on a rollercoaster ride! I see many sales “professionals” not putting in the effort to hone their craft. This was posted way back, but is still very relevant today and worthy of a repost. Have a read on the top best practices that you need to succeed in sales.
1. Know your goals
You can’t achieve goals if you don’t set any. They provide long-term vision and short-term motivation.
By setting out Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound (SMART) goals you can motivate and challenge yourself to reach and even surpass those goals. Not only will this help you be a better salesperson, but you can take pride in the achievement of your goals. Even if they are small, they’ll help you see the forward progress you’ve made.
2. Keep organized
Staying organized will help you be more productive and save time. Use a CRM tool to keep track of leads as well as customer data and interactions so it’s on hand for when you need it. Make use of a scheduling assistant such as Plann3r when scheduling meetings and calls to find the perfect time-slot for everyone.
3. Believe in what you are selling
Of course, it’s important to be well informed about the company you work for. But more importantly, really believing in the product or service you are offering can make a world of difference. If you’re passionate about what you’re selling, it becomes that much easier to convince others that it’s something they need, especially if it’s something that’s going to make their job easier. If you want your customers to engage with you, it’s important that they feel your passion for the product. You’ll find that your excitement is contagious and that’s a great way to have them champion the investment.
4. Listen more than you speak (Start a conversation, not a pitch!)
Reading off a script or running a sales pitch certainly saves a lot of time and is much easier than carrying on a conversation. By starting a conversation, you are taking the pressure off the customer and lowering the likelihood of them feeling annoyed, intimidated, or overloaded with information. By listening more than you speak you will get a better idea of what it is the customer is looking for. As a result, you will be able to find a solution that better fits their needs rather than offering them something they might not want. This will help to provide a more positive experience for the customer and increase the likelihood of making a sale.
Remember the old saying: you were given two ears and one mouth, so be sure to listen twice as much as you talk.
5. Constantly build and maintain relationships
Customers are a company’s greatest asset. Without them, there is nobody to buy your product. The relationships you build with current and potential customers are priceless. Remain honest and authentic, and show genuine concern for their needs. Once the customer is engaged with you and you’re moving through the sales process, you should work on maintaining that relationship. If they’re satisfied with the service you provided they will look forward to continuing to do business with you or returning to do business in the future.
6. View the customer’s success as your own
Happy customer = happy manager = happy salesperson. When you sell a product or service, you should see this success not only as the customer’s, but also as your own. This is a chance to see what you did right (or did wrong) in your sales journey. This is also a great opportunity to seek feedback from the customer for your benefit, and for the benefit of the company.
These tips might not be for everyone, and following them isn’t a guarantee to make you a better salesperson. But adding some of these to your routine and changing things up a little may prove to be beneficial to your overall strategy.
What are some of your tips to up your game and become a more effective salesperson? Let me know!
Marlene Keay, Senior Manager, Business Development | marlenek@v-causeway.com | www.linkedin.com/in/marlenekeay