Selling is one of the most exciting, challenging and paying professions of all times. Selling for a living is challenging. Sales is bundled up with many highs and frequent lows. Market innovations, cut throat competition, constant pressure to achieve sales targets, meeting demands of customers and prospects make sales a tough career. But the adrenalin rush, incentives & achievements are makes it worthwhile.
For a serious Sales Professional who wish to take it up Sales as a career these Tips are tried and tested to keep you in the league. There may be some who have implemented these is bits and pieces or as a whole but a conscious effort will definitely help you soar new heights in your sales profession. I suggest a practice of a consistent minimum 21days and you’ll see the magic.
Appropriate Questioning: Sales is not always about talking, explaining or demonstrations only. An effective sales presentations involves asking the right questions at the right time keeping in mind what you have heard from the opposite person. Leading questions, probing questions and appropriate questions help you open the lock that’s on your customer’s/client’s pocket.
Aim as High as You Can: Setting your goals high helps you set higher standards for yourself. Your goals need to motivate you and challenge your limits. It’s for you to set your eyes on your goal and the higher it is the greater potential you will discover.
Be More Receptive: Being Receptive is of more consequence than only speaking effectively. If you listen to understand rather than only to reply you will never be able to give your customer/client a customised offering which is actually required. Every customer/client is different and thinks from his own perspective. Listening to him carefully shall make you understand his perspective more clearly and what he is looking for which can help you build a customised offering
Build A Rapport & a Relationship: As the old metaphor goes, “Never burn old bridges, you don’t know when you have to go back on them.” This metaphor holds true for all sales people. Developing a rapport and maintaining relationships with prospects, customers, friends and others around you is going to place you on the advantages quadrant.
Be Patient: As they say, “Patience is the mother of all virtue”, a sales professional needs to imbibe patience into his system as deep as it can be. Impatience will take you a confused and dejected state of mind. A calm mind exhibits confidence and it’s this confidence that helps you think clearly about your next move. The more desperate you get, the farther your result will move away from you. Be patient, watch, analyse and make your move.
Clarity in Thought: You need to keep a clear view of what you final objective is. It’s important for you to keep that in mind and proceed with your move. Essentially mark out one thing, you can’t win the battle and lose the war- you have to look at the bigger picture to make the correct moves.
Customize Your Presentation: A definite style of presentation will lower your chances of being successful. You need to get into your client’s shoes to develop a flexible styled presentation that matches his understanding. As you know, no two humans think alike. Keeping this in mind you need to customize your presentations.
Display Respect: As old school of thought goes, if you want to understand a person watch how he treats others. Nobody has choked to death for respecting others. Respect can be commanded only by giving respect. It’s the lower rung of the ladder that takes you to the top. Stay grounded and treat people right and the may open up the golden gate for you.
Effective Presentations: An Effective Presentation needs to be Expressive and not only impressive. You need to address issues that your customer/client is concerned rather than blowing your own bugle. Your presentation needs to have the ability to influence your customer’s/client’s decision rather than you feeling content about your impressive presentation. At the end of the day it’s the conversion that matters and not your own agenda.
Focus on Features and Not only Technical Aspects: I have invariably observed sales persons concentrating on explaining the Technical Aspects of the product during their demonstrations. A customer may want to know the technical but his buying decision hugely depends on the value add that he may have due to the product you are offering. Why he should buy holds a little higher than only what he is buying. Think over it.
Plan Effectively: Sales Professionals are constantly surrounded with Sales Targets, Contests and Goals. Planning plays a very important role for seamless execution. Just breaking up the year, quarter or month may not help. Planning needs to be detailed and defined, keeping in mind the resources available & right time for executing the plan. A buffer plays an important role in planning, which needs to be included in every plan to avoid carry forwards or overloading the future plan. The current action cascades its effect on the subsequent plan affecting further parts of the long term plan. Hence, you need to plan accordingly considering your buffer.
Product Knowledge: You need to know your product line at the back of your hand. You got to invest ample time studying your product/s as well as the new developments that occur time to time. Knowing your product/s well helps you identify your target audience easily and also the needs of your customer/client. In turn helping you to offer a better deal as per his requirement.
Prospecting Forever: Prospecting is the best way to keep yourself busy with work. Prospecting everyday increases the odds of success for a sales professional. As we all know there is a conversion ratio when it comes to sales. And the best way to uplift your conversion ratio is to keep on prospecting. Prospecting everyday reduces the chances of lows in your monthly or quarterly goals.
Polish Your Skills Regularly: With changing times one has to keep himself updated. The markets have changed, mind-sets have changed and consumer behaviour has changed. “New opportunities, need a new approach… you can’t open New Locks with an Old set of Keys.” You have to polish your skills to tackle the advent of the newer consumer mind-set. Invest regularly in self-improvement development (webinars, books, workshops, conferences, training programs, online programs, etc.).
Persistence: With a change in the market and the exposure due to the internet sales has become a different ball game altogether. Traditional conversion ratio has changed depending on the customer’s/client’s demographics. Understanding this further, persistence will be the key to survive in the sales profession.
Socialise & Network: Socializing and Networking is an integral component of maintaining healthy relations with people around you. You need to be constantly seen around people who matter other than business hours also. Remember, “Out of sight goes out of mind.”
Stay Motivated: Sales inherently is a challenging profession. Rejections, objections and tend to hit you hard on the ground. It’s reasonable to understand that it’s the concept, product or presentation that was not appealing. You don’t need to take it otherwise, it’s not about you. You need to bounce back every morning for a fresh start to face new challenges and victories.
If you consistently apply and execute these Tips on a regular basis I assure you that you will see your sales graph change distinctively.
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