Would you think you could have a gold medal career in swimming like Michael Phelps? Probably not. Yet being successful in sales is a real possibility. I suggest you do what other successful salespeople do if you want to be successful, too. 1. They know how to listen. Successful salespeople don’t assume anything. When a customer says something that’s open to interpretation … [Read more...]
Do you know who will pay more for your products or services?
Do you spend $ .50 or $5.00 on coffee? You do know that some people think their coffee is only worth paying $.50 with a senior discount at a fast food restaurant. Then there are others who consider their $5.00 coffee and coffeehouse experience well worth the price. What’s the price of coffee have to do with selling? It shows you how you should sell. Are they willing to pay for … [Read more...]
Mid-Year Course Correction for Making Your Sales Goals
So what if half the year is over? You still have half a year left to make your sales goals if you are off track. It’s time to do something different if what you are doing isn’t working for you. Why not start by making different decisions about your selling? Who am I calling on? Look at your sales cycle. Which prospects are closest to buying? They are the ones where your … [Read more...]
Sell All Alone? No way. Management Should Help You Sell
You may make sales calls all by yourself. That may be the reason why you think you work all alone. You really don’t. Your management has a role to play in your selling. They also have a responsibility to help you sell. How should you sell? Some managers think that when they hire a salesman he should know how to sell. It’s almost like thinking someone will figure out how to … [Read more...]
Email: Sales Tool or Sales Killer?
How do you contact prospects? Do you call them on the phone or send them an email? More and more salespeople are using email to contact prospects. Some are certainly not getting the results they want. I recently got this email. It simply said, “Hey, could you tell me more about the services you offer?” I didn’t know this person or his company. I usually notice whether the … [Read more...]
What are your sales strategy questions?
Do you remember when you took tests in high school or college and there were more than one correct answer? Sometimes the answer was “It depends.” The answers to your sales strategy questions are like that. Here are some questions that you should determine. The answers may surprise you. Who is your competition? You must know who your competition is to be successful at sales. … [Read more...]
3 Questions Before You Sell a New Product
At some point you will sell a new product. You will have different challenges than selling an existing product. Instead of making it more challenging, here's what you can do to make your selling a lot easier. Why should prospects buy your product? You must know why a customer would want or need your product. One would hope that the people who developed your new product … [Read more...]
Use More Persuasion When You Sell
Successful selling is the art and science of influence. There are simple persuasion strategies that you should be using when you sell. Here’s one simple way to boost your sales results. Tap into commitment and consistency. A financial planner recently spoke to the engineering group that I lead. We spoke about his work before the meeting started. He uses dinner meetings to … [Read more...]
2 Sales Mistakes to Avoid
Practice makes perfect, right? Wrong. You know if you’re an athlete that perfect practice makes perfect. Nothing good happens if you do the wrong things again and again. It is the same if you’re in sales. You must do the right things and avoid doing the wrong things if you want to get better and sell more now. Here are two sales mistakes to avoid. Sales Mistake #1. Less … [Read more...]
Selling in Two Directions
Do you remember how you crossed the street when you were a child? Your parent told you, “Look right and then left. Then you can cross.” That bi-directional focus made it safe for you to cross the street. Selling shouldn’t be dangerous. Bi-directional selling, or selling in two directions, makes your selling more successful. Look backwards to learn. I like to say that in … [Read more...]