You mostly work by yourself in sales unless you have a corporate sales office. Outside salespeople spend most of their time in the field making sales calls even if your desk is there. Or at least, that’s what you are supposed to be doing! Your sales office might also be sharing a desk with others and you’re there only a few times a week. How can you foster your sales career working mostly remotely? Here are a few strategies to make remote work seem less remote and ensure your sales success.
Make joint sales calls.
Working alone in sales makes it difficult to get useful feedback for sales improvement. Hopefully your manager is also a good sales coach. Invite your sales manager to make sales calls with you. Don’t take him to the accounts where you’re the star. Take him to accounts where you’re having trouble making headway.
Explain your challenge before you make the sales call. State the objective you want to accomplish during the sales call. Your objective is something you don’t have before the sales call. You, not your manager, set the sales call strategy. What you’re looking from your manager is the debrief after the sales call.
You want to know what he thinks went well and what can be improved. You might not have a manager who you trust to give you good feedback. Is there another salesperson you respect who you can ask to make joint sales calls? That would be an alternative if your manager is not a good sales coach. Your job is to learn from others and improve. You can only do that with good feedback.
Correspond in writing with other salespeople.
Why not be thought of positively? Compliments and good wishes result in people thinking good thoughts about you. How can you get these good thoughts? Look for ways to write personal notes to people you work with.
Just like people want and need to be heard, they also appreciate recognition for their successes. A handwritten card is unexpected and well received. Congratulate them on a job well done.
You could also recognize a challenge another salesperson is facing and simply wish them good luck on achieving the sale. Do you know their birthday? Send them birthday greetings. People appreciate it when they know you are thinking of them.
Document your success.
Dale Carnegie once said not to keep your lamp hidden under a bushel. He was referring to hiding your strengths. Yet most people are uncomfortable bragging. It’s not bragging when it’s true! Most managers do not know every success you have during the year. That’s why it’s your job to keep track of your successes.
This includes when you help other salespeople. Making joint sales calls counts. Just be sure you include the results. Did your mentoring include closed sales? Report that. Your mentoring might have resulted in changed behavior so be sure to ask how your presence changed the results of the salespeople you worked with. Working alone gets lonely. It’s not enough to work hard by yourself. You’ve got to get recognized and rewarded for what you achieve. Be sure your work includes demonstrating your value and getting credit for all you do for others.
The Selling E-Letter Volume 669
Want More Sales Success?
Sales Success: Sell Value Not Price
You are in danger of losing sales when you sell on price. Why? Because the next competitor can simply cut your price to take away your business. Selling value is the best way to make it harder for competitors to take away your business. A salesperson who sells on value builds long-term relationships with customers that are typically more profitable overall.