There Is No Secret – Sales Success!

We have discussed There Is No Secret to Sales Success; it’s a process.  Preparing to be a superstar as a professional sales executive requires at first developing a TOUGH emotional barrier to rejection and a willingness to persevere. You have decided that you will be tough; now how do you get started?  There Is No Secret – It’s a process!

There are thousands of programs found in every imaginable format that promise a path to sales success.  In the hundreds of books read, recordings listened, and training events attended, there is one common denominator; at least ONE new idea is found in each.  As done in each research project, it is always multiple references from expert-provided information, studies, and experiments where conclusions are drawn.  Professional sales success is found in developing your skills in each discipline in the PROCESS of selling.  Start learning today with a program that includes at least one of the following skill sets:

Establishing Rapport:   Connecting with your prospect is your first and foremost step in the sales process.  Ignore this and your next steps will be destined to fail.  Learn the skill of establishing rapport!

Communication:  Telephone, email, letters, texts, and face-to-face communication skills are paramount to succeed as a sales professional.  Start learning the etiquette and techniques today and add to your skill daily.

Prospecting:  No prospects, no sales; it is just that simple.  Maximizing the usually limited time and resources to ensure successful prospecting; that is the key to your next sale.

Product knowledge:  Whether you are selling a product for others or your own company, knowledge of your product and industry is paramount.  You MUST know the features and benefits of your product and how it stands against the competition.  Your “value proposition” (discussed later) will include a succinct message of your product’s features and benefits to the buyer.

Presentation:  Your skills to present to a single or multi-person audience will separate you from mediocrity.  Invest in a separate “Presentation Skills” program.

Negotiation:  All negotiation starts with the first communication.  The psychology behind negotiation is not an accident that happens, however a process like that of a chess player that includes strategy in each and every move you make.  Invest heavily in separate programs to learn the skills of negotiation.

Closing:  Unless you learn to ask for the order, overcome objections, and obtain a commitment from the buyer, the previous steps are for naught.  Remember the second-best answer is “NO!”  Expect this answer for it is the most common of human traits…….(“The Confused Mind Will Always Say NO!” – John Connolly). Learning to clarifying the buyer’s understanding and turning your “NO’s” into “YES’s” will lead you to exceptional sales success!

Customer Service:  Probably the most rapidly declining variable in the sales process is ignoring the customer after the sale.  Research the data available regarding the cost of adding a new customer versus that of losing one.  Lifetime income from a single customer will trump ALL efforts of your involvement in the after-sale satisfaction of the customer!  Become the Customer Advocate after the sale and set yourself apart by learning the best practices!

Check back later when we will tackle each of the abovementioned disciplines and remember……

There is No Secret to Sales Success – It’s a process!