Feedback - One of the necessary rules of selling is constant feedback from management. It is flabbergasting to me when employees do not understand their goal placement midway through the year and even more disconcerting when management communication only occurs in the fourth quarter. Feedback is vital for continued success.
Metrics - It is interesting to view how sales are measured, some in calls per day, earned commissions and goals by management. It is vital that selling professionals must be involved in this strategic process. Management derives numbers based on stakeholder value yet might not be familiar enough to denote territory growth. Second, sales must never be measured in calls per day. Once former client drives its sales team to make 50 calls per day. Professionals are prohibited from making personal calls. One will get stressed and burn out quickly. To combat attrition, sales cannot be measured in call production but rather the true value- sales. If a selling professional makes quota after five calls does this denote failure. Rethink your selling metrics.
Selling as Sport - Selling your business or your firm's product required unending passion. It is baffling to find selling professionals that believe they work an eight-hour day. Selling is a profession and a sport. You must love what you do and love what you sell. The latter denotes that selling is a twenty four hour 365-day process. While it does not mean you cannot turn off and relax in order to be the best in your field you must be selling all the time.
Differentiation - Today's selling professional must be more astute and different from the competition. There is way too much of it. To be heard over the pandemonium, it is paramount for selling professionals to be different. For one, refrain from cold calling everyone does it and no one is successful. When was the last time you noticed a wealthy cold calling insurance agent? Refrain from networking events. Too many professionals frequent events to visit old friends. That is for the weekend. Attend events that will garner opportunities for business. Be artful and discover new opportunities to be different from the crowd.
Reach Decision Makers - The greatest challenge of any business professional is meeting with the person that can make the ultimate purchase decision. Refrain from spending too much time with people that will not or cannot provide opportunities. Your first question during the prospecting stage is to decipher who the decision maker is. Ask the question, "How is a decision made within the organization". Or, "Who in your organization is responsible for making the ultimate decision?"
Closing - Too many professionals find it difficult to ask the question, "Do you want to buy one"? Sales are made with closing. Get immediate commitment. It is vital that you ask the question. "Is there anything preventing our working together at this point?" or "How quickly are you ready to being once you review the proposal?" Gain commitment and close quicker.
Value - Prospects are more willing to accept you if you come prepared to assist them with value. Speak to them from the understanding of the value you provide that corrects the current client condition. Prospects seek remedies to current pains and better and faster sales will come by illustrating how your product/service improves the condition.
Customer Loyalty - Loyal customers return, consistently and regularly. Loyal customers tell others and loyal customers make your job easier. When you service clients from inception through sales to service you enthrall them with opportunities that create memorable emotions. Consumers act on emtion, the kind that makes the experience acceptable and memorable. Prospective clients will flock due to word of mouth and the buzz that surrounds you.
Selling today is similar to climbing a mountain with swim trunks while carrying a tiffany glass. You must be more agile than you competitors and more aggressive too. Differentiation sets you apart from competitors. Dissident attitudes and behaviors garner attention and instigate change. If sales are stalled, instill change and create new results!
Copyright (c) 2007 Drew Stevens PhD
Obviously, it goes without saying that your goals must be written. The second part of the goal setting process must be for you to determine WHY you want to achieve your goals. Now here is where you need to turn your own sales skills upon yourself. You cannot simply state that you want to achieve your goals to make money, or to keep your job. You have to go deeper. Why do you want more money...? You want more money so you can ______. Why is _______ so important to you? What will having _______ ultimately mean to me? Remember, drill down just like you would with a prospect. Don't let yourself get away crappy, off the cuff, answers. Drill down to what moves you, what motivates you every day. This is where you will find your passion and it will help you to attach that passion to achieving your goals.
After you've written down your goals, gotten specific about what you want and why you want it and developed a clear mental image of your goal, then and only then, move on.
When those steps are completed, it's time to take action.
There are two types of action, physical and mental. Let's start with the physical.
Taking Action to Move Towards your Goal
Start the first part of this goal setting technique by thinking of all the things you can do to make your goals a reality. Write them down and keep adding to the list. Then start working on the list. Take the action necessary to achieve your goals. While this will definitely include the items on your list, make that list even more detailed. For instance, to get more hot referrals, call 3 centers of influence today...to add to your credibility, get a testimonial from _______ today, then call on his/her circle of contacts.
It's important to do something every day, even little things to create momentum. Take steps every day. If you want to get in good physical condition you would exercise daily, not at random now and then. The same holds true with your goals. Take consistent action and you will make it a daily habit.
Ask yourself this question: "What can I do today that will move me closer to achieving my goal? Then guess what? Do it!
Don't spend too much time analyzing your actions. If you're going to fail, then fail fast. Thomas Edison tried thousands of theories before successfully inventing the light bulb. However, it was the way he looked at failure that made the difference. Edison didn't consider those thousands of failed theories as failures. Each one showed him another way that wouldn't work. Each failure brought his team one step closer to success. This is where documenting your results and doing post mortems on your calls will benefit you more than you could ever imagine! Simply beating your head against the wall doing the same thing over and over again will only lead to frustration.
Notice the results you are getting from your actions and make adjustments along the way. Keep moving forward.
Changing Your Beliefs
The next and most important step is to send the right messages to your brain. You won't achieve your goals if you don't believe you can achieve them.
First examine your beliefs about your goals. Do you believe you can achieve them? Do you believe it will be difficult? What negative beliefs do you have about achieving the goals you have set? If you have negative or limiting beliefs about your goals then you need to change those beliefs.
You need to feed your mind the possibilities and send the right message to your subconscious mind. What seems difficult should be considered easy. What you think you can't do should become something you can do. What you don't believe is possible should become something you believe is possible.
If you want to close more sales, however, you don't know how, get help and change that focus to: I know how to close more sales! Any negative belief or thought pattern related to achieving your goal must be eliminated; otherwise you don't stand a chance of achieving your goal. You can take all the other steps required in setting goals, however, if you have a negative belief pattern related to achieving your goals, you will not succeed.
Erase your doubts. When you present to prospects, do you think they notice if you have doubts about yourself or your service? Of course they do...they read you, just as you read yourself. If you don't believe that you can reach your goals, how likely do you think it is that you will reach them?
Taking action is an important step in achieving the goals you have set for yourself. Many people fail at goal achievement because they never take any action. When you take action and send the right messages to your subconscious you'll begin to create opportunities to achieve your goals.
Both Drew Stevens & Greg Beverly are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Drew Stevens has sinced written about articles on various topics from Telemarketing, Customer Service and Fundraising. Drew Stevens PhDDrew Stevens Phd works with organizat. Drew Stevens's top article generates over 90500 views. to your Favourites.
Greg Beverly has sinced written about articles on various topics from Sales and Negotiation, Pet Guinea Pigs and Legal Matters. Every journey in life begin with the first step. Find out how YOU can become a sales champion and live the life of your dreams by visiting www.salessuccess.yougethelp.com today.. Greg Beverly's top article generates over 4400 views. to your Favourites.