First, you must recognize that it is a process with a beginning and an end. Find out where your customer is at in the process and meet him and her there. You'll then be able to more easily guide him or her through the rest of the process through to closing.

Should You Use a Sales Process?

You need a sales process if you're serious about being a successful salesperson. A process allows you to know where you and the client are at. It allows you to make sure both of you are on the same page in the process.

Be Logical and Client-Oriented

And the end of the process, closing should be the logical conclusion to your sales activities.

Your sales process will help you identify if your prospect is receiving the message that you think you are delivering. Often times, the customer hears something different than what you actually say.

And you always, always, always need to listen for more than words. Listen for meanings of words (intent). You'll get in trouble if you don't.

Here are the Zig Ziglar Selling Principles

1. Selling is a process, not an event.

This means there is a beginning, a middle and an end. Do you know where your customer is in the process? Do you know where you are in the process? If the answers to these questions don't match, then you won't sell.

When you're at one end of the process and you're client is at the other end of the process, it can be frustrating for the both of you. This frustration can often kill the deal.

Because it's a process, Zig Ziglar says that you need to meet your prospect where's she's at and then continue with her through the end. You will be able to influence the speed of the process but the customer is in control of the speed of the process.

2. You make more money solving problems (needs, issues, concerns) than you do selling product.

Find your prospect's problems, and then solve the problems with your product.

3. People have their own reasons for doing things. They don't do things for your reasons.

Look for those reasons. Cater your sales process to those reasons.

4. You need to get to know your prospect better than you know your product.

I'm not saying that you have to be best friends. But you do need to know your client's wants, needs and desires.

Implementing a sales process is one of the most important things you can do to increase your sales. Zig Ziglar's Selling Principles will help you put into place the best sales process possible.