It’s easy to say that most of the ‘Sales Superstars’ are basic people that come from humble beginnings. Yes, the best are generally nice people, but all filled with dogged determination and the almost obsessive belief that they will achieve their goals. They are prepared for nothing less.
What stands out in the best is that internal motivation that lights the fire. That drive to succeed is far more potent than any other quality. Given a strong internal motivation, I believe that sooner or later the individual who is driven to success will succeed. It’s only a matter of time.
Now, couple that internal drive with an ability to learn, an image of success and achievement, a high energy level, and personal integrity, and add the ability to create strong business relationships, and you have the ingredients of a superstar sales professional and the ultimate rainmaker for your business.
I would like to share a few key sales strategies adopted by many of the world’s sales superstars:
The #1 rule of selling – don’t sell
Sales is about matching a solution to a problem and the activity of developing relationships with quantities of people which result in trust, positivity and belief in you as the sales professional. Be interested in, get to know, and understand your clients. Don’t chase orders, chase customers. Remember, people don’t like to be sold to – people see that coming a mile away and will avoid you like the plague. Have a reason to connect with people outside of selling to them.
Keep it short and take their pain away
Customers will pay plenty, if you can reduce their ‘PAIN’. Find out what the customer’s problems are and where they are in pain. Look at it from their point of view, not yours. If you find the pain, price is not an issue. Remember the emerging role of the sales professional today is not to increase sales. Your role as a sales professional today is to systematically and consistently increase the number of customers who choose you to be their #1 supplier.
Talk less, listen more
Selling is not telling. When you are in that sales appointment, do not go on and on about your products or services – they aren’t listening! Stop trying to make your case, your prospect will not buy from you. The more you talk, the less people listen and the more likely you are to say something that will cause your prospect to not want to buy your product or service. Focus on providing solutions and not on selling services or products. Do this with understanding and real interest.
Take action – don’t sit around
Sales is an activity you have to engage in daily in order to grow your business. Don’t sit around and wait for people to call you. Do the required activity in accordance with your plan. Sales is a numbers game and those that do the numbers ‘succeed’. Don’t take no for an answer – keep coming back, and just keep moving and ‘beating at the door’. It’s about not being afraid to prospect for new accounts and new business. Resilience is a key factor. View rejection as simply a step closer to success.
Only give your business card to people who ask for it
Do not hand your business card to everyone you meet. Only give your card to people who ask for it. This way you’ll know who really wants it. Always ask for the other person’s card. You’ll want to follow up with them, if only to send them a short note saying it was nice to meet them.
Integrity is ‘the badge of honour’
If you have integrity nothing else matters and if you don’t have integrity, nothing else matters. True professionals know that skill may help you close that first sale, but integrity keeps customers coming back. Develop a relationship of trust. Also, telling someone you can’t do something isn’t the end of the world.
Do the research
A good sales person researches the company, but a true sales professional does research on the person, the real prospect. No one has ever sold anything to a company. Selling is done with people within the company.
Be a total professional
Become professional with your planned presentations whether it is to an individual buyer or a group of customer decision makers. Perfect your 25 word elevator speech that clearly outlines your value proposition. Get it down pat for those opportunistic moments that may occur. Always, present yourself with absolute confidence as an expert. People want to talk to experts.