Here is some great advice from Danny:
More New Sales. That’s what we’re all looking for. Have you ever wondered why there are times when you can’t figure out what to do next? You find yourself browsing at a book store, music store, hanging out at the house…instead of out selling. Why?
You need a restart. A refresher. A kick start, if you will. More training? REALLY?
Let’s say you have a number of years of sales experience, and have attended numerous training classes, seminars, etc. Why are you continually having to attend new classes that rehash the same old thing?
I all of my years of sales, I never worked for a company that didn’t hold training meetings AT LEAST once a year. In my last job, it happened about 5-6 times a year. Most of the time it was a lot of the same information. Why? And what did I get out of it?
Well, it WAS tedious. At the same time, I DID get something out of it.
Literally…every…single…time. Kinda strange…I never really looked forward to spending 2-3 days of my life re-hashing old sales material, yet somehow I ended up learning something.
Truth is we need continual training. Sometimes, the most useful information was just learning how other sales reps do their jobs.
Training is very useful, and the right kind of training can send you into the stratosphere. Every person finds different help in different areas. The right kind of sales tip or training for you might not mean as much to someone else. But, you never know. Something you’ve never even considered might make the difference between a sale and a no sale…and that sale might mean the difference between a banner year and another “good” year.
Let’s have a banner year! I’ve put together 20 of the best sales tips…as a quick reference for anyone. You may even already know and use much of this information, but next time you find yourself browsing at the mall instead of selling, drag this report out and find something useful to do.
I once read a book that said “if you’re not out selling, you’re being out sold”…
Let’s go…
1. Make contact
Make contact with all of your customers who either haven’t bought yet, or have only recently bought.
If it’s a potential customer, find out what you can do to move them along in making their decision. Not the used car sales guy-high pressure way, but by trying to sincerely serve them. How can you help them? You are trying to solve a problem they have, and whether they called you or you called on them…if they wanted to hear your sales presentation, they need or want what you’re selling. Make it a problem solving expedition, and SERVE the best you can.
This is tip #1 because it’s easy, and it’s a great place to jump in. Talking to customers is the only way you’re going to sell. Call them. Drop in. Make contact. Sell.
2. Trial close
Closing is the most important thing you can do. If you don’t ask for the business, you’ll lose more sales than you make. That’s the obvious part.
The not-so-obvious part is when to start closing. Almost every training course discusses this so you probably already know it, but it’s one of the biggest ways to find out how far along the decision making process the customer is at any time.
Ask questions throughout. “Will this option meet your needs? Is this component something you are interested in? Will this meet your need, and/or am I on the right track?”
Trial closes accomplish two things. 1.) Let you know if you are heading in the right direction. 2.) Keep you from over-shooting the buying decision. If the customer is ready to buy, you don’t want to talk yourself out of a sale.Close throughout the sales call…it’ll make it easier to close at the end.
3. Capture trust
In order to close effectively, you must earn trust. This means many different things to many different people, but to you it means the difference between selling and “giving a quote”. How do we capture trust? What do clients want from us?
Part of this goes back SERVING. You’re going to hear this a lot in this sales, because service is at the heart of any successful sales venture.
Service during the initial presentation
Service during the sale
Service after the sale and product delivery
Service any time the customer needs you. ANY TIME.
Deliver on your promises. Do what you say you are going to do. Return calls, answer questions completely and honestly. Nothing is worse than nailing a sale and then losing it all on a technicality. Don’t be “that guy (or girl)”. Don’t lie…it won’t work out in the long run.
Answer calls in a timely manner
Call back with solutions
Be on time
Follow up
Be honest
Be friendly and positive
Be confident in your knowledge without belittling theirs
Capturing trust is at the heart of sales. Whether you’re asking someone to part with their own hard earned money, or asking a corporation to narrow its profit margin with an added expense…you must deserve the business. If they trust you…you’re one step closer.