Sales Tips

Not every sales job requires slick-talking, manipulating, and pressuring your customer. Sure these skills help, but they’re more attributable to the old used-car salesman stereotype. Sales representatives, whether they are door-to-door or agency-based, all learn valuable career skills, such as: negotiation, communication, client relation, persistence, self-discipline, self-confidence, and the ability to close. These skills are transferable to most other professional careers. Here are a few sales tips for anyone interested in a career in sales.

Cold calling:
This is often the most unnerving part of a sales job; so let's discuss it first. Successful people tackle their least enjoyable tasks first thing in the morning. So, schedule your cold calls for 8:00 am, earlier if possible. That way it’s over and the rest of your day will be a breeze. Schedule 60-90 minute blocks for making these calls so you don’t get burned out. Then, set goals for reaching a set number of decision makers rather than making a set number of dials.

When you make the call, expect rejection. You will be rejected often and you can’t let it get you down. At the same time, anticipate success. Every call you make could be a sale, so be confident and professional. It is important to sound confident and get straight to the point. Your opening line should contain your name, the name of your company, your purpose for calling, and how you can be a benefit to the prospect. Remind yourself that you are offering them a mutually beneficial product or service. Also, use a list of notes rather than a scripted speech. The prospect needs to feel that you are trying to help them, not sell them.

Voicemails and emails are very similar as far as the information you need to communicate. Be concise and state the important points upfront. Also, be professional and formal. It’s ok to have a scripted speech for voicemails and emails; just don’t sound like a robot.

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Developing healthy client relationships:
In the sales profession, the client is the real boss. They pay your salary. Therefore, as a salesman your focus should be on the client. Maintaining healthy client relationships will ease the process for both parties and lead to repeat business. These are some tips managing your relationship with a client.

1) Empathize - Everyone’s favorite subject is himself or herself. Don’t get caught up talking too much- get to know your client. This is true for both personal and business relationships. Find out where your client is coming from and try to see things from his point of view. This insight will help develop trust, an essential asset for any business relationship.
2) Recognize client tactics - It’s tempting to bend for your client’s concerns and sometimes it’s necessary to cave a little to make a sale. When the client expresses concern over your high fees, he is usually just negotiating (most often out of habit). Negotiation is about mutual understanding, not adhering to all of your client’s demands. Try to meet the client’s requests with a counter request.
3) Meet with the client - This is applicable to sales workers who operate over the phone or via email. Sometimes a face-to-face meeting is the best way to secure a long-standing business relationship. Not all meetings have to be business related. Take your client out to lunch. Get to know him or her better. Not only will your relationship grow, but you will be engraved in your clients mind for the next time he or she needs your services.
4) Follow up calls - A follow up call is often more important than the initial cold call. If the follow up call was scheduled for a specific time, make sure to call on time. Use an alarm if you have to. Remind the prospect why you are calling and take more time to explain the benefit you provide. They have already shown some interest by allowing you to make the follow up call, so don’t stress out. Also, it might be a good idea to periodically call up a client with whom you are already working. This is a good way to stay on top of new developments and strengthen your business relationship. Just don’t over-do it.

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SPIN selling:
The basic selling technique involves three steps: prospecting (networking, cold calling, gathering referrals), sales presentations, and closing. Closing is the process of making a sale and usually involves the exchange of money or a signature. The goal of every sales person is to get to the close. Remember your ABCs: Always Be Closing. SPIN is a selling technique that many sales people use to get to the close. Neil Rackham first introduced the technique in his 1988 book SPIN Selling. According to the SPIN selling model there are four types of questions sales people should ask their clients:

Situation Questions - Ask these to learn about the buyer’s existing situation.
Problem Questions - Ask these to learn about the buyer’s pain. Focus on this pain to clarify the problem because this will give Implied Needs.
Implication Questions - Discuss the effects and develop the seriousness of the problem. This will increase the buyer’s motivation to change.
Need-Payoff Questions - These questions probe the buyer for their Explicit Needs. Once the buyer is aware of these needs he will understand the benefits your solutions offer.

The first sales people trained by Rackham’s SPIN selling method averaged a 17% improvement in their sales results. The SPIN selling model is about understanding your client’s needs. Sales people who ask more problem questions (and ask them sooner) tend to find more success with clients. People will buy when the pain of the problem is greater than the cost of the solution.