Everyone who has ever sold any product or service has always wanted the magic bullet that would propel them to spectacular results. But sales come by knowing a few tricks that are not so hard to recognize, but seem tough to put into motion for many people in the sales trade.
In many cases, sales comes down to what you know, whom you know, and timing. For the most part, that is how it works. However, you can improve your score by implementing a handful of professional tips to move the needle. Here are a few pointers to help increase your closing ratio, and your income.
1. Be more proactive with your clients. Don't wait for your clients to come to you with questions or needs. Reach out to your customers regularly to advise them of new products, or offer them tips about improving their business. Talk with them often about wellness and how to improve the population of their workforce. Be creative with marketing to your existing business. The low hanging fruit is the easiest to pick.
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2. Move into the 21st century. Make technology your friend, and get active with smart phones, IPads, and any other high tech device you can use to get your message out to your prospects and clients. Old school may be good for some reasons; but for those clients who are moving at the speed of light, you'll need more than a pad and pencil.
3. Be social with your media. You must have a social media presence—Linked In, Twitter, FaceBook, YouTube. If you aren't, your competition is. A huge percentage of purchasing now is done online, and the best way to make yourself known is networking with everyone you know through these sites. It's networking at the speed of the internet.
4. Be a hunter. Aggressively going after new business is essential for growth and survival. Continuing to farm existing accounts with no newly added clients leads to a long slow death. Sooner or later those current clients will wear out. If you don't have new blood to replace them, you'll starve, too.
5. Be a big brother or big sister. Mentor someone who shows promise in your organization, and teach them your skills. Grooming new sales people helps to grow your company, and it makes you a better person. The student learns from the master, and the personal growth that results within everyone improves you, your protégé, and your business.
6. Give credit where it's due. If you get assistance from co-workers, associates, or anyone else that helps you to close the sale, mention them by name and honor that person or team that helped you. Knowing how to close a sale is one thing, but getting it closed often is dependent upon support from others.
7. Know your limitations. Sometimes a sale cannot be won overnight. And in some cases, selling a case requires additional resources—people, information, etc. No matter how smart you think you are, there usually is someone on the other side of the table who is smarter, tougher, trickier, or some other character trait that is not letting you move forward. Learn to analyze the situation, set your pride aside, and consider the available options you have to close the sale, even if it takes a while longer than you wish.
8. See the future. Don't live every moment in the now. Some sales require a lot of planning and foresight, and you may need to project yourself forward to understand how to close the sale and what the repercussions are if you win or lose the case. Consider all the "what ifs", and then do your homework that helps forecast what you need to do, and how to do it. There may be some instances that it's better to give up on a prospect because the long term effects of the client relationship is not in your best interest. That way, you still win—you'll be able to rest easy knowing that you are not in harm's way.
9. Bank your chips. Living every day as if it's your best paycheck leads to bankruptcy. Learn to do more with less. Remember, not every day is Christmas. Sometimes, the cycle between feast and famine can stretch out longer than you plan. Always make sure that you pay yourself, and the lean times will take care of themselves.
10. Be honorable, ethical and trustworthy. Those men and women who hold true to character traits that lead to personal integrity can rest easy at night when the day's business is done. It's much better to be able to sleep peacefully than to worry about what you told someone that may come back to bite you. And, telling the truth is always best.
If you wish to be a better sales person, get to know a lot of people, and learn a lot of information about your product and your craft. Selling can be fun and rewarding, but it's also hard work. Reaping the benefit of success over time, using simple techniques, and learning how to sell can provide anyone who wants to focus on a sales career a better person. Not only can you be more productive, but you can also improve your character. Sales—learn it. Then, be good at it.
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