The dynamic art of selling defines success. There is nothing in the world like being handed a signed contract or seeing the product you just sold being prepped for shipment. No other area of professional skills offers such gratification. It feels like you won first prize.
Yet do we win as much as we lose? It’s time to think more deeply about how to improve the odds:
1. Have a goal.
Give yourself one daily, one weekly and one for the month. Start from the end of what it is you want. Make sure you achieve at least one thing per day. The secret is to raise the feeling of winning. The weekly target should be a component of your overall monthly objective.
2. Visualise the process.
What do the steps look like? Apply some thinking as to how to take them. Examine your strengths. Each stage is a timeline: a catalyst to the next. Try to combine productivity and efficiency. Get to know who you’re dealing with. Each person must be engaged in a way that suits them. How will you do that? Then form your next step and then the next.
3. Identify needs.
How well do you know your client’s needs? They can be as diverse as they are specific. Some needs are for personal service, others are for speed and efficiency. For some it’s trust and for others it’s the recognition that your company provides. It may be your product or service is more expensive than your competitors, yet they choose you. Find out the why and the because for all your accounts.
4. Measure Performance.
Anything measured can be defined and improved. You set goals to monitor achievement. Know clearly what can affect performance and have contingencies. There are so many factors that determine performance improvement – do you know what they are and how to improve them? When we are able to analyse these, we can better understand where true issues may lie.
5. Find the right buyers.
How much time is often wasted in trying to connect with potential buyers because we think they are big enough to be our ‘pot-of-gold.’ Although there are successes to be had with the international giants, the real strength is to network with smaller companies that can build your reputation, and who are prepared to commit to long term contracts. Your ambition should be to turn every client into a fan and let them promote you.
With so much that can interfere with your day it is important to be dogmatic. Continually assess what defines success to you. Daily, weekly and monthly. Is it in the number of new clients, the current position of existing accounts, or keeping pace your organisation’s targets? How many leads do you close and how many generate a minimum of 5 appointments? Know your figures, and then play the averages. The big wins are only one more sale away.