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As seen in Expert.com and Sales Vault.com
Even before the tragedy of September 11 the United States economy was beginning to take a nose dive. Clearly since the attacks, customers are revisiting everything from budgets to personnel to company parties and benefits. The times we are living in are new to us but should not be especially new to experienced sales professionals.
In my many years of training and consulting many sales professionals will ask me about how to get over a slump. And, many sales managers ask me how to tell good sales people from average.
In 18 years of sales experience and training I have narrowed it down to something I call 7 Habits of Highly Effective Sales professionals."
1. Customer knowledge
One of the many pet peeves that sales managers have with their sales professionals is a person that lacks understanding of their client. In today's very fast and competitive world a sales professional must understand who their client is.
You are probably asking yourself, must I need to do in order to understand the client. First you must get a copy of the annual report. Read the information to determine what type of products the client is developing. Understand the competitive landscape and how your product or service can thwart competition. Learn about the competitors for new business opportunities.
When you obtain the report, read the president's message, the financial information and lines of business, try to understand where your products fit within the organization's umbrella. Finally, look at the firm's website and review it for updates to the annual report, look for business climate changes. And, look for the anomalies in business so that your product or service can resolve the issues.
Second, read the newspapers and press releases for the most current customer information. Determine from your readings how your service or product can assist your customer during good times and bad.
Third, it is imperative to use the most widely accessible resource at your fingertips-the Internet. The numerous portals such as Excite and Yahoo are constantly providing real time business content. Review any of these sites to gain quick and up to the moment access on your customers.
2. Questioning aptitude
The best sales professionals learn to engage their audience. The first task of the sales professional during an appointment whether direct, telephone or cold, must be to question the customer. Questions are a sales rule. Questions assist in uncovering useful information such as buyer behavior, decision criteria, budgets, time frame, competition, etc. These are issues they typically are not presented by the customer so it is imperative for a sales professional to ask them.
Most important, questions asked by sales professional must be open ended. A question such as "Do you have a budget for this project?" will give you a "yes" or "no" response. An effective sales professional will ask the customer an open ended question such as, "If you had a budget for this product what might it look like and when might you decide to make a purchase?" By revising the question, the client provides more information and sets the stage for the effective sales professional to ask more qualifying questions and perhaps uncovering any and all sales objections.
3. Interpretation of consumer wants and needs
There are several paths and processes to follow during a sales presentation; however the most important one understands buyer's wants and needs. In order to sell anything to anyone, an effective sales professional most question the customer to understand why they want or why they might need the product.
Many of my clients tell me that they have exuberant sales forces, yet they are not effective in closing business. With analysis we discover that representatives are excited but they are so busy telling about product that they fail to ask questions. This communication breakdown takes the focus not only off of the customer but off the customer wants and needs. Without uncovering need, what can you possibly sell?
The solution here is to ask so many open ended questions that your presentations become conversational. This will take some time but once you master the art of solid questioning, you can then formulate questions that hone in on wants and needs. When you do this you will notice your sales increase.
Remember to ask yourself, what is in it for the customer? Are they looking for job recognition, cost effectiveness, or perhaps personal happiness with your product?
4. Ability to establish client rapport
Without question, building a relationship with your customer is vital. People want to have relationships with people. If you have good relationships with clients, you will be able to sell to them five, ten, and 15 years down the road. Think of a client relationship as a lifetime investment.
5. Uncanny ability to ride the sales roller coaster
Sales are volatile process. One day is favorable, the next sullen, the next euphoric and so on. Each day brings a new experience and new challenge and a new adventure. In order to be an effective sales professional one must be flexible and adaptable to change.
By instilling a positive attitude and a neutral posture, I enable customers to feel at ease and do not allow them to understand some of the personal and professional trials and tribulations. I focus on them, their wants and needs and their contentment with my product and personal service.
6. Understands the Knows Principle
The customer; the prospect; the product; the topic you are going to speak about when you meet with the prospect or client; the competitors, the marketplace and the issues that surround them; the questions you want to ask; the possible objections; the closing technique; the hot buttons factors which allow the client to say yes to you; and finally, your own limitations. You must know what you can and cannot commit to. Never lie, never cheat and never ever over-commit. In order to succeed your must KNOW how far you can go, based on how much you KNOW about your product and customer. If you never KNOW, the only sound you will ever here is NO!
7. Honest and enthusiastic
Love what you do, love the product you are selling and love the people you sell with. If you don't, then get out. If you don't like what you sell, prospects will read right through you and think, "Why should I buy from someone who is not passionate about what they say or do?" Your energy and enthusiasm come through on each and every call, if you are dispassionate, you will not ask the right questions, you will not read the buying signs, hear objections and importantly will not make any money.
Commit to your boss, to your job, and to being the best you can be. Identify with the client, determine their wants and needs and then develop a plan to help them. If you do this, the client will trust you now and forever! Also, commit to everlasting improvement for yourself--set bigger and better goals, think of new ways to deliver better customer service, determine how to augment daily challenges.
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