Tweet

7 Secrets for Sales Success

Guest post by: Loretta Love Huff

Article Overview: Sales professionals sometimes make the simplest mistakes that keep them from being successful. This article identifies 7 simple things you can do to dramatically increase your success in sales.

7 Secrets for Sales Success

People mistakenly think that effective sales involves convincing people to buy whatever is being offered. Exceptional sales people however realize that's not the case. They utilize these sometimes counterintuitive approaches to distinguish themselves from the herd.

1. Focus on doing the right behaviors

Understand which sales behaviors drive your business. Is it cold calling? Cold walking? Warm calling? Building referral partners? Speaking for visibility? Advertising? Attending tradeshows?

If you're not sure, you need to find out. Keep track of the activities get you "closer to the money" the most often. (Hint: it's probably not organizing your files or business cards.)

Do those activities consistently. Set short-term goals based on behaviors you can control rather than hoped-for results (e.g. number of sales) that are under someone else's control. Keep your short-term attention on the right activities and the long-term results will naturally follow.

2. Act like you don't need the business

There's nothing worse than a desperate sales person. Even if you're dead broke, never let a prospect sense that. Act like you're in demand and sought after. Play hard to get.

If someone is stringing you along tell them know you sense they've lost interest. Offer to return any documents they've given you. They'll either quickly exclaim their interest or bow out gracefully. Either way, you win.

3. Make sure you know what your prospects want & need

Many sales people feel they have to convince prospects they need what the sales person has to offer. Before you start touting the benefits of your product, find out what's important to them. Everyone does not need what you have; most people won't even care.

Focus on identifying their needs first. Keep reminding them of what they want to accomplish then help them understand how your product meets those needs (if it does). If it's not a perfect match, acknowledge that and move on to someone who needs you more.

4. Have a customizable script or outline

Anticipate the likely concerns or problems (not objections) different prospects might have for which your product is a solution. "I help business owners who are frustrated by... fed up with ... and concerned about..." By customizing your conversation, your prospects will feel like you really understand them and their situation and will be more open to what you have to say.

5. Always know what the next step is

Don't ever end a call or meeting without knowing exactly what's going to happen in the next two steps. If they've asked you to submit a proposal (step 1), find out exactly what happens after the proposal is in (step 2).

6. Sell to the highest person possible

While it may be more comfortable talking with people lower in the hierarchy, they are rarely the decision maker. Your sales will go a lot faster if you start at the top. Even if the CEO doesn't make decisions about products you offer, it's still better getting introduced to the VP of Widgets by the CEO that trying to convince the VP that he or she needs you.

7. Never give up

According to the National Sales Association:

2% of sales are made on the 1st contact

3% of sales are made on the 2nd contact

5% of sales are made on the 3rd contact

10% of sales are made on the 4th contact

80% of sales are made on the 5th - 12th contact!!!!

A classic study of sales calls made by Dartnell and McGraw Hill

produced the following fascinating statistics:

48% of all salespeople give up after the first contact

25% give up after the 2nd contact

17% give up after the 3rd or 4th contact

This study confirmed that 80% of all sales are made only after 5 or more contacts.

These statistics show that 90% of the salespeople give up before 80% of

the sales will ever be made! >>

Stand out from the crowd and build an extraordinary business.

Related Articles
  Success Isn't Magic
  The secret to success
  No More Secrets
  Secrets of Internet Marketing Millionaires! ~WHAT 97% OF MARKETERS DON'T DO
  Book Review: The Yes Factor - Secrets of Persuasive Communication
  CLOSING THE SALE - IT'S HIGHLY OVERRATED
  The 7 Secrets to Improved Prospecting
  Installment 2 of the Top 10 Secrets of small business revealed
  Tips for Encouraging Your MLM Downline to Improve Performance
  Trading Secrets For Great Profits
  Top-10 Secrets of: Sustainable Small Business Growth
  Secret to Success
  The 4 Simple Secrets For Creating True Wealth
  The 4 Simple Secrets to Creating True Wealth
  Can You Keep a Secret? Tips to Protect Confidential Company Info
  Secrets to Success with Financial Education – Part 2
  Why simple advice is sometimes the best advice
  5 Simple Yet Efficient Affiliate Marketing Secrets
  Sales and Marketing Common Sense
  If You Know What You Want Out Of Life, You Are Half Way There

Article Tags: sales professionals, sales success, sales tactics, sales techniquess, sales training



Related Forum Posts
Online Sales and Marketing vs Traditional - Hi Evan, I am noticing that many of the posts in the Sales/Marketing section deal with online marketing, SEM and and SEO and Affiliates. I was wondering if it might be a good idea to separate that section into two; 1) Online Sales and Marketing; 2) Traditional Sales and Marketing
Re: Online Sales and Marketing vs Traditional - [quote="ltrahan":31w9r2iz]Hi Evan, I am noticing that many of the posts in the Sales/Marketing section deal with online marketing, SEM and and SEO and Affiliates. I was wondering if it might be a good idea to separate that section into two; 1) Online Sales and Marketing; 2) Traditional Sales and Marketing[/quote:31w9r2iz] I second the request...
Re: THE SECRET TO SUCCESS IS ALL IN YOUR HEAD...RIGHT NOW!!! - Success = Thinking (Head) + Heart (Feeling / Interest) + Hand (doing/ action). Success - H3 Robert
Hello From Marietta GA! - Hello All! My name is Tim Naylor and I am in Direct Sales! I am glad I have found EC's sites and I hope to learn and share a lot!
7 words or less for Structogram - Some "7 words or less" (more or less) for Structogram for your comments: Training to get your message across(6) Secrets to get your message across (6) Training so people will listen to you (7) Helping you get your message across (6) Training to learn to get your message across (8) Communications training for yourself and your team (7)


Share this article with your friends. Fund someone's dream.

Leave a comment below or share on the left and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.

Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!

Name:
Email:

Popular Articles

What should your free giveaway be?

How to Improve Your Time Management

Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.