So how are sales?
I’m Jim Pancero. I’ve spent over 30 years as a sales and sales management consultant and trainer, helping experienced sales pro’s like you increase their selling success and margins. In just six minutes I’d like to share with you five proven things you can start doing now, today, that can immediately impact your sales success and profitability.
The first idea to increase your sales is also the simplest…work harder. How many hours a week are you working? Outside sales is definitely not a 40 hour per week job. If you’re unhappy with your sales the easiest way to increase your volumes is to increase your work efforts. Start coming in earlier and staying later, save your paperwork or research until after hours or weekends. Can you work any harder than you are right now?
My second idea to immediately increase your sales is to increase your prospecting.
All sales territories have a natural erosion of customers who change vendors, merge or go out of business. But most experienced sales reps do little new account prospecting on an ongoing basis. Let’s get real…prospecting is a major pain. It’s calling on people you don’t know, are satisfied with their current suppliers, and don’t see any reason to talk with you.
What kind of new business prospecting program do you have in place right now? Prospecting works best when it’s a proactive…and ongoing effort. You should be doing something to prospect or reach out to new prospects every week.
A third idea is to strengthen your selling message of “Why buy from you?” How unique is your selling message about why you’re better for me than any of your competitors?
Everything in life is moving faster and becoming more compacted. You have to immediately get your customer’s attention…and then validate your ability to deliver on your promises within just a few minutes…especially to a prospect.
There’s a simple two step test to see how strong a selling message you currently have. Your first step is to write down the top three to five reasons why you’re unique and of more value to your buyer than any of your competitors.
Once you get your list complete your second step is to cross off any responses also being said by your competitors. Why would I want to buy from you if you’re just like everyone else and have no uniqueness or added value for me? What can you do to strengthen and tighten up your message of why buy from you?
My fourth idea is to ask more questions…and do more research.
One of the greatest blind spots for most senior sales pros is their experience and knowledge of their industry and customers. They haven’t really researched or studied their customers in years because they already know exactly what their customers really need.
But all buyers think they’re unique, even when they’re explaining in detail the same problems all of your other customers are facing. You need to be asking all the right questions of your prospects and customers, even when you already know their answers. Too many experienced sales reps, because they already know what their buyers really need, just come across as uncaring, only selling standard solutions or not showing enough empathy for their buyer’s problems. Do you think you could ask more questions and do more listening?
My fifth and final suggestion to help you immediately increase your sales is to get some help. Who’re you using as a coach and strategist to help increase your selling skills, processes and positioning?
I get it…stronger sales people also tend to be loners wanting to do it all alone, their own way, even when times are tough.
Ask your manager for help discussing your future-focused plans and strategies for selling your most important accounts. Meet with your team to discuss what’s working best for the others and what problems you’re currently facing. This is the time to get new ideas and insights…and the ones likely to have the best ideas are your peers who’re doing the same job as you.
So what do you think of my five ideas? Think any of them can work for you? What do you think you could try or change that can strengthen your skills and selling success? Are you ready to sell your way out of your current slow-down in sales by trying any of these ideas?
Call me if you’d like help strengthening your team’s ability to function as a “Selling SWAT Team.”
Because after all we know you’re good, now the only question is, are you and your team good enough to get better?
Jim Pancero