Be A Student Of Your Profession
Have you ever had an experience with a salesperson that appeared to know very little about their products, services or company? Chances are if you did, you didn’t buy from that person. Lack of knowledge is a commonality found amongst many under performing sales professionals and a key factor with customers not moving forward in the selling process.
Just like a Doctor must continue their education and constantly stay up to date on the latest studies, medical findings and prescriptions, a sales person must constantly evolve and grow in order to succeed long term. When you stop developing yourself professionally, your performance will eventually idle and you will begin what I like to call “running the tread mill of sales”, working hard, but never moving forward.
Have you ever noticed that sales professionals who are successful in their selling efforts tend to continue their success long term? When you look at the percentage of sales people who consistently over perform, there are always commonalities and trends with their selling efforts and how they succeed. One of those commonalities is their knowledge and skill related to the selling process. They understand who their potential customers are. They know how to initiate dialogue. They know the most common questions and concerns customer have and they know how to handle each one. They know their products and services inside and out and most importantly, they understand how their product or service solves problems and addresses the needs of their customers.
Customers have high expectations of sales people. They expect sales people to be knowledgeable and well versed in whatever it is that they sell. They expect a sales person to have the knowledge to answer questions that they may have during the sales process. Here are some suggestions and recommendations on how sales professionals can become students of their profession, build trust and credibility with customers and improve their sales performance.
Study Sales
Because the art of selling has been studied for so long, there are thousands of different ideas, techniques and methods on sales techniques. There are literally thousands of books on sales that will open your mind to new ideas. If you want to be successful in sales, you have to utilize all of the different ideas and techniques that may be applicable to your selling efforts. A successful sales person has numerous methods and skills they can apply in various selling situations to increase their chances of success.
Know Your Products and Services
Whatever it is that you sell, you need to be able to answer questions your customer may have. One way to differentiate yourself in a crowded and competitive marketplace is by education. Know more than your competition. Educate your customers. Be a resource your customers can count on for accurate information.
Read Publications Related to Your Industry
In almost every industry, you can find trade journals and other publications that keep a pulse on what is happening in your industry. Stay educated on trends, current events as well as information that may be beneficial for your customers to know.
Study the Concerns Customer Have
One of the aspects of sales I love is the fact that you hear the same concerns from customers over and over. Whatever you sell, there are concerns that consistently arise during the selling process. Because of this you become an expert at handling each concern and helping your customers look past them so they are able to move forward in the process.
Know Your Company
In many selling situations, a company, not the product will make or break a sale. You have to be able to sell your company and show your potential customer why they should do business with your company. What differentiates your company and why should a customer do business with you? The answer to this question should be researched, rehearsed and ready to go at a moments notice.
Attend Outside Seminars and Training
It is always beneficial to hear new ideas, techniques and methods from sources other than within your company. A fresh perspective often spawns other ideas and ways you can improve your selling efforts. If you can take away three new ideas from a seminar that will positively impact your sales performance, it is worthwhile.
Learn From Others
Study successful performers. I don’t have enough time to give away all of the secrets, but look around at the top performers and successful people around you. How do they do it? Remember, people love to talk about themselves, what they do for work and what they are good at. You can always learn something from someone; so don’t be afraid to ask.
Christopher Thompson is the Founder and President of Catch 22 Solutions, a sales performance consulting company and a former Director of Sales at PC Connection, Inc. For more information visit http://www.catch22solutions.com
Tags: development, sales, salesperson, student, success, training
