Unlocking Secrets to Sales Success
In today’s competitive marketplace, if your team isn’t selling, whose fault is it? This question isn't meant to be snarky or just to have you pointing fingers at someone - it's about uncovering the real reasons sales are not happening and setting the stage for growth.
Leaders – it is your responsibility to equip your team with the right tools, skills, and coaching. If you’re not doing this, it’s your fault.
Sellers – it is your responsibility to use the tools you’ve been given, constantly hone your skills, and get your mindset right. If you’re not doing this, it’s your fault.
Overcoming the growth dilemma is not hopeless or impossible; it’s just your job. It’s your job to take action, to not be mediocre, to have a daily focus, and to continually push yourself.
To help, I’ve made a quick hit list of tips, motivators, and reminders to help you win in the game of sales growth.
1. Understand Your Customer
Know your ideal customers and targets and what they truly need. And, then tailor your approach to help them meet their financial and operational goals. People buy from people who understand them and truly want to help.
2. Focus on Value
Customers don’t buy features; they buy solutions that either help them meet their objectives or prevent something bad from happening. Learn to (constantly) communicate how your product or service solves problems and prevents future problems. Get into their operating reality and stay out of yours. They need your help – it’s up to you to communicate why they need your help and all the good things that will happen if they buy from you (or bad things that could happen if they don’t).
3. Sharpen Your Questioning Skills
In the eyes of your prospects, you are defined by the quality of questions you ask. Plan to ask relevant, open-ended questions that lead to deeper insights into the customer’s challenges and the impact it’s having on their business.
4. Listen More Than You Speak
Active listening can be more persuasive than the most eloquent sales “pitch”. Scramble the word LISTEN and it’s SILENT. If you can master number 3, then silence is its twin.
5. Cultivate Emotional Intelligence
Understanding and responding to the emotional cues of the people you call on can dramatically improve sales outcomes. Emotional intelligence (EQ) is a skill that can be developed. It’s proven that those with high EQ outperform those with low EQ in almost every sales situation.
6. Overcome Objections Effectively
An objection is merely a request for more information. Build rejection immunity. Prepare to address anticipated objections through role-practicing. The best companies insist on role-practicing with ChatGPT and with their teams while using a process called LAER. (Listen, Acknowledge, Explore, Respond.)
7. Set Clear Goals & Take Action
Be a good steward of your time and focus. Be sure to have daily goals that have actions AND accountability associated with them. Having a goal and taking action toward a goal are two entirely different things. We are all CEOs of our own life and work. What you do is what you choose to do.
8. Continuous Learning
The best salespeople are always, ALWAYS, learning. Whether it’s through debriefing, being coached, studying new market trends, products, or selling approaches, continuous learning is key.
9. Leverage Technology
From CRM to Generative AI, technology is guaranteed to amplify your sales efforts - if you use it properly. Get trained and get comfortable with the latest tools. If you don’t, you’ll lose to those who do.
10. Get 3 by 3
The more people you know in your target accounts, the more opportunity you have, and the less risk of loss when “changing of the guard” happens. Don’t rely on 1 contact. Get to at least 3 people at 3 different levels to connect with 3 people in your organization. That’s when true partnerships unfold!
Okay – those 10 tips will help keep you out of the slump, but the key to thwarting the growth dilemma is when you promise to do these next 5 things, no matter what.
Every. Single, Day.
11. Make the Phone Calls
Sales is a tough profession. It takes connecting through many different mediums, but without making phone calls, you will not grow. Full stop. People need to have a relationship with you, not your email or your LinkedIn page.
12. Follow Up FAST
The fortune is in the follow-up. Speed is the currency of today and without quick and professional follow-up, your prospects are moving on to other things and you’re risking the deal not moving forward.
13. Build Relationships, Not Transactions
“Win the relationships, not the deal” is a mantra to live by. People buy from people they like and trust. Think Miracle on 34th Street when the Santa at Macy’s sent customers elsewhere because, well, that’s what the right thing to do for them was. Winning the relationship. Read the book, “The Go-giver”. Focus on helping others and it will pay off.
14. Celebrate Wins, Learn from Losses
Create a culture where every win is celebrated, and every loss is a learning opportunity. If you got outsold, own it. And, don’t stop there; figure out exactly where and how you got outsold and learn from it. Every loss should make you better at winning if you do this religiously.
15. Be Accountable
Take personal accountability. If you have a culture of accountability, you will have a culture of winning, teamwork, beating the odds, and a culture of overcoming any growth dilemma.
Selling is a skill and mastering it is hard and takes constant work.
That is why you will get 31 million results when you search for “sales training “on Google.
Leaders, remember, that the effectiveness of your team starts with the training, tools, and support you provide. Leadership is about inspiring growth and recognizing gaps. If you spot a gap, close it. Need help? We’re here for you!
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