Sales Success: All You Need To Know
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Sales Success: All You Need To Know
SALES SUCCESS: ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW
They told you when you first started selling that you were going to get a lot more NO’s than Yes’s. Then they emphasized to impart confidence, “No means Next.” That’s what they told you. They said no’s are part of the process and you have to get enough no’s to find the yeses. Getting more no’s, they assured, is a key to more success. Willingness to hear no’s creates the opportunity of a commission which can be far greater than the guarantee of fixed (think “limited”) salary. That’s what they told you. They promised you that if you followed the proven track record of countless thousands of successful people who came before you, that you too would become successful. That’s what they told you… They were telling the truth, the “NO
Truths.”
So if the truth is so simple, then why is the Pareto Principle, that 80/20 rule, real? That’s the one that says 80% of the people do 20% of the work and take home 20% of the pay, while 20% do and collect 80% of total cash generated. Why is the percentage of successful sales people or entrepreneurs in any industry so small? If the scripts are the same, the market is the same, the objections repeated, the products similar, why are results so lopsided? The answer rests between our ears. Ah, the human mind and its capacity to complicate things. The simplest steps are undermined by ego, fear, habits like self-deprecation or arrogance, impatience or procrastination, greed or lethargy, and a major dose of lack of consistency using success skills.
ASK A BETTER QUESTION: What we really need to know is
simply what TO do. To get what we want, we must know how to ask. Asking the wrong question is often the core of perpetuating personal limits. “Why are my results so tragic?… What’s the matter with me?… Why don’t I follow through?… How come I’m lazy?… so scared?… easily impacted by others?… Why don’t things go my way? Why…I? What… me? How stupid..” These are the wrong family of questions.
We can have perfect insight into what’s been wrong and we still lose. Huh? “Why?” you ask. Here’s the key: All the understandings of why and how we fail do not necessarily provide a single clue as to what to do to succeed. We need the right WHY, the right WHAT, the right HOW. You want a better answer? Ask a better question.
Here’s how: Ask specifically for what you must do for success. No
need to analyze failure. Instead, just execute or copy success. The only WHY that’s necessary is the one that looks to our drive and future, not to our past. The “WHY” that matters is our own purpose. Why will succeeding at this provide my dreams for my loved ones and me? Why is failure not an option?” The best WHAT seeks, “What do I do best upon which I can build? What do the most successful DO that I can copy? What are their beliefs, habits, attitudes, skills and behaviors?” Make sense? If you’re a realtor and you’re interviewing a new client, would you use a form asking only what he doesn’t want? “What colors do you want to avoid? Where don’t you want to live?”
Asking WHICH habits, attitudes, behaviors, beliefs and WHAT skills and physiology are executed by the most
successful, and simply copying those will propel success. When a golfer has spent thousands of dollars for golf lessons, the best advice when teeing off is to, “Tee it high and let it fly.” In any arena, the lesson is the same. Don’t over think the situation with all past errors. In moments that matter, we keep our eye on the prize.
YOUR SALES SUCCESS CHECKLIST
1. IMAGINATION = YOUR MOST POWERFUL TOOL: Make personal growth your #1 priority. Your business will only grow as much as you grow personally.Somecomplain that they aren’t getting ahead while repeating beliefs and actions that they know won’t get them the change they want. That’s a perfect definition of insanity. They profess that they don’t have the time for personal growth. My family just visited the Leonardo daVinci museum in Rome. Again struck
by the sheer volume and scope of his creations, we considered the good news: we all have the same number of hours in a day that daVinci had.
So the naked truth is: we do have the time. The question is: how will we choose to direct our time. Time to focus on our own growth is not something we luckily find at the end of a busy day. Make the decision to see yourself so valuable that you set personal growth as a priority. Focus time daily with the intention that you can bring yourself as someone new, someone better to your activities. Devote 15 minutes daily to activating whatever you learn. Close your eyes, lower your shoulders as you breathe and imagine yourself demonstrating the new learning as if you’ve been doing it forever. You’ll be proud, if not amazed, at how quickly this or any of the following habits can become your “old hat” reality.
Imagination is your most powerful tool. In this relaxation you’ll create the permanent changes through imagination that complete the artwork that is your business and your life.
2. KNOW YOUR “WHY”: About 20% of salespeople set goals that are meaningful. There must be a WHY involved and, from what we learned above, it is NOT “Why am I NOT getting results I want.” Rather, it is “WHY is it significant for me to succeed? What is my purpose?”
3. BREAK GOALS INTO APPROACHABLE CHUNKS: Think it’s a coincidence that the same 20% who set goals are generally the successful agents? Set long term (more than 1 year), short term (1 year or less), weekly and daily goals (To-Do list for the week and refine it daily). Long and short-term goals are exact and have a target or due date for accomplishment to create urgency on a
daily basis to do the due.
4. REVIEW LONG AND SHORT GOALS FREQUENTLY: For accountability and perspective, make the time to review, assess, adjust. Planes don’t fly straight from NY to CA. A pilot sets out for a destination and adjusts repeatedly as “distractions” of wind, weather and interference pull the plane left to right. The pilot doesn’t see an adjustment as cause for emotional upset nor as a reason to quit the trip. An adjustment is just part of the process and a reason for him to have a job. As prospects, clients and daily occurrences come and go, like wind on wings, with the view of your long range destination in mind, you adjust like a pilot. A need for adjustment is not a reason to quit. The same occurrences that could cause frustration or fear for salespeople who do not have clear goals are experienced as interesting
events or just “part of the game” by professionals with defined dreams. The polished professional knows the payoff is out there. You remember it pays to stay when your WHY, your purpose, is reviewed often enough. Review instills the passion to keep going and the curiosity, fun and excitement to discover how the process unfolds. As you review often enough to keep the goal fresh in your mind’s eye, you’ll make your decisions in line with your purpose.
5. PROSPECT CONSISTENTLY: Call it warm calling, cold calling, lead generation or marketing, the gist is: talk to people. How many per day/week/month? There’s no substitute for making contacts consistently. You don’t enjoy this? Quick: flash to your purpose. With your WHY in mind, you can choose to see the task of talking as a pleasure and a stepping-stone to a worthy end. Sales is
not about you, it’s about serving them. Prospecting is finding them and choosing to value them. Contact lots of “them.” There are many systems available. Any proven system done with enough consistency will do. How long it takes to get to that desired goal is a result of the consistent volume of daily prospecting.
6. DEVELOP MULTIPLE PROSPECTING METHODS: There are many ways to both reach and serve different niches. Brainstorm these with a successful associate/manager/broker or coach and select a minimum of 2 or 3. Follow your decision. You want to evaluate your SELF and YOUR behavior regularly as directed above; but do not evaluate or change the system for at least 90 days. Developing takes consistency over time. Any worthwhile system for generating people whom you can serve takes time for the “pipeline” to fill. It takes time
to find the prospects, time to develop rapport and trust, and time for them to become clients. Farmers plant seeds and tend the field even, and especially, before the sprouts emerge. Plant your field through prospecting and tend the field by keeping going even when the sales are not yet on the board. Success is staying with an idea after the initial enthusiasm passes. Stay active and consistent.
7. SHOW UP PREPARED: Show respect to the prospect, client or customer. Set time and do your homework. Look the part with hair, accessories, pressed clothing, and your best focus as well as the presentation materials. Make it your habit to be on time or a little early. People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.
8. GIVE YOUR BEST IN YOUR PRESENTATION: Use your ears and mouth in direct
proportion to which you have them. Assume nothing. The sale is a by-product of filling the wants of the client. Find those wants by being genuinely interested in your prospect. Ask interested and interesting questions. Listen well and really pay attention. Instead of preparing your cleverest retort while they speak, still your mind to hear their needs. Listen to the prospect who is little more than a stranger as if she is loved family or long valued friend. People want to be heard and they will value your recommendations more if they trust you are really listening. People want to do business with people who care about them. On the door to Nan’s office where she has developed relationships with clients who confidently return and send referrals, is a sign welcoming and reminding “Listen with your heart.”
9. ASK FOR THE ORDER:
What went on in your mind might not have gone on in your prospect’s. Ask simple questions as you progress through a presentation to assure you are moving in the same direction and are aligning your visions. When you’ve presented a point, instead of assuming she understands or agrees, ask a soft close “Does that make sense?” Be open to his answer. Discovering early that your prospect’s idea is different than yours provides a chance to refine and align. When your points are presented and questions are answered, ask for the order. “Are you ready to get started?” “Which program is best for you now?” Ask for the commitment based on the options presented.
10. KEEP THE FLOW WITH A CLEAR NEXT STEP: Three possibilities arise from asking for the order: No. Maybe. Yes. Regardless of the response, provide a clear next step.
Give the client something positive to do with a reasonable timeframe.
NO: When the prospect says a definite “No,” this is the time to recall the “NO Truths” and adopt the belief, “If you’re going to reject what i offer, reject it in a hurry so I can move to something profitable.” Thank the prospect for the time they invested to look at your service, wish him your best and let him know you’ll take great care of him or his referrals whenever the time is right. Ask when it would be a good time to check with him again, to kindly keep your information and pass it forward. Move ON.
MAYBE: If the client is still undecided after all the information has been presented and his questions have been answered, avoid re-presenting what’s already done. Don’t do a meeting after the meeting. Simply offer “No problem,” and
provide his next step, “Take this to review and let’s follow up tomorrow. Would morning or afternoon be best?”
YES: And with the “Yes,” offer congratulations with a vision of their loving the results their decision will bring. Summarize “Here’s your next step…” with a date and time for performance and connection.
11. UNDER-PROMISE AND OVER-PERFORM: Keep your word. Customer service is doing what you’ve said you will do and something more. Clients choose to buy from you because of some perceived, added value. Make a note of your promises and schedule them for the first appropriate time. A simple email with the link to a restaurant or referral you discussed lets someone know he matters to you.
12. STAY POSITIVE AND TAKE THE HIGH ROAD: As you stay in touch, always have something
positive to share. To avoid hitches in the sales process, keep communications lines open and upbeat. If you don’t have an expected answer yet, advise your client that you are are still on it. Don’t commiserate with problems, say disparaging things about others, seem available to idle gossip or follow “red herring” distractions. Rise above the petty and be the leader by example.
13. POST SELL: Confirm the great decision the buyer made. Review the selling points on which the buying decision was made to avoid buyer’s remorse. Validate her decision with congratulations, appreciation for your opportunity to support her and provide post sell materials.
14. ASK FOR REFERRALS: When is now the time to ask for referrals. That’s a statement, not a question. The When is NOW. The buyer is feeling good about his
purchase and sees you as instrumental in the positive outcome. This is the perfect time to let him know you love and appreciate referrals. When you have the buyer’s attention and his current needs are satisfied, ask for what allows you to serve others. When the client is ready to really focus on you and your request, avoid the benign “Keep me in mind for anyone you know who might be interested…” When you ask, ASK “Who do you know NOW who…?”
15. HAVE FUN!
Certainly you need to always be developing your product knowledge, but knowledge alone won’t make the deciding difference in your success. Your personal growth and development, your personal skills and will to master YOUR SALES SUCCESS CHECKLIST as you offer your product and service is what propels you from the 80% who are sharing 20% of the wealth, to the top
of the 20% who are dividing the 80%.
Now, go sell something!
Inspirational, seasoned, intelligent corporate speaker and trainer. Effective business and personal coach for entrepreneurs and top real estate producers and managers looking to step up.
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