When I conduct sales training workshops participants often ask or a couple of strategies that will help them improve their overall results. Here is what I tell them:
Do a post-sales call analysis.
Every top performing sales athlete watches video-tapes of their performance after a game or competition. While it may not be feasible to record yourself during a sales meeting you can use this concept to improve your approach. Here's what you do.
After every sales call or meeting ask yourself these three questions.
What went well? It is important to evaluate the positive aspects of your sales calls. Reflect on your last call and identify the things you did well. This can include creating a compelling opening, building rapport, asking the right questions, and gaining agreement for the next steps.
What did I miss or forget to do? Even though I have been teaching sales for more than 15 years I still miss or forget to do certain things during my sales calls. When you ask this question you can identify patterns in your approach that cost you sales.
What will I do different next time? It's one thing to analyze your current results. However, if you are serious about improving your results you need to identify EXACTLY what you will do differently in future sales calls.
On the surface it sounds simple. The reality is that most sales people seldom take the time to analyze their performance. Most sales people keep doing things the way they have always done them and they end up getting the same results. Some people get caught up in the day-to-day busyness of their job and forget to analyze their performance. Others simply think analysis is a waste of time.
Here is a different perspective for you to consider.
Top athletes ALWAYS make time for analysis. Watch someone like Tiger Woods. He analyzes EVERY shot after he takes it. He tries to recapture great shots and strives to improve the poor ones. Other athletes take the same approach when they review tapes of their performance. They may grimace over their mistakes but they still analyze everything.
There are several keys that make this strategy valuable.
The first is to record your answers. The act of writing your responses helps you internalize what your mistakes and develop a plan to improve. This concept is used in goal-setting and it relevant to sales too. Written response helps you identify patterns and improve your approach which leads me to my next point.
The next step is to review your observations periodically. You can't expect to improve your results simply by thinking about you need to do differently. You need to review your performance and watch for patterns. When I first started conducting sales training workshops, I took the time to answer the above three questions after every program. When I reviewed my notes several months later, I realized that I had been making the same mistakes in several of my programs. Without the written records, it is unlikely that I would have realized this.
Step three is to practice. Determine what you to do differently and make the time to practice BEFORE your next sales call or meeting. You can't implement a new strategy into your routine and expect it to work flawlessly unless you rehearse it first. Focus on integrating one concept into your routine instead of trying to use several new techniques at once. Role-play the concept with a coworker. If this isn't possible, practice it in front of a mirror or verbalize the strategy before your meeting. This is particularly effective when you plan to ask prospects new questions or when you deliver a presentation.
The last step is to analyze your performance...again. Anytime you try something new it is critical that you analyze your results. Ask yourself the three questions presented at the beginning of this article. Record your results and keep repeating this process until you perfect your approach.
