How many salespeople have a technique for sales, or a system for selling that works effectively?
Most of the successful sales professionals have a step-by-step plan for selling. From the very first contact to closing the deal and getting the check, sales pros are following a tested, structured system. They know exactly where they are with their prospect and what they need to do next to get the deal done.
New and unsuccessful salespeople just wing it every time. They'll try a false close, or start 'mirroring' their prospect, maybe even throw some NLP (neuro linguistic programming) they picked up from the latest fly-by-night guru. And their results will be all over the place. Sometimes they'll close the sale; in spite of making all they wrong moves, which reinforce more desperate selling behavior.
When you use a step-by-step sales technique, it enables you to actually control the sale. You're no longer on the defensive with the prospect. Instead of scrambling to come up with a response to an objection or trying to read minds, you know exactly where the prospect is in the sales cycle and what you need to do next.
The greatest benefit of using an effective technique for sales is that it produces consistent results every time. This removes almost all the stress from sale situation and makes the prospect more comfortable as they perceive you to be a professional solutions provider, not a desperate salesman. If a prospect doesn't feel comfortable around you, their "salesman armor" will come up, making it that much harder for you to communicate the value you are offering.
Proper sales technique is just like a recipe for your favorite meal; if followed, the outcome is virtually guaranteed. You go from step-to-step, adjusting where necessary, until you finish... leaving you with a hot delicious meal (or a big fat commission check).
Selling without a proven system leaves you stressed out. Your results will be different every time so you never know if you're going to make the sale. This is where all the fear and frustration of the sales profession comes in. You will hear many unsuccessful salespeople complain about it being the company's fault, or the economy, or XYZ... when really the problem is they never had a proper sales technique. If you don't know where or when your next paycheck is coming from, how can you expect to enjoy selling as a career?
Having a step-by-step sales method is one of the key techniques for sales success. Make sure you are using a sales method that has proven to work regardless of the industry, the economy, or uncooperative prospects.
