Most people have never been in sales, but everyone has dealt with sales people. The sales profession is like every other profession: there is a wide range between the good and bad. Unfortunately there tend to be more sale people in the mediocre to bad range than there are in the good to great, but it doesn't need to be that way. The best sales people are successful because they are good at core sales skills. They are so skilled that you might not even recognize that they are using these skills, because they seem to be a natural part of how they operate. If you are in sales and want to be successful, then get good at these skills:
Prospecting. All good sales people know how to find customers. The sales term for this is prospecting. Prospecting is about finding people who have the need for your product or service and have the ability to say "yes."
Analyzing needs. Successful sales people know how to analyze people's needs. They are skilled at questioning prospects to discover if they have the needs and desire to buy their products or services. Just like a skilled news reporter, they use open-ended questions to learn more about the prospect's needs and desires, and they used closed-ended questions to confirm information. Open-ended questions begin with the words: who, what, why, where, when and how. Close-ended questions can only be answered with a "yes" or "no' response.
Presenting. Effective sales people know how to make effective presentations that not only describe the features of their product or service, but also emphasize the associated benefits. People may be interested in a product's features, but they "buy" because of the benefits. For example, a GPS system built into your car may be an interesting feature, but you buy this for the benefits of not getting lost thereby saving time and frustration. Good sales people always explain the benefits associated with every feature of their product or service to the prospect so they don't need to guess how the product will solve their problem or fulfill their desires.
Closing. Closing is the process of bringing the sale to fruition to convert prospects to paying customers. It is not about manipulative techniques, but rather about educating the prospect. When sales people have done a good job analyzing needs and presenting the feature and benefits of their product or service to the prospect, closing is a natural next step. When customers have been well qualified and presented with an affordable and effective solution to their problems, they "want to buy." Good sales people will simply help them with the process, complete the paperwork, and get them to sign the order.
Managing Time. All good professionals must manage their time effectively. Sales people must decide how they will spend the twenty-four hours in each day. They must allocate their time between prospecting, interviewing potential customers, presenting and closing, along with taking care of their administrative tasks. Good sales people maximize the time that they are in front of customers on any given day and complete their administrative tasks later.
Sales can be a tough profession, but skilled sales professionals succeed because they are good at these basic skills. They understand the sales process, are effective at working with prospects, and use their time wisely. If you are in sales, make sure that you are good at these basic skills.
