Some salespeople seem to have a special magic, they are always bringing in new, big deals.
But if you have not been one of them so far, instead of feeling jealous and inadequate, let me show you how you can make as much money as them or more.
Here’s the principle – sales is a numbers game, so more attempts produces more sales.
Let’s assume that a really good salesperson closes 2 deals out of 5 presentations and that you feel that you are struggling, closing only half of that. Logically, to get more orders all you have to do is present more often. And that becomes possible if you are more effective at gaining appointments and seeing prospects.
How to do more of the work
- Dedicate fixed periods of time when you will prospect and discipline yourself to stick to that program. Strictly avoid distractions - don’t get into unnecessary conversations / paperwork / internet browsing / emails / snacking / meetings..
- Log your actions. Make a table and enter data into it for each session. Record time started, number of call attempts, number of decision-makers reached, outcome of each call. Note that if you don’t reach a decision-maker, the call has little value.
- Don’t burn out fast. Pace yourself so that you can sustain the program. It’s no good to do 60 calls one day and then none for the rest of the week.
- Chunk the work. For example, make 15 calls then take a mid-morning break. Then do another 15 before lunch. If you are going to dedicate a day to prospecting repeat this process in the afternoon. 15
- Don’t waste time browsing for a prospect to call. Generate prospect lists in an efficient way so that when you are making calls you can go without delay on to the next prospect.
- Use the best equipment – a good headset helps a lot when you are making many calls. Plantronics is an excellent supplier, I am very happy with the binaural headsets I have from them. Use a contact manager program, there are many around priced from free to thousands. I have tried over a dozen but I’ve ended up using one I built myself with MS Access. It does precisely what I need and cost nothing. Computer dialling is useful too, it prevents mistakes and helps when you are getting tired.
How to be more effective
- Work stronger leads. Generate enquiries by telling people about what you do in some manner. Have them do something to request more information. Capture their contact details and now you have a far more qualified lead than a plain cold call prospect. One good way is to offer an information product. A report on your topic is ideal. To get it the prospect could either fill in a reply coupon, enter contact details on a web page or simply phone you.
- Get referrals from your existing customers and prospects. If you are recommended by a satisfied customer you have considerable credibility. Done systematically this source can give you all the leads you will ever need.
- Re-contact old customers and enquirers. There’s gold in those old order files.
- Always follow up enquiries and people to whom you have sent a proposal. It sounds obvious, but I have come across many organisations which neglect to do this.
- Don’t make journeys if you can properly accomplish what you need to do by phone or email. I have a sales colleague who actually said to a prospect on the phone ‘I’ll come and see you on the condition that if you like my product you give me an order on the spot’. He said this because it was a 3 hour drive to reach the customer. The customer said, ‘Yes’ and my colleague did get the order. It was the right thing to do. I know because once I made a $600 return flight for nothing. I went to see a prospect who was really only looking for one more quotation, having already made a decision about who to give the order to.
- If you are going to drive somewhere to see a prospect confirm your visit before you leave and have a backup call in mind in case a problem arises and you can’t see your intended client.
- Minimise your driving. When you are in your car, you are not face-to-face with a customer and can’t get a sale. Some sales reps spend 20 hours a week driving. That’s 50% of a normal working week when they can’t be making a sale.
- Pitch people what they want, not what they need. It’s easy for them to say ‘Yes’ to items they want. Choose your products with this in mind.
- Get regular sales-training ideas. I’ve often made a sale using an tip I’d been given by my sales manager earlier the same day.
Multiply more attempts and increased effectiveness together and you will soon be the new sales star – it doesn’t take any special gift, just do the basics well.
Download a Free Sales Masterclass
Information on the Selling for Engineers manual and Seminar
Robert Seviour is a sales trainer specialising in business development for technical companies.
Tags: management, sales, sales management, sales rep, sales training
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