What good is having a sales process if you don’t use it? Not using your sales process is just as bad as not having a sales process at all.
How can we expect to be successful as sales professionals if we don’t have a process we follow and believe in?
Could you imagine getting on a plane and the pilot saying he or she does not have a plan to fly the plane? How about going into surgery and the last words you hear is the surgeon saying they’ve never done this before?
There’s no way you’d get on that plane or allow that surgery, yet that’s what our prospects are subjected to when we don’t have a sales process.
The last several years I’ve been doing a lot of work in this area of helping salespeople build a process that works. The key is first knowing the outcome or benefit derived from what you sell and the type of customer who needs it. This sounds simple, but it’s one of the big pieces salespeople miss.
The ability to qualify a prospect quickly is essential to avoid having valuable time wasted on someone who doesn’t line up with what you provide.
Second issue is time management and the art of the follow-up. You all have perfect prospects who want to hear from you. Don’t kid yourself in thinking they’re not out there. If you can define your outcomes, then you can find your prospects. Challenge is following up with them to allow you to break through the noise and get them to focus on how you can help them.
An example I like to use when talking with salespeople is to never forget the one word found on every bottle of shampoo. You’ve seen it time and time again. The word is “repeat.” Again, pretty simple, yet it’s lost on most salespeople.
Sales is not hard. Yes, I said that correctly. Sales is not hard. It’s not hard when it’s done with the right plan. The plan does not need to be complex. I’ll argue far too many salespeople overcomplicate things. It doesn’t have to be complicated. Too many salespeople over complicate things out of a desire to have something to blame when they fall short of their goals.
Next week at OutBound I’ll be sharing the key components that make up a successful sales plan. If you’re attending, you’ll get the specifics, as this will be the first time I’ve ever shared this information.
A coach can help you excel in your sales career! Invest in yourself by checking out my coaching program today!
Copyright 2018, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter.” Sales Motivation Blog. Mark Hunter is the author of High-Profit Prospecting: Powerful Strategies to Find the Best Leads and Drive Breakthrough Sales Results
3 Responses
Many thanks Mark,
for a great post and advice as usual.
Barry.
Great Selling.
The sales process gives a path to follow. It is a guide to tell you where you are at any given point. So important that you don’t miss key elements of the process. Nice job Mark.
I will be attending Outbound! Looking forward to attending!