New month with new opportunities
Welcome to July.
Its a new month with new sales opportunities in abundance.June is gone and it’s a time to review and reset for a month of achievement.Have a look at your sales funnel/pipeline and take out those prospects that have no hope of closing within the next 45 days.This will enable you to replace them with new prospects that are more likely to close and have better opportunity for growth.
If your company sets sales quotas (this is the bare minimum that you need to achieve) I want you to put on top of this 15%.Take charge of your area and take charge of your income.Doing this will help you own your success.
Invest in yourself by buying personal development material.Don’t rely on your company to provide this.Go out and buy books and audiobooks that will help you in your professional sales growth.Top sales people take care of their own p.d.
Take your sales target for the month and break it down into weekly,daily and hourly amounts.A seemingly large and difficult figure is more achievable in bite size amounts.
Block out chunks of time in your day specifically for prospecting of new clients.If you are in internal sales put a sign on your door saying you are doing this and not to be interrupted.Put your cell phone away and eliminate distractions.If you are in external sales make an appointment with yourself to be at your first call at the same time every day.Have the early part of the day (7am-1pm) locked in for prospecting.Use the rest of the day to check email,follow ups and phone calls.
Plan each day on advance and know what you will be doing.Sure,things come up and this might change but it will give you confidence knowing what you will be doing for the next day.Take charge of the day and don’t let the day take charge of you.
I hope that these ideas are useful and that you can use them.Heres to a new month with new opportunities ☀️
Hot sales tip #9 Business goes to where it’s appreciated
When was the last time you were thanked by the salesperson for making a purchase?I am certain that you remember what you purchased,where you purchased it and how much you invested in the purchase.I am also certain that you told multiple people about how good the salesperson was recommended that they contact that business/salesperson when they were also ready to buy.
We all like to be appreciated,and that includes our customers and prospects when we interact with them.Buyers have an inbuilt fear of making a wrong decision,and that their jobs are dependent on the decisions that they make.Help sooth their stress by “holding their hand” through the sales process and once the order is placed thank them for the order.It might sound like a small thing,but being polite and having good manners will definitely help you stand out from the herd of amateur sales people.
Business goes to where it’s appreciated.This coming week make a mental note of how many times you are thanked for a purchase you yourself make.You will be surprised at how many times it doesn’t happen.
Hot sales tip # 8 – Be part of the 11%
One of the easiest ways to increase your sales and book of business is to ask for referrals.A recent study by the Brevet Group shows that while 91% of customers say that they would give referrals,but only 11% of salespeople ask for them.
After your next sales call be part of the 11% and ask more to get more.
Hot sales tip #7 -8 tips for LinkedIn use.
Linkedin is a must have for all sales professionals.It is the best way to create warm contacts and help move those prospects from unaware to aware.Lets face facts,you need to interrupt someone’s day and let them know you exist.As a sales professional DO NOT use this platform to sell as this will be the quickest way to be deleted/blocked by those you want to develop a business realationship with.Use Linkedin to educate and inform about who you are and the products and services you specialise in.
The following are 8 tips on LinkedIn use.
1.Be active to be known.Like,post and comment on relevant topics at least once a day.
2.After a sales meeting with a prospect send a Linkedin invitation.They will be most receptive to accepting your invitation after seeing you.
3.Be a subject matter expert.Post and comment on issues that you specialise in.
4.DO NOT use this platform as you use Facebook.No one cares about your cat or dog.
5.Be specific with your connection requests.Target specific people such as CEO,CFO,COF and office managers.Think about who you would like to connect with and what you can offer.
6.Work your geographical area.
7.Update your profile.Make sure you have a profile picture that is current and is professional.Get rid of sunglasses or party photos and keep those for Facebook.
8.Schedule time everyday to be active on LinkedIn.I personally find early morning or between 4-5pm is best for those contacts I want to interact with.
Never in the history of sales have we been able to interact with more people and help them achieve their goals.Have fun with Linkedin,but it will only work for you if you use it regularly.
Hot sales tip #6-Getting the balance right.
Hot sales tip #6-Getting the balance right.
Who is your ideal client type?
One of the easiest ways to achieve your sales goals is to have an ideal client type.If your company doesn’t have such a list then it’s time to make one of your own.Knowing this information will enable you to be more productive and serve your clients more effectively.
Consider the following 10 points.
Geographical area
Industry type
Number of staff
Culture
Product range/services
Management
Enjojable to deal with
Pay accounts on time
Local business
National head office
Remember that not everybody is going to be a good fit for you and your company.Its ok to be picky and to choose who you do business with.
Sales and Life Tips with Ian 