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Sales can be exhausting sometimes. Research from Sirius Decisions suggests it takes around eight cold calls just to reach a prospect, let alone move them through the sales cycle to a sale, which is why it’s no wonder the turnover rate in sales is sky high.
But when you really get rolling and your sales techniques are closing deals left and right, there are few feelings in the world that are more exhilarating, not to mention what it does for the bank account.
So if you’re stuck and trying to figure out how to get some momentum, it’s time to return to basics and implement a few tips to get to the next level.
There are obviously a million different tips when it comes to sales success, but we wanted to boil it down to some of the most essential sales tricks for small businesses -- things that you can implement today. We’ve broken them down into tips for prospecting, contacting, closing, and following up.
Prospecting is a very important part of the sales process, because if you don’t do this part right, you waste a lot of time on customers who were never likely to buy in the first place.
Good prospecting saves time down the road and makes it easier to build momentum by closing more sales.
To do it well, there are a couple of key tips you should follow, particularly when it comes to B2B sales.
More than 40 percent of salespeople say prospecting is the toughest part of the sales process, even more so than closing, according to research by HubSpot. A big part of why that is is that it’s so tough to know where to find them.
That’s where a customer profile comes in. By knowing who your ideal customer is, you will come up with ideas on where to find them.
For example, if your research tells you that the most profitable customer for your company are mid-level IT managers, create a list of companies in your field and then find out who their IT managers are based on company directories or an inquiry to the company’s main phone number.
Creating a good customer profile is all about taking an active interest in your customers.
By understanding who they are and what makes them tick, you can create a profile that will guide your future sales activities.
A warm contact is worth a hundred cold calls when it comes to B2B lead generation, and you have a great source that can supply them: your current customers.
Contact a few happy customers to catch up and ask them if they are enjoying the product or service. This is a perfect time to ask them if they know of anyone else who might find the product useful and if they would be willing to provide a referral.
Your customers understand the realities of the business world, so there’s no shame in offering a quid pro quo, such as a referral to their business, if possible, or perhaps some extras, like a free upgrade to their service.
Good salespeople can make their entire sales quotas simply off of referrals if they’re skilled enough at it, so it’s a great way to boost your bottom line. Follow these tips to improve your chances at landing them on a regular basis:
Prospecting is important, but even the Glengarry Leads, those prized leads up for grabs in the film Glengarry Glen Ross, won’t get you sales if you don’t pick up the phone and contact the customer.
But it’s a hurdle, and many salespeople wonder how to approach it in order to maximize their success. You’ll want to concentrate on the following two points to have success here.
The simple act of picking up that phone and dialing can be daunting, and it's not uncommon to procrastinate with other activities.
However, that's not moving you toward your sales goal. Every day you should be working toward a number in terms of how many potential clients you contact in a day.
One good way to achieve your goals is to use automatic dialing. It's a lot easier to pick up the phone when the computer is doing it for you. Some of the best CRM software options will automatically dial the leads so you can focus on making the pitch.
Setting goals is vital to sales performance because it gives you a target to shoot for; otherwise, you’re just flailing in the dark. But it can be a tricky thing to master.
You’re not going to be a good salesman if you don’t believe in the product or service you’re selling.
Every call will be filled with hesitation and trepidation, and the customer will detect that, making customer acquisition all but impossible.
On the other hand, if you truly believe your product will help the client, you’ll have the confidence you need to make the sale.
So what do you do if you don’t believe in the product? That's a tricky question, especially if your job literally depends on successfully selling one specific product. However, there are a couple approaches you can take.
Bringing a positive attitude to every sale is vital, and most of that comes from believing that the customer is going to love you for what you’re about to introduce to them. Here’s how to go about that.
Ah, the close: the most mystical, rewarding, and confounding part of the sales process.
Some people seem to be a natural at it, while others dread it even after sailing through the pitch. The next two tips can help you get over the hump of the next sale.
This seems like basic advice, but you’d be amazed by how many times salespeople make the pitch and just leave things at that, hoping the client will be the one to ask to buy. But that’s not how it works.
You have to hold the customer’s hand throughout the sales process, and that includes the buying part. So when it’s time to make a purchasing decision, tell the client that.
Closing the deal is all about being proactive and guiding the customer to the next step. That’s why asking for the sale is so important.
If the customer hems and haws when you ask for the sale, or suggests delaying it until he or she can talk to some other people, try to encourage action by introducing some urgency to the situation.
A customer that is faced with losing out on a good deal on a product they may buy eventually could prompt them to make the purchasing decision right then and there.
You don’t want your customer to “walk off the lot,” because once they’ve left your presence without buying, the odds of you making the sale decline precipitously.
There are a few tricks you can employ to prompt a buying decision, whether that means offering them something or just making it easier to say “yes” without fear.
Following up is so simple, yet so many sales people fail to do it, or just don’t understand its importance.
But here are a couple simple things you can do that could have a big impact down the road.
So many companies sell a product and then that's the last contact they have with a customer. That's a huge mistake.
Customers who have already bought from you are the best source for sales of new products down the road. You want to develop that relationship into one that is beneficial for both sides.
Be proactive and send a note thanking them for becoming a customer and providing your contact information should they need anything at all from you. Then, follow that up with a phone call to ensure they are enjoying the product.
Your customer will greatly appreciate this.
Thank you notes should be short and sweet, but they should have a next action in mind even though you’ve already made the sale.
As your relationship deepens with the customer, you should come to a greater understanding about their needs. This opens up opportunities to come up with new products and services that they will enjoy.
Your customer will actually appreciate your coming to them with a product that specifically suits their needs based on your conversations.
They will be a happy buyer, and your relationship will continue to grow as a result.
Look at your customer as a future customer, because they probably are if you play your cards right after the sale.
You’ve probably identified a couple of these tips that you know you aren’t employing in your sales career right now.
Now’s the time to take steps to improve yourself. Set aside a day in the coming month to take a step back and try to implement one of these tips. Then measure the results.
For example, maybe take a day to just try to get referrals rather than doing cold calling, and then compare your close rate and time spent on those leads compared to the conversion rate for customers that you cold-call.
By tackling each of these tips with intention, you could dramatically improve your sales career.
Our Small Business Expert
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