What three rules cause success in sales?
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I was asked an interesting question while sitting out side at a wine bar/cafe. My wife and I sat down for a glass of wine and started a conversation with Emma and Jeff sitting next to us. They own a consulting firm in Old Town Alexandria, A. Emma asked me, what are the three most important things to know to be successful in sales. Being the president and face of the company she is out there getting business all the time. Coming up through the business world doing most of her business with existing customers she wanted some insights into how to me more effective at getting new business and getting through the inevitable fear of rejection that comes with the process. That is a great question because it made me think about a few basic concepts that make you successful.
Rule #1: Knowledge breeds confidence.
You have to know what you are talking about. You need to study and read material related to what you are selling. You are providing a solution to someone else’s problem. You don’t need to know details but you need to grasp the concepts and understand how they work in order to solve your customer’s problem. For example, I was the clothier to many successful men in my former career. I never stitched together one piece of clothing during 20 plus years. However, I had the ability to measure and fit my clients better than most tailors who sew them together. I learned about postures, shoulder slope, incline etc. I told the tailor what to do and he or she did the necessary work and I would deliver it and the customer would be thrilled. I learned what I needed to know to talk to my customers and ask the right questions. This gave me confidence and gave confidence to my customers also.
Rule #2: You need to be a true believer
The height of your logic is not as important as the depth of your conviction. People don’t make buying decisions based purely on logic. The market place is filled with good solutions to your customer’s problems. Selling is a transfer of emotion. That emotion is the belief that what I have to offer you is the answer you have been looking for. If you don’t totally believe that your product or service is the best solution for your customer, they will sense that and that will create doubt in their mind about you and your product or service. You can only sell a product or service that you believe in. Go back to rule #1 and learn. This will build your belief.
Rule #3: People don’t reject you; they reject what they believe you represent.
This is very important for you to understand in order to be successful in sales and business. Most sales people have a hard time with rejection and the angst that comes with it. In order for you to overcome that fear you have to keep things in perspective. When someone says no to you, they are not rejecting you personally. They don’t even know you and if pressed would have a hard time remembering your name a few minutes after you left. People are wrapped up in their own problems and are in their own world. The most important sound to another person is that of his or her own name. They are not interested in you. It is your job as a sales person to have enough courage to approach new prospects with confidence and ask them for their time. In exchange for their time you will bring your talent, energy and experience to the table to help them solve a problem. In the clothing business I would sit down with prospects all the time that were very satisfied with their current clothier. After taking time to ask questions about their life style and work style, I would discover areas of their wardrobe that were not being addressed. I would bring these to their attention. All of sudden, they now had a potential problem that needed to be dealt with. Now they are wondering why their current clothier never brought this to their attention. It could be a simple fit problem or an event that needed something special. Either way, my stature just went up with this person. I am now the expert in their eyes and will give me a shot at their business. I never would promise something that I could not deliver. Know what you can and can’t do!! Remember, in the business world, people never reject you personally; they reject what they think you represent.
Rule #4: Operate on a structured schedule
All people that I know that are successful follow a routine. They have work out routines, prospecting routines, planning routines, etc… They form the habit of following a schedule. Many people have the mistaken belief that a structured schedule stifles creativity. That is not true. Structure allows your mind to use its potential. This frees up their mind to be more productive. You brain uses energy to get things done. It you don’t follow a schedule then you mind is using a lot of brain power to try to figure out what to do next rather than doing what needs to get done. So follow a schedule of prospecting, and stick with it no matter what.
Thanks Emma for the question. That was four things not three. There are many more, but these are basic principles that if followed will help you build a successful business and a better life.