Uncover Your Sales Treasure Trove

Since it's Friday, I felt it was a good time to reflect on what a great profession sales is. This article is a great reminder of the treasures of our profession - keep them in mind over the weekend, and into your next selling week!

"Finding the treasures in selling is easier than it likely was to find the treasures in King Tut's tomb in Egypt," says sales coach Patricia Weber. "What are selling treasures? How do you find them? They're found in the career, the prospect and yourself. Let's go to the selling treasure trove."

Treasures in the career of selling
In my early days of selling I had a manager who would often start a sales meeting touting, "Well Tony wrote himself a terrific paycheck this month!" Clearly, selling is the only career where you have the freedom to make your paycheck whatever amount you want by the actions you take or don't take. One of the most magnificent sales career treasures is the freedom to make your own pay amount. Careful planning, strategic actions and a focus on the other person are key traits that help you to tap into the resulting treasure.

Treasures in the prospect and customers
There are both easy and difficult relationships in selling. Prospects and customers test you sometimes more than you care. They voice concerns, they say no and they stall to make a decision. Often times it's a slower walk to gaining commitment than preferred, but this gives you the opportunity to nurture new relationships along slowly. And we're learning; including learning to improve ourselves.

Treasures in yourself
Listening skills, planning skills, presentation skills, people skills; these skills are key to sales success. Sales professionals will find that many of the skills necessary for success are already innate. Training, coaching and experience bring the not-so-natural up to par and improve the most important communication skills to get along in business and in life! When you are successful, self-confidence grows and continues to influence more success.

The discovery of King Tut's tomb uncovered jewelry, statues, furniture and a collection of numerous items. These treasures pale in comparison to the treasure that can be found in selling. Finding the right coach along the way can unearth the treasures sooner for you.

Sign up to receive a free report, ezine and teleclasses from Pat Weber – America's Sales Accelerator Coach, specializing in Introverts and Shy people at http://www.prostrategies.com

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Follow Up Sales Effectiveness

"Follow up in sales is critical. Particularly critical is the timing between a salesperson's follow-up and a prospect's pain point to want, not just need, what you sell," says sales trainer Patricia Weber. "Unless you have a crystal ball to bring that timeline into your view, then it is up to you to continue to be in front of a prospect about what might interest them."

Follow these tips from Weber on how to effectively follow up with your clients, and your timing will never be off!

Manage the process

If you do not plan to follow-up, the sale will likely not happen. Jeffery Moses says, "Sales is one part initial contact, four times follow-up." What is the average length of the sales cycle of your customers? Once you know this, then determine a series of different types of follow-up at different points in this cycle.

Start sooner than later

The first thing could be a handwritten note or even a voice mail saying how you appreciate their interest and maybe a reminder that you plan to stay in touch. This does two things: you've communicated your regards, and you let a prospect know you are going to talk with them again. Then, get your plan out of your head and on to your calendar.

Scheduling versus planned

A week after you've sent the first handwritten note, contact your prospect with an email containing pertinent information about something that interests them. After that you could send something seasonal, even a "just thinking of you" card, or if appropriate, a small gift. You can intermix real cards, emails, telephone calls and if appropriate, in-person visits.

Collaborate

Ask for help with the follow-up process. If you were referred to the prospect, ask the referrer something that might be important to the prospect for your follow-up. If you meet someone who knows the prospect, they may have some insights to add to your follow-up plan.

Have something pertinent

If "Are you ready?" is the first, last or only question you have on the scheduled plan, than you're probably seen as just a bother. An update on pricing, or a new product, or that you are on holiday for a week are valid reasons for a follow-up. How many valid business reasons can you think of to put in your plan?

"How much is a new customer worth to you?" asks Weber. "Is that worth more than putting all your effort only into that initial contact? Or is it worth you staying committed to a systematic follow-up? If you say yes to both these statements, then with your sales skills and timing, the outcome will likely be, "Okay. What do I have to do to get started with you?" or "How soon can you ship that to me?"

Sign up to receive a free report, ezine and teleclasses from Pat Weber – America’s Sales Accelerator Coach, specializing in Introverts and Shy people at http://www.prostrategies.com

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