Without a doubt, sales continue to be an important driver of revenue for organizations of all industries. Countless books and inspirational speakers cover the ever-increasing interest in the world of sales, and across all markets and interests, experts agree that results are the most important facet of any job. In sales, results are not only an integral part of the job, but they are the way success is measured for both individual employees and the entire business.
The United States Department of Labor says that sales occupations are an essential part of constructing and conserving customer bases for businesses. As those in sales know, getting results is all about the customer. These four results-oriented sales tips will help sales teams focus on the right metrics and close more deals.
Prospecting
Prospecting is one of the most time-consuming and challenging parts of any salesperson’s job. According to a study done by Hubspot, 38 percent of salespeople say that finding prospects is the most challenging part of the sales process.
It can be hard to narrow the prospect field without feeling as though you are ridding yourself of viable prospects. The key word here, however, is “viable.” Get narrow, specific, and selective with your prospecting in order to spend less time on it and more time on actual selling.
Write out specific parameters that make for the ideal prospect. You should be able to describe your target prospect in one clear, simple, and specific sentence. This may sound overly simplified, but it takes time to get used to not worrying about excluding other sources outside of this narrow focus. By prioritizing your ideal customer, you will know where to focus the majority of your time. Time is money, and focusing on the right prospects means you spend less time disqualifying bad-fit customers.
Start at the End
The traditional pitch starts with a description, details, and features of what you are selling followed by a clear picture of how the customer will benefit. Try to instead start with your best information. Forbes calls this “pitching the outcome.”
The best interactions with customers typically happen towards the end of the conversation after you have gained their trust. Skip to that part, and start with it. Most buyers want to connect with their sales representative after they have done research and made careful considerations. You have already done the research for them, so skip ahead to it and close that sale faster.
Don’t Compromise Yourself
U.S. companies spend more than $70 billion annually on sales training according to Salesforce.com. The best sales teams use those training dollars to ensure their reps are consistently mindful of the end profit. Don’t decrease your prices to close a sale. We as human beings equate price with value, and if you were talking to someone long enough to want to resort to decreasing cost, your time is better spent elsewhere.
Spend time on customers who can afford your prices and can grow into long-time customers with the potential to afford your higher-priced offerings. Don’t feel like you have enough of these kinds of customers? Perhaps it’s time to go back to step one; a prospect in a way that leverages quality leads.
Use a lead generation, customer relationship management (CRM), or marketing automation tool to discover, produce, and then foster leads. Sales don’t come equal, so don’t treat them all the same–personalize your sales pitch as much as possible to the buyer. Remember that while you provide the service of your products, the relationship between you and your client has the potential to be mutually beneficial.
Service First
Service presents a kind of catch 22. Those in sales are often completely results-oriented, but try putting the final sale out of your mind, at least temporarily. A tight focus on closing can mean that you will forget about servicing your customers to the best of your ability.
Be curious, ask questions, and find out exactly what they will need to achieve their desired result. You know you have the solution to their problem; be sure that you are giving them the right one.
When a customer brings up their objections, agree with them rather than opposing them. Everyone has heard objections to cost. Agree with them and then find a solution. This could come in the form of a payment plan, or you doing what you do best: show your product or service’s worth in the best way possible.
Avoid Over-preparation
Your team likely has a playbook with standard pitches to fall back on. Be creative and adapt these pitches whenever possible. What works for one customer will likely not work for the other. Cater your words to the current customer’s needs as you would for an old friend for whom you’re doing a favor. After all, that is exactly what you would like the relationship between you two to feel like.
If you don’t know how to proceed without the playbook? Ask the customer. Don’t be afraid to ask them what it is they want during your time with them rather than trying to figure every little detail out beforehand. Forbes suggests asking a direct question like “What is it you really need?”
Not only are these tips simple, but your team can easily accomplish them and achieve results that directly affect your team’s revenue outcomes.
Pipeliner CRM fully empowers salespeople for results. Get your free trial of Pipeliner CRM now.
Comments