Improve Your Skills and Inflate Your Net Worth with the Ultimate Sales Book
The selling profession has been around for decades. Hal Becker has made his mark on the sales world as an author, professional speaker, and sales trainer. Interviewed by John Golden, Becker discusses his ultimate sales book and his experiences in the sales world.
This expert sales interview explores:
- The Ultimate Sales book
- Changes in the sales world
- Relationships between buyers and sellers
- Salesperson development
- The importance of preparation
Ultimate Sales:
Ultimate Sales is Becker’s latest publication. The book features short, three pages chapters, with humorous quizzes after each chapter to see if you have retained the information. “The ultimate sales book was an experiment,” said Becker. “The goal was to put a book and workbook together in a really short, two-hour read that covers everything in sales, from how to make a cold call, how to handle rejections, how to ask good questions, and everything in between,” said Becker.
Changes in Sales:
“Sales is sales, but what has changed is technology,” said Becker. “My opinion, and when I say opinion, that’s all it is, is that everything is relationships.” From the 1910s to the 1990s, there were only two ways to get an appointment: by making calls on the phone, or by knocking on doors. Things changed, however, with the invention of the internet. It changed again in 2007 when the iPhone was released, and social media became popular. The ways to get a meeting are now numerous. This includes old standards, like door knocking and making phone calls, but it also includes new options like texting, emailing, social media messaging, and other nuances created by technology. “What’s changed is the transaction, and how to get the appointment,” said Becker. “You have to be well versed.”
The Importance of Relationships:
Technology has also brought about changes in how people make connections and form relationships. The importance of having foundational relationships with your customers will not change. At the end of the day, despite the new ways to communicate, the relationship is still a critical piece of successful selling. “Email is for information, not communication,” said Becker. “When companies marry the internet and the person, and make both accessible to customers, it’s the perfect world.”
Sellers Who Self-Invest:
People can come into sales without any training. It’s one of the few jobs that you can get hired for, even without prior formal sales education. Considering this, the salespeople who stand out, are the people who invest in themselves. There are a plethora of books written by top sales experts, and other ways to educate yourself on being the best possible seller. “The two most important qualities for a salesperson – and you can’t train either – are desire and empathy,” said Becker. “If you don’t have the desire, you’re not going to be great. And with sales, you have to hustle. You also have to have high empathy, where you’re putting the customer first, and not the sale.” A real sales pro will put the customer first, and convey to their buyer that they are empathic, understanding, and can see their problems.
The Importance of Preparation:
Every good salesperson knows the importance of preparation. One of the biggest indicators of success is doing proper call planning. And yet, so many salespeople don’t plan for their sales calls or prepare in advance for their meetings. Salespeople should understand the importance of having sales questions ready to go in advance of their conversation with the buyer, and sales leaders should foster the development of this skill within their team.
For more information Hal Becker, his expert opinions on the sales world, and his latest book, Ultimate Sales, watch the full expert sales interview!
About our Host:
John is the Amazon bestselling author of Winning the Battle for Sales: Lessons on Closing Every Deal from the World’s Greatest Military Victories and Social Upheaval: How to Win at Social Selling. A globally acknowledged Sales & Marketing thought leader, speaker, and strategist. He is CSMO at Pipeliner CRM. In his spare time, John is an avid Martial Artist.
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