Ways to Get Your Sales Career Up and Running

Who do you know that like sales people? There isn't anyone, right? The most common picture of a sales person is someone who is abrasive, pushy, uncaring, self-centered, and lying in wait to pounce on the next unsuspecting person in need of a particular product. The best example of this is the illustrious car and/or insurance sales person. Like it or not this is the stereotype that you have to overcome if you want to be good at your chosen career of sales.

The best way to know if a sales career is something you want to pursue is to understand what it is that would attract a customer to you. The most important fact of selling is that since there are usually large numbers of the same product on the market the choice for the customer is not what to purchase, but where to go to make their purchase. So, if you take the product out of the equation, what are they actually buying? The answer is you.

Yes, you are the integral part of the transaction and in order to be successful in the selling process there are certain things you need to know. There is an old adage that the customer is always right. I hate to be the one to tell you this but that's not necessarily true, but certainly the customer should always come first. Since you have now put them as your top priority, the most important practice is to LISTEN very carefully. You will be able to find out everything you need for that sale by this one rule. So your role is two-fold, ask questions and listen. You also need to have an in-depth knowledge of your product to discuss the positive features with confidence, describing how the product you are proposing would meet all their needs. By learning your product, you will also learn how to overcome the normal objections that come with the territory.

Know what those objections are and practice what you are going to say. Get family or friends to help you do some role play so that you will begin to know what works. Once you have experienced overcoming objections, find a way to add them into your conversation so you can address them in the beginning and not combat them at the end. Find that one person in your office or store who has the most successful track record and ask if they would mentor and train you. Do exactly what he or she is doing. Adapt it for your own personality, but never change the content. That will put you on the fast track toward a successful sales career.

The Art Posture in Sales and Recruiting

One thing I've learned and observed over my 25 year career in business ownership and sales is posture is everything. Without utilizing posture from beginning to end in the sales or hiring process, you are setting yourself up for mediocre results. What makes matters worse, is that every time you lack posture in a business transaction, it makes it harder and harder to fix yourself. You are living bad habits and making it the norm in the business culture you are creating for yourself and your team.

I have learned the art of posture in business the hard way...trust me. I'm not talking about body language and the way I sit or stand; although that can certainly aid you in a sale. I am talking strictly about attitude. In the early days, I would be just so excited to have someone to get in front of to sell to, that I would let them direct the conversation and ultimately, the whole sales presentation. Without posture, there were too many objections and caving on my part.

Who is in charge of your actions, feelings, emotions and efforts? You are! Posture, is the key to your success.

Now for me, it begins the moment I first talk to a prospect or a new recruit. It is nothing fake. I genuinely feel and believe that what I have is what they need and want. They need me...not the other way around. Always!

If I am booking a sales appointment on the phone, I never give the client the time they are available. I always tell them what works for me; even if that's the only appointment I have all day. I am putting into that client's mind that my time is incredibly valuable and I dictate my schedule.

If you were to call a doctor's office to book an appointment, you do not tell them when you are available. You take the one or two options they offer you. Same attitude here.

I have had some call that arrogance; but you will not see me or my agents do it any other way. So it begins with the initial contact, and continues into the sales appointment next. If I am meeting a client in the home, I sit where I want, not where they offer me a seat. I am bold and tell them what they need to hear...not what they want to hear. I ask direct sometimes uncomfortable questions so can get to their real needs. Because I put my clients first, above my needs for a commission, it is important to know what the client really needs. If thee is no need for my services, or they cannot afford what I have, I don't push for a needless sale. However, if they do have a real need for what I have, I am very forward. I tell them I need them to get their checkbook and photo ID. The reason we do not get many, if any sales objections during the sale, is solely posture based.

Crazy thing is, that once I go down that path, I gain a ton of respect from my clients. I have no issue delving into their personal finances and telling them straight up that they are making so big mistakes. Where I am successful is that I can make fun of myself for having made those same errors in judgement in the past. I TELL them that I care about them and at they need to makes changes now for their own good.

Most people have never had anyone even take the time to dig deep and have a real conversation about things like that. It is appreciated and respected. I am bold, because I care about my clients. What's the worst thing that can happen? They ask you to leave...which is very, very rare. Their loss! I can always look at myself in the mirror and say I gave it my all for their benefit. If they didn't see that, then it's not on my conscious if in the future financial distress occurs due to their stubbornness or even stupidity. I did my job!

So that's sales...

Now how does that translate into my hiring process? Same, exact way.

They need what I have, not the other way around. It's amazing to me how many "Big Egos" are out there. Even in this economy, some of the people I interview have such a sense of entitlement, because they USED to earn hundreds of thousands even millions of dollars a year "a while back." They feel that they are entitled to instant success here without the work. Give me a "hungry" guy or girl who wants to work for their dream...and is humble and teachable.

What Makes Good Sales People Great?

Have you ever thought about what makes good salespeople great?

I started thinking about this last weekend and created a list of qualities that, based on my observations and experience, make good salespeople great.

The difference between being ordinary and being extraordinary is actually quite small.

Consider the difference between winning the Kentucky Derby and finishing in second place.

Consider the difference between winning the Indianapolis 500 Race and finishing second.

In both instances the difference can be quite small.

Winners do make a difference especially if you're a sales professional.

There's nothing scientific about this list. It's just 12 qualities that most great salespeople seem to have.

Here's your list:

1. Great salespeople always seem to be smiling. You may not realize this but a simple smile acts as an attractor factor. Your smiling immediately warms up the environment you're in. And since your smiling creates an involuntary reflex, it forces your sales prospects and customers to smile too.

2. Great salespeople always seem to have a "Can do attitude." They don't recognize the words "Can't" and "Impossible." Whenever they are challenged they always figure out a way to get the job done, especially if it involves one of their customers.

They never "Whine" about anything!

3. They're also good listeners. They always pay close attention to their sales prospects and customers. Their eyes are like laser beams and not easily distracted when talking with their customers.

4. They also ask good questions. They prefer to ask open ended questions because these questions are the best to get their prospects and Customers talking.

5. Great salespeople are always focused on solving problems, not just making a sale. They realize the key to making more sales is solving more problems for their prospects and customers.

6. They never talk too much because they realize the less they say the smarter they'll sound. Talking too much often puts the brakes on building rapport and credibility. The best substitute for talking too much is asking questions and attentive listening. Attentive listening usually means taking good notes.

You can assess every one of your sales calls easily by examining your notes after your sales calls. The more notes you have is the best indication of how much listening you did throughout the sales call.

No notes simply means you're talking too much.

7. Great salespeople are slow to commit and quick to deliver. They seldom overpromise, which gives them the opportunity to exceed customer expectations. Over promising is one of the quickest ways to underwhelm your sales prospects and customers.

Let me give you example. When I take my car in for an oil and filter change they always tell me it will take at least one hour. So when the service manager brings my keys to my car in about 25 minutes how you think it makes me feel? Of course it makes me feel really good because they exceeded my expectations.

And don't forget this - in this case the service manager established the expectations.

8. Great salespeople are always on time which means they arrive early for all appointments. Look at it this way. Being on time means you're late. So always be early for every appointment you make.

9. They're always enthusiastic. They love their work. They're passionate about their products and services. They exude positive energy that can be felt whenever they walk into a room. This is not something people are born with. If enthusiasm doesn't come naturally to you fake it. I'm serious! It's important if you want to become a great salesperson.

10. Great salespeople are extremely goal oriented personally and professionally. They always have written objectives for every customer sales call. They don't make routine sales calls because they know it's simply a waste of valuable time.

They live every day with purpose and passion and so should you.

11. They never make assumptions about anything. They deal with facts and reality. They also treat their sales prospects and customers the way "They" want to be treated.

The Golden Rule says you should treat people the way you want to be treated.

The platinum Rule says you should treat people the way they want to be treated.

Think about this for a minute and let it soak in a little.

12. Great salespeople seem to have an attitude of gratitude. They appreciate your business and will often tell their customers that.