Easily implemented actions for improving sales performance.
Use these practical ideas for improving sales performance. If you are searching for ways to improve sales results, the following eleven actions have proved effective, time and time again.
- Prepare and learn better answers to the difficult questions that prospective customers ask. See our top six customer questions and how to answer them in this free micro course.
- Increase the potency of the proof that your stuff does what you claim it does. A simple review is often enough to improve articulation or presentation. Facts convince. If you don't have factual evidence supporting your claim, get some.
- Define the characteristics of good customers. You cannot invest too much effort in creating a clear and distinct vision of the type of customers your salespeople should approach. Get this right and prospects really will say, "Funny that you called, I was just thinking about..." This story expands the point.
- Create different openings for prospective customers with different needs. The levers of decisions depend on perspective.
- Make your openings more compelling, convincing, and compact. Illustrate the desirable outcome, make your words ring with truth, and keep them within 15 seconds.
- Test your openings on friendly customers to seek opinions on their effectiveness. Listen to what they say and use their advice to make improvements.
- Keep a record of 'opening' feedback and results. Score sales effectiveness and keep a scorecard. That which is left unmeasured, defies change.
- Identify the stages of a sale. These are natural transitions that mark progress from one stage to another. When you know where you are, it's easier to know where to go next. Typical stages include Preliminary Qualification, Contact Qualification, Buying Process Qualification, Preliminary Proposal Qualification, Proposal, Negotiation, Verbal Commitment, Contract,
- Use a qualification checklist to score your chances of winning. Improve your score to improve the odds.
- Have the customer do the selling. Use CLEAR Rules to turn the selling process into a collaboration.
- Get a coach to make you do it. Regular coaching or training in the form of one-to-one sessions or short workshops has been shown to improve sales performance by a third or more.
If improving sales performance or increasing sales results is important, we can help through temporary or part-time implementation support. Improve sales results through a free consultation or telephone +44 (0)1392 851500. We will be pleased to discuss your needs or talk through some options. Alternatively, email jimm@salessense.co.uk for a prompt reply or use the contact form here.
