There is an old age about progress: "Begin where you are. But don't stay where you are." How applicable to your sales activity! When you started in business, you may only have been able to make a very basic presentation about your product or service. But if some time has passed and you have not moved beyond that, having stayed where you were, what can you?
Many successful people in professional fields continually seek to update their knowledge and skills. Their livelihood usually depends on it. As a small business owner, you also need to be diligent to improve your ability to talk to others about what you do. You should look for new and fresh approaches that appeal to different types of clients. Because of increased competition, and increased awareness by consumers of your product, presentations that were effective at one time may no longer have the same appeal.
Being thorough in your sales efforts does not always require more time, but it does call for time well spent. A steady pace can help you accomplish more. This requires budgeting sufficient time each week for concentrated sales activity and sticking to your schedule. Set goals for the number of potential clients you actually speak with each week, and formulate a plan to reach them. Set goals for the number of jobs that come as a percentage of the number of people you talk to; then constantly analyze what works and what doesn't.
Have a structured sales presentation in mind (without losing a measure of spontaneity), accompanied by supporting documents, brochures, your portfolio, samples, etc.
Don't leave your customer procurement plan to chance! It's a necessary part of being self-employed. What's your plan to improve your sales results? In summary, be disciplined with your sales efforts, ask for help, and apply what you are learning!
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Monday, March 22, 2010
Make the Extra Effort to Acquire Sales Skills
Are you content to just "be in the game?" Or are you like men's hockey Team Canada, which defeated Team Russia with grit and determined effort? Although you have competitors, your sole purpose is not to 'beat' them, but to carve out a decent living for yourself. However, there are good reasons to cultivate an attitude of excellence in what you do, including your sales efforts.
An Olympic athlete simply cannot afford to settle for mediocrity, and you shouldn't either. How do these contestants become so good at what they do? They have even more than grit and determination - they make the extra effort to acquire the skills to excel at their game. With concentrated effort, YOU can attain the skills to be effective in sales.
Most people admire Olympic athlete who achieve success. What we often fail to understand is the effort they have put into it. They have worked long and hard to get to where they are. They have given careful attention to developing ability. With similar resolve, you can acquire sales skills. When you are ready and willing to put forth the effort, you can learn effective sales skills.
Here are some questions to consider if you want to be successful:
- Do you know exactly what you want to achieve (SMART sales goals)?
- Do you know what it will take to achieve these goals?
- Are you willing to put in extra effort to achieve your goals?
- Do you read books or listen to tapes/CDs that will help you become better at sales?
- Do you attend workshops that will help you improve your skills?
- Do you practice or apply new information as you learn it?
- Are you persistent and do you refuse to give up?
- Do you experiment with new ideas?
- Do you evaluate your performance and progress regularly and make changes accordingly?
If you were unable to respond positively to all of these questions, you have now identified an action you can take that will help you achieve more. The trip to the podium is not easy and we should never assume otherwise. Remember, anything worth getting is worth making the effort for. Isn't fulfilling your dream worth the effort?
In summary, learn from the discipline and training and the skills developed by the Olympians. Apply it to your sales efforts and your business will attain a high degree of success. Go for the gold!
An Olympic athlete simply cannot afford to settle for mediocrity, and you shouldn't either. How do these contestants become so good at what they do? They have even more than grit and determination - they make the extra effort to acquire the skills to excel at their game. With concentrated effort, YOU can attain the skills to be effective in sales.
Most people admire Olympic athlete who achieve success. What we often fail to understand is the effort they have put into it. They have worked long and hard to get to where they are. They have given careful attention to developing ability. With similar resolve, you can acquire sales skills. When you are ready and willing to put forth the effort, you can learn effective sales skills.
Here are some questions to consider if you want to be successful:
- Do you know exactly what you want to achieve (SMART sales goals)?
- Do you know what it will take to achieve these goals?
- Are you willing to put in extra effort to achieve your goals?
- Do you read books or listen to tapes/CDs that will help you become better at sales?
- Do you attend workshops that will help you improve your skills?
- Do you practice or apply new information as you learn it?
- Are you persistent and do you refuse to give up?
- Do you experiment with new ideas?
- Do you evaluate your performance and progress regularly and make changes accordingly?
If you were unable to respond positively to all of these questions, you have now identified an action you can take that will help you achieve more. The trip to the podium is not easy and we should never assume otherwise. Remember, anything worth getting is worth making the effort for. Isn't fulfilling your dream worth the effort?
In summary, learn from the discipline and training and the skills developed by the Olympians. Apply it to your sales efforts and your business will attain a high degree of success. Go for the gold!
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