Congratulations, you have just had a great sale, the customer loved the product, the price and most importantly they loved you. What a great feeling it is to sell! All sales people whether young old, new or seasoned, all love a great customer experience. Selling can be a dreary hard living for some and we all appreciate the customer that comes in to buy. We love it because it validates us.
So the real question is: How did we get here?
When someone buys something from you, its not them just buying the product, they usually have a lot of options, and for whatever reason they bought it from you! It's a great feeling that never gets old. even after 1000 car deals, I would still feel a burst of adrenaline when that new customer handed me their drivers license to start the paper work.
Even now I get excited thinking about filling out a sales sheet. I'm still selling and while its Mission Belts and other peoples products that I'm paid to represent, The fun of the sale has never gotten old.
Often we are so excited to sell and we are so happy to sell, we don't stop to analyze why it went so well. I have dedicated myself to the sales process, the customer mind set and the managers of salespeople. I have learned what works and what sort of works. I know when to throw the Hail Mary, and I know when to play it safe.
I often talk about being yourself. While I can teach and train customer service and salespeople to react to customers needs and to discover them. There is no way to teach someone to be like me. Just like I can not learn to be them. The right techniques are very important, but we each have something unique to offer. There is no one just like you, you are your own fingerprint.
Analyzing your sales process will consistently help you become a better salesperson. Here are a few great tips that will help you figure out what works for you.
1. Consider your state of mind. Leading up to the sale, what did you do? Consider everything, from the time you woke up to the condition of your clothing. Theres no detail too small that may lead to your state of mind.
2. Excuses. instead of looking for excuses as to why things don't go your way, look at coincidences and unusual circumstances that played a role in your success. For example, you sell electric generators, one a day for years, then a hurricane comes along and you sell 100 in three hours. These types of excuses are relevant in planning your success. You can't count on a hurricane to bolster your business, but you can learn from the experience.
3. Look at the source. Where did this customer come from? An online ad, a TV commercial, a referral or past customer? What made them come to you that day? Most businesses have issues tracking leads, sales people themselves are even less likely to do so.
Take notes. I use the notepad on my smartphone, but it can be a notebook or if your really cool, an excel spreadsheet. Record the relevant data. Who, what, when, where, why and how. Just like 6th grade English class. At the end of the month, analyze and be able to say, 22.4 percent of my most profitable leads came from such and such a source. Track your sources and you will make dramatic improvements.
I am constantly honing my own sales skills; every day I get a little bit better. Make small adjustments quickly based on real data and you will shine in ways you have always dreamed of but never knew how. Information is power, but only if you use the information to help your customers, your team, your business and your partners. I have always said that the cure for confidence is in over preparation. If you think its silly to know specific percentages or what the weather was like the day you made your best sale, think again. Knowing your business will not only give you the data you need to succeed, but also the confidence.
I am a fundamentalist. I believe in the ruthless elimination of distractions and unqualified leads. I believe in the power of simplicity and the rest of the 10 commandments of selling. I love my customers. I love helping people find the solutions to their needs. Analyze your sales and you will see, the how of selling is at your fingertips.