How to Improve Sales in 5 Easy Ways
You know, sales isn’t as hard as you might think.
The fundamentals are few. It’s the application that leaves a lot to be desired.
That is where sales training comes in. Trainers like myself mostly work on motivating people to apply a handful of skills, many of which they already know.
Most of the barriers to application are truly mental; I can’t tell you how many salespeople I have met who have stopped themselves mentally before starting to do anything in the real world, simply because they are complicating things too much.
So, with that in mind, here are a few uncomplicated ways to improve sales:
1. Listen more
When a customer feels his thoughts, needs and concerns are being heard, it builds trust greater than anything that could come out of your mouth. This psychologically makes the customer more open to doing business with you.
An easy way to create this vital relationship with your prospect in order to improve sales is to occasionally pause your presentation, ask a meaningful question or two, and just listen to the prospect speak. Be empathetic and many will simply close themselves.
2. Challenge the customer
The popular sales method known as “The Challenger Sale,” which is detailed in a book by the same name, encourages sellers to be in charge of the sales conversation and apply some pressure on the customer so that they are taken out of their “comfort zone” and become more willing to follow the salesperson as an authority.
While many prospects recoil at any hint of a high-pressure sale, successful Challengers are sellers who know how to be in control without losing the empathy mentioned in the prior tip — and truly DESIRE to help the buyer, not just make a buck.
3. “Own” part of the customer’s business
Consultative selling allows a seller to become entrenched in a client’s company as if he were a manager or department head there. By becoming an expert in the client’s industry and its related problems, a seller can become a de facto adviser that spots crucial problems and recommends products to ease or eliminate them — the “go to” guy or girl.
An easy way to improve sales is to take responsibility for a customer’s business outcomes, and act accordingly.
4. Use CRM software
Since sales are driven by understanding customer needs and forging great relationships through repeated contacts, software that automates the collection and organization of buyer data that will improve the sales process. In fact, Forbes magazine reports that businesses using CRM software typically see a revenue increase of 17 percent.
However, some choose software with too many features or don’t properly train salespeople on how to integrate it into their daily routines. To truly improve sales through CRM technology, the key is to choose a product that is EASY to use so that everyone on the sales team will feel comfortable learning and using its features on a regular basis.
5. Automate your marketing
How much easier can it get to set up an automatic marketing system and have it churn out leads for you day in and day out?
Marketing automation systems like Marketo or RAMP help companies with lead generation and qualification, promotional campaigns and metrics with minimum hassle, leading to improved closing rates and less time spent chasing bad leads. The result is that everyone works faster and gets more done, allowing more sales in a shorter amount of time.
I bet you could make an improvement in each one of the five points above right now, right? So what are you waiting for? See how easy sales can be?
