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The Laws of Sales Success
By Drew Stevens, PhD
drew at gettingtothefinishline com
www.gettingtothefinishline.com
Become a member of TranslationDirectory.com at just
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Sales
professionals must create magnetic appeal to increase closing
efficiency. Our present global environment creates numerous
obstacles that polarize sales efforts, form the proliferation
of the Internet to advanced media. Ironically, with the
intrigue of technological miracles the foundation of sales
success exists upon 10 principles. Since the beginning of
trade, selling has not changed, nor have these laws. These
principles as they have for centuries are the laws that
attract numerous clients and create successful selling professionals.
The Law of Preparation
The best selling professionals are always prepared. First,
preparation begins with grooming and clothing. Like many,
I am repulsed by numerous organizations that partake in
casual clothing. To be successful one need look successful.
A selling professional cannot attend an appointment in a
T- Shirt and jeans. To be successful you need to dress successfully.
Statistics for this article with over 1000 representatives
illustrate that those dresses professionally closed 87%
more business than those that didn’t.
Productive professionals attract more clients when they
read information and eventually convert this to client knowledge.
The knowledge output provides client value in terms of competitiveness,
productivity and even profitability. Value stems from reading
newspapers, trade publications and conducting research.
When clients determine from the value professionals provide
they are more apt to conduct business and moreover, use
them repeatidly.
The Law of Selling Methodology
ES Research Group reveals that 90% of all sales training
programs conducted for corporations result only in a 90-120
day increase in sales productivity and, as a result, fewer
than 20% of companies realize any sustainable productivity
gain that lasts beyond 12 months. In the United States alone
over four billion dollars is spent per year on training
selling professionals with two thirds of that money ear
marked for one day training.
To be competitive, selling professionals must be competitive.
It appears that taking the time to develop a training program
does in fact pay tangible returns. More importantly is providing
selling professionals with a methodology they adhere to
and more importantly create attraction. The true competitive
professional employs a methodology that stems from start
to completion.
The Law of Value Proposition
One of the best assets for every selling professional is
a value statement. Be mindful, this is not an elevator speech.
This pithy statement ends the stereotype and focuses all
attention completely on the prospective client. A value
proposition is solutions based with all benefits focused
on the consumer. Moreover, it denotes brand. A value proposition
is nothing more than a benefit statement that offers to
the client to improve their condition. Customer value propositions
have become one of the most widely used terms in business
markets. In 2006 the Harvard Business Review “Customer Value
Propositions in Business Markets” discussed how corporations
use them in the branding process. Value propositions are
a powerful marketing tool that are powerful and help gravitate
the buyer to your direction. These simple statements enable
selling professionals to articulate their company’s position
into useful terminology that engages the prospective client.
The Law of Referrals
Proper attraction involves referral acquisition. Professionals
abhor asking for referrals! Business is driven by the ability
to ask for new business. If clients are happy with your
work they will willingly provide others that can need to
receive your value. There is a story of an insurance professional
that would visit clients and not leave without three new
referrals. Even if the client provided one or two, the agent
would not leave until he received three or more. Needless
to say, the agent retired an extremely wealthy individual.
The Law of the Decision Maker
Sales attraction is discovering the true economic buyer.
67% of selling professionals spend too much time with those
that cannot make a decision. Sellers are often duped into
the process because they do not ask the proper questions.
Good detective work means asking the difficult questions.
Detectives enjoy seeing the discomfort of others as they
squirm to reply. Selling professionals must be intelligent
enough to know about the organization, the competition to
conduct and intellectual conversation. Research has found
that the title never denotes the economic buyer. 87% of
respondents in a research survey stipulated they underestimated
the decision maker by virtue of title.
The Law of Value
There is a wonderful detective show in syndication on television
entitled “Monk”. The analytical detective works vehemently
to resolve the case quickly. He eludes numerous hurdles
yet in the end as the clichй states, “he always gets his
man”. The same must hold true for selling professionals.
True selling professionals endeavor to resolve client issues
before the client understands the issue. In a recent interview
with over 10,000 clients, they indicate their desire for
sales professionals that can speak client language, understand
the core issues and get to the heart of the matter expediently.
Ask clients provocative questions that get them thinking
about legacy, expectations and strategic direction.
The Law of Networking
Truly the best professionals constantly network. Selling
professionals by nature require constant engagement with
others to comprehend business trends and meet new opportunities.
Admittedly, there exist a plethora of networking associations
and organizations, choose those close to your location and
aligned with your business. Review your local paper for
functions that interest you and attend as a guest, but go!
If you do not attend, your competitors are.
The Law of Desire
Successful professionals love challenges, are exceptional
at overcoming adversity and love what they represent. They
are never shy or non-conversant, and you can sense their
spirit and their passion when they speak. There is a South
African word called unbutu, meaning “from the spirit.” Successful
professionals have an aura of spirit, of love, of passion,
of commitment in everything and anything that they do. The
more you can create unbutu in your sales presentations and
your sales, the more energetic and inspirational you can
be to your clients. The passion for assisting others is
the fuel that bounds from failure to fortune.
The Law of Faith
There is no better nourishment and attraction then faith.
Faith is a component of both passion and love. Faith is
the ability to disavow the norms and continue. Thomas Edison
did not believe he failed he had faith to succeed. If Henry
Ford, and Andrew Carnegie did not have faith our American
business system would not be the supreme power it is. And
if Abraham Lincoln did not have faith, African Americans
would not be free and his name would not be associated with
America’s greatest president. In fact, faith was so imperative
for Lincoln because his successes did not arrive until after
his 40th birthday. Faith is one of the largest key components
to the laws of selling attraction.
The Law of Success
I recall a young man that had limited athletic ability.
He was reared in a dysfunctional home and loathed by family
and friends. After much discovery he found an outlet in
track and field. After years of searching he found a tool
that displaced the discontent in his life. With much practice
he got better and began to appreciate the sport. His success
brought about future success. He visualized future success.
Within months he became the captain of his team and a four-time
school record holder. He also enrolled and graduated from
a prominent university. Professionals have to breathe it,
become it and yearn for it. Success does not come easy.
The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King jr. stated, “Faith is
taking the first step even when you don't see the whole
staircase.” Take the ladder of success one step at a time
by seeing each step, living each step and appreciating each
step.
These laws are simply a roadmap to creative success. These
laws function similar to a GPS system. They become guideposts
to recognize and live by. Our spontaneous world leaves little
time to reflect, we must act quickly. The best professionals
absorb, collate materials and create action. To live by
these laws, do not procrastinate, act quickly, your next
sale might depend on how you fight or side with the laws!
Drew Stevens PhD assists
organizations to dramatically accelerate business growth.
He is the author of seven books including Split Second Selling
and Split Second Customer Service and Little Book of Hope.
Dr. Drew is a thought leader on sales and customer service
issues. He can be reached at http://www.gettingtothefinishline.com
. Obtain a FREE White Paper on Sales Effectivenes - !0 Rules
for Selling Success. Email Drew at info@gettingtothefinishline.com
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