How to Sell Anything - Sales Training 101

They told you when you first started selling thatput you in touch with your potential clients or
you were going to get allot more "nos" thancustomers. Brainstorm this out with an associate
"yeses" and that "no" means NEXT. That's whatmanager/broker and select 2 or 3. Follow your
they told you. They said that's what you are paiddecision for at least 90 days and then evaluate. Is
a commission for, not a guaranteed salary. That'sthis going to pay off or do you need to make a
what they told you. They told you that if youchange? But, stay active.
followed the proven track record of countless• Show up on time or a little early, look the
thousands of successful people who came beforepart (hair, accessories, pressed clothing, breathe,
you, that you too would become successful.etc.), be prepared with presentation materials and,
That's what they told you. And they were tellingin general, show respect to the prospect, client or
the truth.customer. People don't care how much you know
So how come the 80/20 rule is real? Why is theuntil they know how much you care.
percentage of successful sales people or• Give a powerful presentation. Use your ears
entrepreneurs in any industry you can name soand mouth in direct proportion to which you have
small? When the scripts are the same, thethem. Ask interested and interesting questions.
market is the same, the objections, the productsPrepare. Listen well and really pay attention
are the same or at least similar, why are resultsinstead of preparing for your next glib comment.
so negatively lopsided? Ah, the human and it'sLet them tell you what they want, but more
capacity to complicate things. Ego, fears,importantly, let them express themselves. People
arrogance, impatience, greed, etc.want to be heard.
No one has THE answer, but without playing the• Ask for the order. What went on in your
Freudian game of trying to figure out WHY thingsmind might not have gone on in theirs. Don't
are the way they are, starting here, wherevermake assumptions. If it's not appropriate to ask
you are, and moving forward, will always get youfor the order, ask for the next reasonable
farther down the road. WHY is as irrelevant ascommitment., but keep the sales flow moving
playing the "BLAME GAME." When you've takenforward by getting a commitment for them to do
thousands of dollars worth of golf lessons, thesomething positive in a timely manner.
best advice when you're teeing off on the first• Under promise and over perform. Customer
hole is to, "tee it high and let it fly." The previousservice is doing what you've said you will do and
thought is obviously not just for golfers. Don'tsomething more. When you stay in touch always
over think the situation.have something positive to share. To avoid
Here's a sales success checklist:hitches in the sales process, keep communications
• About 15% of the sales population set goalslines open and upbeat.
that are meaningful. Think it's a coincidence that• Post sell. Confirm the great decision the buyer
about 20% of that same population is successful?made. Review the selling points on which the
Set long term (more than 1 year) short term (1buying decision was made to avoid buyer's
year or less) daily goals (to do list written theremorse.
night before). Long and short term goals are• Wait for the appropriate time to ask for
exact, have a target or due date forreferrals. When the buyer is feeling good about his
accomplishment (urgency). Review long and shortpurchase and sees you as instrumental in the
term goals often, if briefly, for accountability andpositive outcome is the perfect time to ask for
perspective.referrals. If you don't have the buyer's attention
• Prospect (warm call, cold call, lead generating,due to other distractions, hold off asking until he's
etc.) whatever euphemism you choose, talk toready to really focus on you and your request.
people. How many per day/week/month? YouCertainly you need to know your product or
just can't get around making contacts pro-actively.service inside and out, but knowledge alone won't
You don't enjoy this? Do it anyway. Sales is notmake the deciding difference. In sales, the cliché
about you, it's about them. Contact lots ofthat still says it all is, "people don't care how much
"thems." There are many systems available.you know until they know how much you care."
• Develop a number of steams of income.Now, go sell something!
There are lots of ways of creating niches that