| When I ask this question in sales seminars, I | | | | album on sales training or purchased a book on |
| consistently receive these five answers from the | | | | how to be a more accomplished salesperson? |
| attendees: | | | | Again, embarrassingly few hands go up. |
| 1. Not enough time in the day to service that | | | | Why is this? Why do so few salespeople spend |
| many customers. | | | | so little of our time and money equipping |
| 2. My market is too small to support the kind of | | | | ourselves to boost our productivity and |
| sales volume I need to earn a six-figure income. | | | | consequently our income? |
| 3. I'm lousy at prospecting for new business. | | | | It's a mystery! I don't know the answer. |
| 4. My compensation is tied to gross margin and | | | | The economy with the exception of a couple of |
| my market is too competitive to yield the gross | | | | short-lived recessions has been incredibly robust |
| margin I need to get into a high enough bracket | | | | for a number of years. Salespeople who have |
| to produce a six-figure income. | | | | been willing to work on their skills and put in the |
| 5. I'm not money motivated; I'm content with my | | | | hours it takes to be successful earn as much |
| current income. | | | | income as a lot of doctors, dentists, lawyers, etc. |
| Assuming that you are not currently earning a | | | | Yet, with so much opportunity abounding, there |
| six-figure income, can you think of any other | | | | are salespeople in just about every region who |
| reasons that are standing in your way? | | | | are starving to death. Many can't feed their |
| I can't help you if your market is too small or if | | | | families. The primary reason is because they are |
| you lack the motivation to grow your sales and | | | | spinning their wheels. They're perhaps working |
| consequently your income. In other words, if | | | | hard, but working hard doing the wrong things. |
| you're doing business in a rural market where | | | | Are you spending more money on fishing, golf, |
| there are insufficient housing starts to generate | | | | hunting or vacationing than you're spending on |
| $3 million to $4 million in sales, I totally understand. | | | | YOU and YOUR PROFESSION? Are you green |
| But if this is not the case; that is, if you are in a | | | | and growing or are you dying on the vine? |
| market that does have the potential for this level | | | | If the economy is softening in the markets you |
| of sales, you can perhaps make a few | | | | serve, it's more important than ever to learn how |
| adjustments in the way you sell and you can get | | | | to grow your business by taking sales away from |
| there. | | | | your competitors WITHOUT using price as a |
| Sales is one of the most rewarding professions in | | | | weapon. |
| the world because as a salesperson, your raise in | | | | Please do yourself a favor and do one or more |
| most cases becomes effective when you do. | | | | of the following: |
| Assuming that you are compensated via a | | | | 1. Order a set of Sales Training DVDs and CDs. |
| commission-based plan, you don't have to sit | | | | Google a search for sales training tools. |
| around waiting for the boss to give you a raise. | | | | 2. Send me an email to receive a FREE reading list |
| All you have to do is improve your productivity in | | | | for salespeople. 3. Go to your local book store and |
| either sales, gross margin or a combination of the | | | | purchase a copy of The One-Minute Salesperson. |
| two. | | | | 4. Go to your local library and check out a good |
| Many times salespeople merely need a few | | | | book on sales. If you don't see one you like, try |
| lessons in selling. It can be that simple. | | | | The Greatest Salesman in the World by Og |
| If you're serious about your profession, you'll take | | | | Mandino. |
| your job as seriously as you take your favorite | | | | 5. Call your Trade Association and find out when |
| hobby. When I work with salespeople, I often ask | | | | their next sales training seminar will be held and |
| for a show of hands for the men and women in | | | | sign up. |
| the audience that play golf or tennis. Usually a little | | | | 6. Call your local Chamber of Commerce and find |
| over half the people in the room raise their hands. | | | | out if and when they are sponsoring a sales |
| My next question is, "How many of you have | | | | training session and sign up. |
| ever taken a golf or tennis lesson?" | | | | 7. Spend a day with a salesperson who sells two |
| Of the ones that raised their hands the first time | | | | to three times as much as you sell. Find out what |
| around, I generally get around 80% who have | | | | this person does that you don't do. |
| actually forked out the cash for lessons from a | | | | 8. Force yourself to make prospect calls. Call on |
| golf or tennis professional. | | | | qualified prospects that meet your company's |
| Then I ask for another show of hands, only this | | | | ideal customer profile until they BUY OR DIE. |
| time the question is: How many of you have ever | | | | Never, never, never give up. |
| taken a lesson on how to sell more effectively. | | | | 9. Make a list of your five greatest strengths and |
| The number that raise their hands in response to | | | | play on them. |
| this question is embarrassingly few. | | | | 10. Make a list of your five greatest weaknesses |
| Well, how many of you have -- with your own | | | | and overcome them. |
| money -- purchased an audio-cassette or CD | | | | |