Sales people are necessary for any business. These individuals bring in the revenue from which salaries to operational costs are paid. With some good planning, there may actually be some money left over (profits) that can be reinvested.

Yet finding good salespeople still is a challenge. The problems are many from a lack of specific sales skills to poor management to even misaligned operational policies. However, the major problem probably resides within each individual.

During the last 10 years I have been approached by many people who say they want to sell, but as the conversation progresses what they really want is either a steady paycheck. With sales research still suggests that anywhere from 30 to 70% of all sales targets are not achieved only further reinforce that far too many salespersons truly do not want to sell, but only want the paycheck.

For example, sales quotas, targets or goals are usually set based on past historical experience. For the business or organization to grow, these baselines must also grow as well. However given that most sales (80%) are made between the fifth and twelfth contact and 80% of all salespersons stop after the third contact, again demonstrates that only a few truly want to sell.

The act of selling goes beyond the exchange of dollars for products or services. This is truly a profession where as Jeb Blount states in his most recent book, People Buy You. If you are not around, leave before your potential customers can know you and then buy you, no wonder so many sales leads and unfulfilled selling efforts are left withering on the vine and then turn to dust.

As in any professional endeavor, you must want to be the best at your craft. Just to collect a paycheck is not the reason to enter the arena of selling or any other industry or position. And you must have both motivators and talents to excel allowing you to avoid becoming one of those who just wants a paycheck.

1. Personal accountability
2. Common sense
3. Self starting ability
4. Attitude toward honesty
5. Personal commitment
6. Realistic personal goal setting
7. Relating to others
8. Evaluating what is said
9. Problem solving
10. Flexibility

Along with these top ten talents requires having at least two of these six motivators integrated within pushing the grand total to 12:

1. Material possessions
2. Personal relationships
3. Self improvement
4. Sense of belonging
5. Sense of mission
6. Status and recognition

Wanting to sell starts from within and is unique to each person even though the results may not be. Having a paycheck goes beyond talents and is truly identified by what motivates a person to increase sales. Since motivation means to come from within, then by knowing at least two of these motivators plus the other 10 talents, will help to identify those who have the passion for selling from those who just want the paycheck.

Do you really know your strengths or those of your employees? Learn more about how to maximize your talents and create a sales culture of high performance.

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Executive sales coach and consultant, Leanne Hoagland-Smith partners with innovative leaders who want to dramatically improve their team results. What this looks like differs for each firm and why a free strategy session is offered just by calling 219.759.5601 CDT USA to have a conversation about the results you are seeking.

To be the best you can be and make as much as possible as a salesmen takes hard work, but more than that it takes the right work.

These 10 tips are the most effective actions any salesman can take to become a better salesman and improve their income. They are all easy to implement and only take conviction to succeed, the rewards make it all worth it!

1. Improve your sales technique.

You sales technique is what makes the difference between a sale and a “thank you, but no thanks”. Make sure to work on your sales technique every day so that you can get the most possible out of every appointment.

2. Spend more time talking to clients.

A salesman is paid by commission, we make money each time we get a customer to buy our product or service.

If you can spend more time talking to clients, selling them new products and renewing services you will easily increase your income.

If you spend twice as much time, you will make twice the number of sales. Easy as that!

3. Improve you appearance.

People buy from those they respect and the first impression you make is your exterior.

Make sure you are a person your customers want to do business with.

Take a look at yourself and if you feel that you are a person you would like to do business with, because if you don’t you can be very sure your customers don’t want to either.

4. Find better clients.

Even if your sales technique is extraordinary and you spend hours and hours in front of clients every day (see point 1 and 2) if they are the wrong clients, you still won’t make any sales.

Make sure that the customers you meet are really the type of customers you want and that they need your product or service.

Spend some time identifying your “perfect” customer and then go out and look for companies and customers that match your criteria as well as possible.

5. Service your customers better.

It is well known that the price of acquiring a new customer is many times that of retaining a loyal customer.

By going that extra mile with your customers and making them feel like you are their for them and that you will do all that is in your power to make them as pleased as possible, the odds of them using your products again will significantly increase.

A tip I got about 12 months ago that has really made a difference to me is sending every customer a hand written thank you note thanking them for the nice chats we have had. The effect of this has been enormous, people have been so surprised and thankful for that note that my repeat customers have sky-rocketed.

6. Know your products and your competitors products better than anyone else.

Spend a weekend reading up on your products and the products of your competitors.

Highlight the areas were yours are superior and were theirs are better, it might be price, a feature or customer service.

Use this when you meet customers, as you know more than most about the difference in the products you will easily be able to prove the value of your product or service.

7. Believe in yourself and your product.

Have pride in yourself and your product. When you meet a customer stand up for your product and its quality. Be honest, but don’t let anyone step on your toes. Show them that you deserve their respect.

8. Be more prepared than your competitors.

This is very closely related to sales training and knowing your product but what I mean with it is that you should spend time thinking (and writing down) about every argument your customers might have and come up with good solid answers to each.

That way, when you meet a customer you will be fully prepared for any argument they might present.

9. Be the most enthusiastic salesman in the world!

By spreading positive energy to everyone in the room it will be very hard for them to feel anything than happy and energized when reviewing your product, which is just the state of mind you want them to be in when making the decision.

10. Go that extra mile every time.

In everything you do, go that extra mile.

Spend 30 minutes extra every day at the office, do the extra sales meeting, spend some extra time working on sales technique. Read an extra book about your product or competitors product and so on.

Do the things others shy away from and your success will be guaranteed.

Daniel M. Wood runs the popular blog Lookingtobusiness.com.
He offers free articles about Sales Techniques, Motivation and Success I suggest you start by reading these articles as these are his most popular on the subject.

I am often amazed at how many salespeople will learn a selling system inside and out, practice dozens of closes, and consistently work on their product knowledge… without ever spending much time thinking about the men and women who buy from them.

I’m not talking about qualifying potential buyers, as important as that is, or asking the right needs and wants questions. What I mean is understanding the motivations behind the motivations – figuring out who your buyers are, why they’ll do business with you, and where their hot buttons are.

Knowing the basic personality styles you’re going to encounter day and day out during your sales career isn’t an academic exercise. Because most of us work most effectively with other people who share our traits, you are most likely selling to the men and women who reflect your own ways of thinking and acting. That’s great, until you realize that it means you’re probably also missing out on about three quarters of the sales you could be getting – and maybe even more.

By learning a bit about the way buyers think and act, you dramatically increase your odds of completing a successful sale. That’s because you aren’t just learning how to speak to potential buyers in their own terms, but also how to avoid the words and actions that drive them away.

Personality styles are such a big topic that I make them a major part of my books and seminars. To get you started, though, here are a few things you absolutely have to know about your buyers:

They probably fall into one of four groups.

While I like to think of personality styles as colored “dots” to make them more memorable for myself and my students, it’s enough to say that most of your potential clients are going to be dominant personalities, outgoing personalities, careful personalities, or steady personalities.

The first step is learning to spot the major personality types in action; the second is altering your language and presentation depending on which traits your prospect is exhibiting. What is comfortable for a dominant personality, for example, feels entirely too rushed for someone who is careful and analytical. In the same way, steady people like to take their time making decisions, while outgoing types care more about you than your products.

Until you can grasp these ideas, and learn to use them effectively, there’s a good chance you’re going to miss out on the majority of your potential sales, simply because you don’t know how to present effectively to all types – you are only comfortable with your own.

Very few people have one style.

It’s not as simple as figuring out the style and leaving it at that, however. Most people are a mixture of a couple of different styles, meaning that the better you get at reading personality types, the more you can refine your approach and the higher your closing percentage will be.

Most sales actually get quicker at the top.

Because key decision-makers tend to be dominant personalities, most large sales end up with the faster presentation than you would give at a lower level – to a middle manager who might be in analyzer or steady personality, for example.

This matters because it means you should have several versions of your presentation ready at any time: one that focuses on the facts and details, one that emphasizes the low risk, one that sheds some personal insight into you as a salesperson, and one that just has the highlights. As you move through different parts of the buying process, and especially different contacts along the way, you’ll want to be able to use any of these effectively. Most sales actually end up being quicker and simpler at the top, since that’s where the most impulsive personalities are, but you’ll have to get through other contacts along the way.

Understanding buyers’ personality types is a good first step toward unlocking your sales potential. Try to figure out how people make decisions, and then learn to quickly spot the differences in everyday selling situations. It’s not easy at first, but once you are “speaking your prospect’s language,” everything else becomes a whole lot easier.

Carl Henry is a management consultant. He specializes in helping companies in the selection of top sales and customer service talent. Carl is also a Certified Speaking Professional and the author of several books and articles related to sales, sales management, and customer service. He conducts seminar and webinar for clients worldwide.

Get your mini e-Book (free download) 18 pages. “Are You Recovery Ready” at http://www.carlhenryblog.com

You can contact Carl at 704-847-7390
chenry@carlhenry.com
http://www.carlhenry.com

If you are realtor in these economic conditions, you may find it kind of difficult to find clients. People don’t seem to be in the mood to buy houses and definitely don’t have the money. As with an industry, you may also feel as if there are just too many fish in the pond to compete with. Well, there is good news and bad news. The bad news is that you are correct, the odds are not in anyone’s favor to win in the real estate game. The good news is that you can control who the odds get stacked; you just have to do a little work.

As with any business, real estate is all about marketing. Being a realtor requires great marketing skills. Many people are afraid of that word “marketing” but you shouldn’t be. It simply means finding the right avenues to attract the right kind of customer. One question you need to answer is, “Where are people going to now to find a realtor?” Or you may also want to put yourself in a buyer’s shoes and ask, “Where would I go if I were ready to buy a house?” Whatever you uncover, is where you should begin trying to market. You may find that the answer is a magazine. If so, place an ad in that magazine for your business. If it is a new home community, then pay for billboard space. If you find that the answer is online, then build a website and get optimized for the keywords that people are searching for. Whatever the case may be, try seeking out your potential customer base and you will find a pile of money there.

The next thing you will want to keep in mind is that most business that make lots of money do so because they are in the business of repeat business. That means that they find a customer who will continue to buy products over and over and over again. These kinds of customers are the ones you want because once you get them, you don’t have to pay to get them again. A great example of this kind of customer in the real estate market would be a company who is relocating employees. Partner up with a company in town that you know likes to move people to your area. By allowing them to introduce you and your services to their employees, they are giving you the credibility you need to win the customer. In these kinds of cases, 98% of the employee referrals are going to go with you.

Finally, offer a positive and memorable customer service experience. If you are a realtor you are in the customer service business; therefore, you must treat your customers well if you want to keep them. Remember, the customers who buy houses today, are the same ones who will sell tomorrow, and you want them to keep you in mind when they do.

Sheila Dollarsby works in real estate and has a website that she hosts through Fat Cow to make sure that her clients and perspective clients know about her. Thanks to Fat Cow, she was able to easily set up her website and drive traffic.

Tip number 1: Get serious! Make a decision to go all the way to the top of your field. Make a decision today to join the top 10%. There is no one and nothing that can hold you back from being the best except yourself. Remember, it takes just as long to be great as to be mediocre. The time is going to pass anyway. Your job is to commit to excellence, to get better and better each day, and to never, never stop until you reach the summit.

Tip number 2: Identify your limiting skill to sales success. Identify your weakest single skill and make a plan to become absolutely excellent in that area. Ask yourself, and your boss, “What one skill, if I developed and did it consistently in an excellent fashion, would have the greatest positive impact on my sales?” Whatever your answer to this question, write it down, set a deadline, make a plan, and then work on it every day. This decision alone can change your life.

Tip number 3: Get around the right people. Get around positive, successful people. Associate with men and women who are going somewhere with their lives. And get away from negative, critical, complaining people. They drag you down, tire you out, distract and discourage you, and lead you inevitably to underachievement and failure. Remember, you cannot fly with the eagles if you continue to scratch with the turkeys.

Tip number 4: Take excellent care of your physical health. You need high levels of energy to sell effectively, and to bounce back from continual rejection and discouragement. Be sure to eat the right foods, get the right amount of exercise and get plenty of rest and recreation. Make a decision that you are going to live to be 80 years old, or more, and begin today to do whatever you have to do to achieve that goal.

Tip number 5: Visualize yourself as one of the top people in your field. Imagine yourself performing at your best all day long. Feed your subconscious mind with vivid, exciting, emotionalized pictures of yourself as positive, confident, competent and completely in control of every part of your life. These clear mental pictures preprogram you and motivate you to sell at your best in any situation.

Tip number 6: Practice positive self-talk continually. Control your inner dialogue. Talk to yourself the way you want to be rather than the way you might be today.

For example, repeat to yourself these powerful words, over and over again. “I like myself! I’m the best! I can do it! I love my work!”

Remember, fully 95% of your emotions are determined by the way you talk to yourself, most of the time. The way you feel determines how you behave. And how you behave determines how much you sell.

Your job is to get yourself on an upward spiral where you think and talk to yourself positively, all day long. You think, walk, talk and act like the very best people in your field. When you do, your success becomes inevitable.

Tip number 7: Take positive action toward your goals, every single day. Be proactive rather than reactive. Grab the bull by the horns. If you are not happy with your income, get out there and get face to face with more customers. If you are not happy with any part of your life, accept responsibility and take charge.

All successful salespeople are intensely action oriented. They have a sense of urgency. They develop a bias for action. They do it now! They have a compulsion to closure. They maintain a fast tempo and move quickly in everything they do.

The faster you move, the more energy you have. The faster you move, the more ground you cover. The faster you move, the more people you see. The more people you see, the more experience you get. The more experience you get, the more sales you make. You will be happier and more positive.

The faster you move, the more you take complete control of your entire life and virtually guarantee that you will be one of the top performers and the highest paid people in your field.

Brian Tracy is one of the world’s foremost thought leaders on personal and business success. For more insight from Brian Tracy and his FREE report, “Way to Wealth,” please click here: http://budurl.com/gz8a

In the past 30 years, he’s consulted for more than 1,000 companies, and has spoken to over 5 million people worldwide on the subjects of Personal and Professional Development. He has traveled and worked in over 80 countries, and speaks four languages.

He’s the top selling author of over 54 books that have been translated into dozens of languages. He has written and produced more than 300 audio and video learning programs, including the worldwide, best-selling Psychology of Achievement, and has recently launched an online Business Training program for small to medium size business owners called Business Growth Strategies. For more information, please visit: http://budurl.com/qn37