Sales is a profession that is booming with possibility. It is also a daunting one that is filled with lots of people who are competing in an oversaturated marketplace, especially online. Similar products are out there to others, making it difficult to stand out. Even fair-trade designations are growing, which means it is hard for those specific companies to stand out since they used to be the only ones in the game. When others are in a race to the finish, it helps to polish up your sales performance to be sure you stay on top of your game. Here are some helpful hints to note regarding sales performance.
Know Your Mission
If you don’t know why you do what you do, nobody else will buy into it, either. Think about some key questions when it comes to your mission. When you can clarify these, or give a straight answer, you may be able to gain more clarity:
- What is the best approach for prospects?
- How much can prospects pay?
- Who needs what you have to offer?
Once you can get these questions answered, this will form the basis for building your sales performance.
Make Goals
When you write down your activities in a log, you can track more easily what you do each day. This helps you control how much time and energy is being spent on certain activities. If you measure progress, track it. Check goals, increase activity, then measure it. Don’t be afraid to focus attention on specific things that will help energize your sales performance.
Know Your Niche
When customers are ready to buy, they want to know they’re getting value and valuable stuff. Assume your prospects will buy what they need but don’t stop there. Tailor it to your niche and let them know you have what they need (and maybe more). Figure out the features of your product or service that reduces cost and solves problems. Be creative in your sales and marketing if you want to stand out to them and show customers you have what they need.
Play Favorites
The worst place to be is in the last place (in a customer’s eyes). Typically, if you’re in the last place, you don’t get seen by prospects. Marketing, sales skills, and asking the right questions are all good for creating favorable attention. Follow-through and going the extra mile for customers is more likely to close the deal for you than letting them languish without support. Play favorites with customers if you want to keep their business.
Have a Purpose
When you know what you want to do and why you do it, that makes everything else fall into place. With the right purpose in mind for your business, you can start targeting the right people and increase sales immediately. Figure out what to ask that will prompt them to be curious. Think about your proposal and what it will look like. If you don’t feel sure of yourself, get some training or support. It is never too late to reach out and ask for help when you need it. Seek out some outside consultancy for those tricky questions that won’t go away.
Close the Deal
Sales performance is based both on what you do and what you don’t do. If you want to perform well, you need to keep working on those skills, build them up, and showcase them to potential clients. Don’t let them get away because you are not up to speed with your skills. Use these tips as a launchpad to help you get going and move forward with closing those important prospect deals.