There is one goal in sales; sell the most as fast as possible. In order to this you will need to know how to generate the most leads possible and how to close a sale. Getting creative in finding leads can pay off big time and can reveal an interested market you never knew existed. Keep an open mind, understand all of your resources and work harder not smarter are great things to remember when it comes to finding a viable client base.
Get Creative
There are three main ways to generate leads; in person, by phone and using the internet. Each of these can be expanded upon and tailored to your product or schedule. To work harder not smarter only contact people that you believe may be interested in what you are selling. If you are selling golf equipment you can get new clients in person by handing out your business card or catalog to people who frequent local golf clubs, golf clothing stores or even people in golfing communities. If you are trying to utilize the telephone to create leads, the same technique applies; research phone numbers that are in residential golfing communities before you ever pick up the phone. The internet has been referred to as a “river of money”. To get that river to flow in your direction you will need to get creative and actively search for leads. Spamming people does not work anymore and neither does blowing up their Facebook page with advertisements. These processes may even hurt your reputation as a sales rep and the product you are selling. Instead of sending out thousands of random advertisements to everyone, only contact people who might be interested in golf equipment. Go to some of your competitor’s Facebook pages and check out everyone who is their fan and send them your pitch in a personal message. You can also see everyone that is a part of groups associated with golf and contact them in the same way. You can also use twitter in the same manner. Research the different functions and features of social media sites and make them work to your advantage.
Closing a Sale
Did you know that closing a sale often begins at the point of contact? You need to exude confidence without being overly charismatic or pushy. Set the tone by putting the potential buyer in control of the situation. When contacting someone by phone the tone of your voice should be polite and professional. If they aren’t interested move on and politely end the conversation, but always ask if you can leave your contact information in case they change their mind, or know someone else that might want your product. If you are selling in person you will need to look professional and carry yourself with confidence and grace. Being too pushy will instantly turn someone who might have been interested into someone who immediately wants to get out of the conversation. People respond better to sales rep who acts as if they genuinely care about them and want to better their lives with their product. Even though you are there to make money, you don’t want to seem like the typical sales person trying to make a dollar. Know everything you possibly can about your product including its features, history, processing time, shipping method and return policy. Before someone will trust you enough to give you their hard earned money, you are guaranteed to have to answer some questions. If you don’t know an answer right away, or seem unsure the sale is as good as lost.
The Sales Coaching Institute has provided business sales training and sales management training for over 25 years and will help you in creating success in your sales business sales.
