Sell, Sell, Sell

January 4th, 2010

Maria Helm

We all have to sell, whether we realize it or not. For those of us who own our business, we have products and/or services to sell. Some make their living selling goods and services offered by their employers. Even if you’re not a salesperson by profession, you still have to sell. Anytime you need to convince someone to agree with you or get buy-in to your latest scheme, you are selling. You have to sell if you want that plum project. How about if you want to manage that high-profile account, or if you want your boss’ approval on your latest plan? Well you have to sell and get the order. To be a salesperson who sells, consider these :

Know your customer
Identify your customer’s pain points and needs
Determine how your “product” will solve or satisfy your customer’s needs
Make the “sales call”
Ask for the order
Develop an unshakable attitude of persistence and tenacity. Be prepared to make as many sales calls as are necessary to get the order
Don’t drop the ball by not following up
Know when to stop the sales pitch and start having a conversation

There’s plenty of books on selling. Read some. Remember that there is little competition for the persistent and tenacious salesperson. Making more calls, building relationships, and asking for the order is the formula for success.