It's not enough to simply be a salesperson. You need to know how to become a professional sales team pro as well! In this blog post, we'll go over some of the best ways for you and your team members to work together and build strong relationships so that you can sell more products and services.
You may be asking yourself, "how can I become a sales team pro?" If so, this blog post will help guide you to the right path.
We'll start by discussing what it takes to be a strong sales professional and then we'll move on to how you can increase your skills and knowledge in order to excel as an individual and as part of a team.
By the end of reading this article, you should feel confident that you're ready for any challenges that come your way!
Now that you know a little more about what to expect from sales team pros, it's time to learn more about who they are.
Sales pros come from all walks of life and have a wide variety of skills and experience. Some may have previous experience in sales, while others may be new to the field. What unites them is their passion for selling and their dedication to helping their clients achieve their goals.
Sales pros are often known for their can-do attitude and their willingness to go above and beyond to get the job done.
They are proactive problem-solvers who are always looking for new ways to improve their skills and help their clients succeed. They are also great communicators, which makes them invaluable members of the sales team.
A good sales pro is also a good teacher and coach, which means they'll be able to provide their peers with the support and guidance they need to succeed as well.
So if you're interested in joining the ranks of successful sales teams, make sure you know exactly what it takes to become one of these valuable members of your organization!
It's not how many leads they've followed up, their win rate, or the number of cold calls they make each week (although those things are important). We know it's not because we've seen great people flounder around with terrible numbers.
They don't fail because they're bad at selling; they fail for lack of business acumen and experience outside the four walls of their cubicle.
And if networking is supposed to be about relationship-building, then understanding the market dynamics is invaluable.
1. Understand the business you're in- If any of this sounds like Greek to you, read on. (And if it doesn't, skip ahead anyway; you might learn something.) It takes time for your brain to differentiate between all the industry jargon and acronyms.
Don't be afraid to ask questions, take notes, and do research outside of work hours. If nothing else, you can send relevant articles or post-mortems to your manager so they know that their team is invested in honing their skills beyond selling itself.
2. Know where your company stands- You should already know about initiatives inside the company. But the market dynamics are just as important. What's going on in your vertical? Who are its key players, and where does your company stack up against them?
3 Know yourself- Take a hard look at how to best position yourself for success. Traveling is often considered a perk that salespeople get, but it should be part of your strategy (and not just the sales manager's).
It helps you find insights and opportunities that wouldn't come from reading reports or talking with peers; we've all found leads while sitting in an airport lounge.
Talking shop over dinner doesn't count; make sure you're doing your homework beforehand so you can take advantage of every conversation (you never know when you'll meet someone who can connect you to your next big deal).
4. Be coachable- A sales team is only as good as its weakest player, and that's the person who doesn't want to get better. A good manager works with employees to come up with action plans or goals for improvement in specific areas of weak performance.
Expect high achievers to offer suggestions on how they can improve their game. "Good salespeople are hard on themselves," Myers says.
A sales professional's career path isn't clear-cut, but if you're getting positive feedback from customers and your manager, it may be time to move into management or another position at the company.
If you aren't considered promotable, ask why. "Maybe you need more confidence in presenting ideas to senior executives," she suggests. Or you may need to bone up on the latest product offerings.
Whatever your goals, be coachable and take direction well. "Most people think they know it all," Myers says. "But if you're truly a top performer, you're always looking for ways to improve."
5. Stay positive- No one wants to do business with a Negative Nancy. team pros stay positive by keeping their emotions in check and focusing on the good news. They also have a Plan B ready in case things don't go their way.
"A positive attitude is key because it can be contagious," Myers says. And when customers feel good about doing business with you, they're more likely to buy from you again."
6. Practice empathy- Sales pros know the importance of putting themselves in their customers' shoes. They understand what motivates customers and what keeps them up at night.
"Empathy is key to establishing trust and building relationships," Myers says. "Good salespeople can see the world from the customer's perspective."
7. Stay organized- Organization is a key part of any successful business, and that includes sales teams. Sales professionals keep their desks clean and their calendars up to date.
They also have systems in place for tracking leads, opportunities and deals. "Being organized gives you a competitive edge because you're able to work more efficiently," Myers says.
8. Be persistent- Persistence is one of the most important traits of a successful salesperson. Top performers don't give up easily.
They understand that sales is a numbers game and that it often takes multiple attempts to close a deal. "It's important to be tenacious and resilient," Myers says. "You need to be able to pick yourself up after a rejection and keep going."
9. NETWORK- No one ever became successful by working in a vacuum. The best salespeople are always networking, whether it's at industry events or simply chatting with colleagues over coffee.
They know that relationships are key to success and that you never know where the next opportunity will come from. "Networking is important because it allows you to build relationships with potential customers, partners and suppliers," Myers says.
"And those relationships can lead to more business down the road."
You might not think that there's a science to selling, but you'd be wrong. It's actually very formulaic and can be learned by mastering the following steps it takes to make a sale.
1) Selling starts with prospecting for new clients or customers- You must get out of your comfy office chair, phone booths don't count as places to make calls, and start making some cold calls (or warm if you're feeling brave).
The only way to find new prospects is by getting on the phone and talking to people who may or may not need what you have to offer.
So put aside your shyness; talk about yourself, your business and what you do; then ask them questions about their needs so you can let them know if you have a solution for their problem. Simple right? Not always, because you can't make the sale until they are ready to buy.
2) Once you've got your foot in the door with some new leads - either by getting them on the phone or setting up an appointment with them for later - then comes what's called "qualifying" your clients.
Basically this just means that you want to find out if it makes sense for both parties to continue moving forward together. And how do you do this?
By asking questions about who they are, who they work for, what problems they're having and so forth so you can see if there really is a fit between what they need and what you have to offer.
3) Put your best foot forward- Assuming that you have found a good potential fit and the client is interested in learning more, it's time to move on to presentation mode.
This is where you put your best foot forward and show them what your company can do for them. Sometimes this means sending over some information or even giving a live demonstration of how your product works.
Remember, you want to be seen as the solution to their problem so paint that picture for them; make it clear how you can help make their life easier or better in some way.
4) Finally, after all of that hard work comes the close - otherwise known as asking for the sale. It's not always easy, but if you've done everything else right then this should be the easy part.
Just be clear about what you're offering, how much it costs and what the terms and conditions are. If they're still interested after hearing all of that, then congratulations! You've made a sale.
If you're looking for solid advice on how to build a strong sales team, those 8 books will do the trick. Some of them are classics that have been around for decades and others were written more recently.
The main idea they all share is: before you can manage your team effectively and successfully, you need to understand what makes people tick and why they behave the way they do.
1) 18 Minutes: Find Your Focus, Master Distraction, And Get The Right Things Done by Peter Bregman
What does it take for managers to be effective? In his book , Peter Bregman says that this question is about focus – about time management as much as anything else. He suggests that managers should say "no" more and that they should focus on three essential things each day.
2) First Things First by Stephen Covey
This classic book has been around for decades and it's still one of the best resources out there for anyone looking to improve their time management skills. Covey outlines a step-by-step process for creating a personal productivity system that will help you get the most out of your time.
3) The Lean Start-Up: How Constant Innovation Creates Radically Successful Businesses by Eric Ries
In his book, Eric Ries lays out a new way to build successful businesses. He argues that the traditional approach – in which businesses launch a finished product and then try to improve it over time – is no longer effective in today's rapidly changing world.
Instead, he recommends a "lean" approach in which businesses test and experiment with new ideas constantly.
4) The Innovator's Dilemma: When New Technologies Cause Great Firms to Fail by Clayton Christensen
In this groundbreaking book, Clayton Christensen introduces the theory of disruptive innovation. He argues that many successful businesses fail because they don't recognize the potential of disruptive technologies.
The book is a must-read for all managers who want to successfully lead their companies through major changes.
5) The Go-Giver: A Little Story About A Powerful Business Idea by Bob Burg and John David Mann
This short fable about a young go-getter has been around for almost ten years now, but it continues to be a bestseller. In this story, a young man named Joe learns that the secret to success isn't "what" you give – it's how you give it.
This simple idea applies to any kind of business activity – from sales to coaching teams – and can have a powerful effect on your success as well.
6) Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action by Simon Sinek
In his best-selling book, Simon Sinek argues that great leaders start with why they do what they do, not how or what.
He believes that if you can figure out your "why," you can inspire others to follow your lead and achieve great things. This book is a must-read for anyone looking to create a powerful vision for their team or organization.
