Selling is never easy. In a booming economy, writing orders, getting contracts, and signing up new accounts might be easier. But it’s never easy. Hot, new products and services help. And having the solution to a pressing problem gives a salesperson an advantage.
An uneven, unpredictable, and uncertain economic environment only makes selling more difficult.
If the hurdles out in the field aren’t enough to deal with, every company is demanding more from salespeople –– higher quotas, larger territories, and handling more accounts. "How do they expect us to do more with all this going on?" is the hot topic whenever salespeople get together.
This is the world salespeople find themselves in today. And the road ahead might be even more treacherous. Here are just some of the roadblocks –– and the list is getting longer:
- Changes in territories
- More in-auto driving time
- Added non-sales responsibilities
- Internet competition
- Increased quoting
- Greater customer demands
- Internal company changes
- Merger and/or acquisition
- Decreased sales support
- Product problems
- Shipment delays
- Order snafus
- Problematic customer service
- Back orders
- Competitor-driven rumors
- Curtailed T&E budgets
- Reduced marketing support
- And on top of it all, price increases
The list is formidable, and almost every salesperson is faced with some, most, or even all of these issues.
And on top of it all, salespeople aren’t just being asked to hold their own — they’re expected to grow their sales.
If this sounds depressing, forget it. It’s the real world of selling and it challenges every salesperson.
Is it possible to do more? Whether we like it or not, the answer is yes. But to do so means looking at the sales job differently. Business writer Price Prichett stated, "In the coming era, jobs are not something you have but tasks you perform." As we’re all discovering, "the coming era" is here.
Today, it’s all about tasks — not time, just tasks. Unfortunately, many salespeople have difficulty performing those tasks that are essential to doing more. These 10 tasks come to mind:
- PLAN YOUR MONTH, WEEK, AND DAY
Although this sounds ridiculously simple and basic, it isn’t. A recent USA Today survey shows that only 1% of employees plan their day and only 35% plan their month. Another survey shows that only 25% of salespeople meet their annual sales quotas. What good is a quota, if there’s no daily, weekly, or monthly plan to get there? If you don’t have a personal plan, you can’t produce results.
2. DO YOUR PAPERWORK DAILY
Whatever method you choose — a file folder, laptop, or a PDA — the mode is less important than doing it. But what counts is that you keep notes and records daily.
If you travel for business, you’ve watched salespeople on a Thursday evening flight trying to retrace their past week’s steps. How can their records be accurate and complete?
Do planning and record keeping when the information is fresh. Those who follow this protocol never have to say, "I can’t remember," when asked a question.
3. PROSPECT CONSISTENTLY
Salespeople have a handful of people they’re trying to get to become customers. But few in sales have 50 or 150 carefully selected (i.e., profitable) prospects with whom they’d like to do business given the opportunity. Few salespeople manage this group with the same attention they give to their customers. They don’t waste time making cold calls because they’re too busy working to further their relationship with their prospect group.
4. CONTACT CUSTOMERS CONSTANTLY
When it comes to weekly sales reports, many salespeople don’t see the value of "paperwork." In many instances, they have every right to be skeptical. Since no one reads the reports, the salespeople fail to get the necessary feedback.
There’s another way to look at the weekly sales report, however. It might help you make sure that you’re staying in close touch with your customers. Technology makes it easy for salespeople to distribute their own weekly bulletin, product update, or market intelligence report, in addition to making telephone contact and personal calls.
5. LIMIT TIME SPENT WITH ‘FAVORITE’ CUSTOMERS
It’s difficult to escape the temptation to call on "favorite customers." After a few tough meetings and a series of problems, dropping in on the satisfied customer can be reassuring. It takes the pressure off and it’s great to feel appreciated.
But more often than not, you waste valuable time calling on these customers. When time is at a premium, do they deserve the attention they’re getting?
6. PREPARE MEETING AGENDAS
The first few meetings with customers are often planned carefully. The agenda is sent in advance and the support information is ready. As time goes by, however, meetings tend to become less structured, almost conveying the message that the salesperson is shooting from the hip. Clients get the feeling that the relationship is being taken for granted and the meetings are less productive. This is when the salesperson begins saying, "I’ll get back to you on that." Or, "Let me go back and check my notes."
7. WORK BY APPOINTMENT
Today, it’s as much about time as about money. In some cases, saving time might be more important to a customer. And it should be to every salesperson, too. One of the most effective ways to manage your time is to work "by appointment only." Of course emergencies and unexpected meetings can intrude into your schedule. Fit them in. But don’t let the exceptions run your day.
The goal is to get more done in less time, not to fill the day with activity that might not be productive. Working by appointment also allows the salesperson to allocate more time, if necessary, for highly profitable customers.
8. EVALUATE EVERY ACTIVITY
Get tough with yourself. If a trade show is no longer productive or fails to attract the right customers, build a case for getting out. In the same way, if you find an event or show that fits your business model, advocate for becoming part of it.
Being focused means being rigorous about the way a salesperson uses every minute of the day. The same principle applies to sales meetings. Offer to help set the agenda. Try to make everything worthwhile.
9. ANTICIPATE OBJECTIONS
It’s surprising how few salespeople actually anticipate objections or fail to recognize customer questions as expressions of significant buying interest.
If price appears to be an issue, don’t wait for the customer to raise it. "You’re concerned about cost, aren’t you? I can understand that. So, let’s start there. If I can show you how buying from our company will actually lower your costs, can we have your business?" If you get a "no" answer, leave and come back at a later date.
Some sales managers try to get salespeople to be better listeners. But what should they expect to hear? The task is figuring out what’s going on inside the customer’s head.
10. BE READY
Too often salespeople rely on their way with words rather than their preparations. This is very much the situation when it comes to customer meetings. The salesperson present boilerplate proposals with missing details and notes scribbled on the backs of envelopes. Although the customer expects answers, the salesperson explains that this is a "fact-finding" session. It all adds up to one word: unprepared.
Customers see this as either a sign that salespeople haven’t done their homework or are simply trying to finesse their way through meetings.
Learning these tasks isn’t easy. Many of them fly in the face of what experienced salespeople have been doing for many years and mastering them can be tedious for those who are new to sales.
The pressure to perform is on everyone, but it’s particularly noticeable for those in sales.