How To Take The Right Steps To Increase Your Selling Results

Steps - it is unrealistic for most salespeople to expect to make a sale in a single step. Most sales don't end after a single phone call. If you're selling a complex product or service you won't get the order after a single face-to-face sales call. There are a number of steps involved in making a sale. If you want to make more sales, more quickly, more profitably, and do it more often you need your own personalized selling model.

This model consists of all the steps beginning with the identification of a sales opportunity and ends with the customer's commitment to buy. Each step must be clearly defined and as a professional salesperson you must know each step like the back of your hand. How would you answer this question: what are the routine steps you take to generate sales for your company? If you're answer isn't quick, crisp, and concise it means you need to do some homework.

In step - there is only one major way to get in step with your customers and potential customers. The single best way to get in step with your customers and potential customers is to ask rock solid questions. Assume nothing question everything. Remember, the more experience you have the more assumptions you'll make.

People are unique and so are your customers. It's not too early to start asking your customers this question. "What are your priorities for the year 2005." Don't assume you know until you ask the question and listen to their response.

Out of step - do everything you can to be out of step with your competition. From your customers perspective you don't want to look like your competition. Do everything you can to be different. Small differences create big advantages for you.

Example, attach a small ribbon to literature whenever you send it or leave it behind. Your promotional pieces will always standout from the rest of the stuff on your customer's desk. The road to success is paved with differentiation.

Watch your step - personal and professional goals (in writing) determine who you are and establish very clearly where you're going. Imagine you are on one really giant and humongous stairway in life. If you could jettison yourself to the last step on that stairway and sneak a peek back down, what would you see? Probably lots of small steps.

One step leading to another. Always remember every step you take is moving you up or down on the stairway called life. View the steps as action plans on your way to achieving your next goal.

Step down - if the walls are starting to move in on you and you are feeling edgy and stressed you probably have too much on your plate. Translation ? you're trying to do too much at one time. When you have so much to do it makes you dizzy just thinking about it, change your focus to doing less instead of more.

Try this; write down three things that are low value time busters. Take the list and toss it away. Forget about doing these three things. Why would you even think about doing low value, time busting, time wasting, aggravating, annoying, and pain in the butt things? Try checking voice mail and e-mail less frequently. The messages will still be there.

Your life needn't be lived on a treadmill that's going full throttle 100 percent of the time. Step down periodically to enjoy the journey called life. Step down if you want a change of pace.

Step on it - time matters most. Watch your watch and keep track of your time. Don't waste your time on anything frivolous. If what you're doing doesn't add value to your customer or make you money, why are you doing it? Today is the most important day of your life!

Are you living it that way? Being busy isn't the same as being productive. Perspiring and getting results are two totally different pictures. The former feels good while the latter is good.

Step up ? and take action on all the things you are meaning to do. Procrastinators aren't born they're made from a lifetime of putting things off. Invest two hours this week to clear your desk. Create two stacks, MATTERS MOST and DOESN'T MATTER.

Take everything you've been meaning to do and put them into one of these stacks. Once done, prioritize the MATTERS MOST stack and get rid of the other one. Do first things first and always concentrate on doing what matters most.

Small steps ? it's been said that a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. My guess is the philosopher who penned that wants us to take a single small step. The first step is seldom the big one.

It is however the most important one.

Jim Meisenheimer is the creator of No-Brainer Sales Training. His sales techniques and selling skills focus on practical ideas that get immediate results. You can discover all his secrets by visiting his website: http://www.meisenheimer.com

In The News:


pen paper and inkwell


cat break through


Building Relationships

A conversation: The Salesperson: "I don't cold call-I want to... Read More

At-ti-tude, n

At-ti-tude, n.One of Webster's dictionaries describes the word attitude as:a... Read More

What Successful Sellers Know - Others Dont ... The Subtle Art of Closing

Ask any salesperson, "At what point in the selling process... Read More

How Improve Conversion Rates

Do you know your conversion rates? Conversion rate is the... Read More

EXHIBITORS - Check Your URL

How many of you have a corporate web site? Everybody... Read More

Value-added Selling?

"Value-added." That word is used so much it has become... Read More

How To Shorten The Selling Cycle And Reduce Buying Stalls

The main reason for buyer resistance and selling stalls boils... Read More

How to Leverage Your Influence

Why do we get into sales? Typically it is two... Read More

Packaging Maketh the Person

The multi million pound cosmetics industry is acutely aware of... Read More

Three Ways to Get More Referrals

When you are in the business of sales, among the... Read More

What is a Pitch?

I've been training in countries outside the U.S. recently, and... Read More

An Introductino to Insurance Lead Generation

It is vital that insurance salespeople have a steady stream... Read More

Getting Past the Gate Guard

Over the years, many prospects have hidden behind their well-trained... Read More

How A Simple Greeting Or Post Card Can Turn Into Cash ? Guaranteed

I've been using a technique that has helped me to... Read More

Dress as Though You Mean Business

Could casual Friday be undermining your leadership ability?One of the... Read More

In Sales Service Means Business

Some businesses flourish while others slowly fade away. There's usually... Read More

Stop Screwing Up Your Sales Letter

"Sales Letter"... that's your web site's sales page. The page... Read More

Selling for Beginners

Speak to almost any self employed professional and most of... Read More

Things You Need to Know Before Joining a Direct Sales Company

A lot of people are very intrigued by the idea... Read More

A Quick and Simple Tip For Gaining Customers

In the course of my career, I've had to deal... Read More

Turn Your Wisdom Into a Workshop

The Technical Revolution has done a lot for us --... Read More

Mortgage vs. Real Estate Lead Generation

It is fairly common for real estate companies and mortgage... Read More

Obtaining Self-Confidence

A reader recently asked me the following: "I enjoyed the... Read More

Top 10 Ways to Sell your Product or Service While you Sleep - Part 1

Have you wasted valuable time and money on promotion that... Read More

The History of Sales: Dale Carnegie is Still with Us

I've recently been hearing sales companies talk about how they... Read More

Getting Referrals

ReferralsA substantial part of your business can come from referrals.... Read More

Money Does Talk!

When buying something, you can buy in one of two... Read More

How To Get Rich Giving Away Something Free

The best of all worlds is to have a product... Read More

7 Ways to Stop Selling & Start Building Relationships

Sometimes we can all use a friendly reminder to keep... Read More

6 Steps on How to Install Confidence Into Your Clients

What methods can we use to install confidence into your... Read More

15 Ways To Get Really Motivated

First, recognize that motivation is an inside job. The word... Read More

The Top 10 Ways to Add Extra Value

Everyone wants the best possible value in every transaction, but... Read More

Consumer Effort And The Purchase Decision

It is a basic tenet of behavioral psychology that people... Read More