When we were young, grandmothers were fond of making a complex task seem simple by declaring it was “like shelling peas.” It’s unlikely we’ll ever have to shell peas like granny did but here’s a few simple ‘Ps’ that could help you make more sales.
Positivity
It’s all about attitude. We all know that dogs can sense fear - guess what, so can your prospect. If you feel negative going into a meeting don’t go. Postpone and don’t reschedule until you can go in with a positive outlook.
A positive outlook and patience enables the sales rockstar to effectively deal with the inevitable knock backs that are a part of selling and move on to the next opportunity emotionally unscathed.
Product knowledge
It’s easy to have a positive attitude if you’re confident that you can answer any question your prospect may have without hesitation. That’s why the sales rockstar takes the time to know their product inside out - its features, benefits and USP and even its limitations. After all, having clients with unrealistic expectations will likely end in cancellations.
The best sales people believe in their offering and combine that with empathy to see it from their customer’s perspective. They have a genuine desire to deliver a genuine solution to a genuine need.
Process
Sales rockstars stick to a proven process. They have a comprehensive understanding of the underlying metrics driving their pipeline and results and they don’t deviate from it.
They work to a well-defined structure and can stick to it with minimum supervision. They’re conscious of time constraints and have the self-discipline to manage their time effectively.
Prospecting
At the root of a common cause of underperformance is a lack of time spent prospecting.
The sales rockstar understands the crucial role that systemic, ongoing prospecting plays in maintaining a healthy pipeline. They have a prospecting plan that ensures enough new prospects are added each month to reach their revenue objectives.
Productivity
Sales is a numbers game. Rockstars aim to exceed the activity numbers that they know will get them to budget. If they know it takes on average 100 calls to get them to their target, they will make 150 or more. While their colleagues hit their number and down tools, the champ goes another round.
Profitability
The champions of the sales floor see themselves as their own business unit. Sure, they represent their organisation’s products but they think in terms of their own personal P&L.
Although they have a healthy dash of selfishness, they understand their place within the bigger corporate picture in which they work and ensure their work aligns with the employer’s overarching mission, vision and values.
Polish
The sales legend never sees themselves as the finished article. They suck up the advice of those they respect like a sponge. Like a stand-up comedian, they critically analyse their own performance and polish their presentation on a constant basis. They tirelessly work on their weaknesses and practice and test their skills, whether in front of a mirror or in front of the customer, wherever they can, time and time again.
While we’re at it, here’s a few more P’s we could shell:
Perseverance, Patience, Professionalism and Passion.
We’re sure you could work them out yourself without, as Granny might say, us “teaching you to suck eggs.”