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Turning Sales Slumps into Sales Jumps
Finding the Heart of Sales Success
Turning Sales Slumps into Sales Jumps
by Patricia Weber
Even a small sales slump can bump some salespeople into a sales reluctance spiral. A whopping 34.7% of survey respondents admit to either taking days to get over a lost sale or they just give up and surrender only to get deeper into a sales slump black hole.
Have you ever had this happen to you? Think back. Have you ever lost a sale and not known how to quickly bounce back?
In 30 years of selling, I've lost many sales. On the other hand, I've helped people to buy more often! No matter what I sell, I have a 70% to 85% conversion rate. This means I convert prospects into customers 8 out of 10 times. It may be possible to have 100% conversion rate, but I've not met a person who can back up that kind of claim.
Some of us can brush off a lost sale and just bounce right back by morning or late mid-day. Either we really do have that smile on our face or we are faking it until it gets there.
We might even be curious or so bold as to ask the lost customer, "What could I have done to earn your business?" That turns the initial disappointment into a learning situation and a valuable lesson.
But what do you do if you aren't that resilient? Here are seven top ideas to jump you right back on track:
1. Talk with friends in your network who know about selling. They are usually empathetic and more than willing to let you know how they get up and going again.
2. Take time to admit your defeat. Admit to yourself how awful it feels to lose. Get it out in the open, take a deep breath, and then start to gravitate toward more empowering thoughts and actions.
3. If you find yourself distracted with negative self-talk, take notes. Here is a Law of Attraction action adapted to get you going: Get out a sheet of paper. Draw a line down the middle. On the left side write out all the negative comments you are saying to yourself, and on the right side, write out the total opposite positive statements that you can believe. Then keep reading the more positive side to yourself. Bust that limiting self-talk. There are dozens of releasing techniques like this.
4. Telephone some of your best clients. You know the ones. They have been buying from you often, regularly, and always are happy to hear from you. This can be a quick feeling booster.
5. Read or listen to something inspiring or motivational. One of my favorite books is The Power of Full Engagement: Managing Energy, Not Time, Is the Key to High Performance and Personal Renewal. Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz are the authors. I can always find an idea in there to get me back on track.
6. Read articles, sales materials and in general improve your product knowledge. This can make an otherwise unproductive time useful while you are still down.
7. Try a coach for a short term. Coaches who are properly trained can easily help people out of these situations. One of my sales coaching clients was stuck at a certain level. We worked to put a paper system into place that would help to more easily follow-up with prospects sooner than later. After just six months, their sales soared and they received national recognition for the first time ever.
Take actions that get you to move forward with a more uplifting feeling. If you get out right away with feelings of frustration or discouragement, it can backfire and pull you down further. The idea is to first do for yourself something that gets you back into a confident and optimistic demeanor. Then get out and get more business!
About the Author
Sign up to receive a FREE Report, FREE ezine and FREE Teleclasses from Pat Weber - America's Sales Accelerator Coach, specializing in Introverts and Shy people at http://www.prostrategies.com.
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Key words: sales, selling, sales training, sales performance, selling skills, sales skills, sell more, sell better, sales success, selling success
Finding the Heart of Sales Success
By Chuck Gallagher
A great friend of mine, professional speaker and author, Gary O'Sullivan, in his book, "Principle Power For Sales Success," shares a fundamental secret for those who achieve Sales Success consistently. (http://www.garyosullivan.com/)
Gary writes:
A clearly defined purpose is essential in helping you achieve your goals. Anything you set out to accomplish in the sales process will? require you to deal with failures, disappointments and setbacks. Being able to overcome these challenges requires a clearly defined purpose.
It is your "why!"
Whether it is your service to others or the things you are trying to achieve in your personal life, knowing "why" you are doing it give your the power to persevere.
Years back, I recall my mentor in sales - David Whitener - visiting at my location. I was the Sales Director and he the VP of Sales. Some of our team members were struggling as we approached the holidays.
Sales were lagging and the holidays became the excuse of the day for poor performance.
David, with his commanding presence, calmly addressed our group - speaking as if all was well with the world. He looked at one young man and asked, "What do you suppose the problem is?"
The new sales representative began his litany of excuses. David listened patiently. I, on the other hand, could hardly stay in my seat. Not only had we had declining sales, but here this guy was whining. I couldn't believe my ears.
David's next questions set the tone for the turn that was to take place and take place quickly. "Why did you come to work for our company?" The answer was one of the pat answers that most people learn from the interviewing skill section of Monster.com or some other "how to get the job you want" skill program on the internet.
But David, not happy with his response, probed further. Asking the question in a different way...and then again, in a way other than that, David finally found this young man's "why." In that meeting David went on to share with the group a story about his most successful sales person - a middle aged female who outsold everyone else on her team and, in fact, the region. The secret to her success? She clearly knew her "Why!"
As you read this take two actions before you retire tonight:
1. Answer for yourself, "Why" do you do what you do? Put another way, what is your personal motivation for working? And, in do this simple task, do yourself a favor - don't give yourself some "pat" answer, like you might give me. Be real with yourself and dig deep to find out what your "WHY" is.
2. Ask yourself as you review your efforts today, "have I done all I could do to achieve the reasons I work?"
When you tap into the real reason you do what you do - you'll find that you will have renewed energy to push on toward success. We all have a "why" - the difference between those who are highly successful and those who keep struggling seems to be that the Sales Successful know their "why" and tap into their personal power to succeed.
On a crisp October day in 1995, Chuck Gallagher took 23 physical steps, opened a door, and began a new experience that was life-changing. Chuck shares the painful lessons of his life with his audience and touches them?forever. As a keynote speaker Chuck offers a message that contains a blend of motivation, success, choices, consequences, ethics and integrity based on personal experience.
Sign-up for the free Choices Ezine or get more information about Chuck's presentations visit http://www.chuckgallagher.com
Excerpt from: Sales Success
By Brian Tracy
Closed-Ended Questions
Closed-ended questions allow you to get definite answers and move toward closing the sale.
Start Sentences With Verbs
Closed-ended
questions allow you to get definite answers and move toward closing the
sale. Closed ended questions start with verbs, such as "Are," "Will,"
"Is," "Have," "Did," and even contractions such as "Aren't," "Didn't,"
and "Won't." This is often called a convergent question. It brings
conversation gradually to a convergence on a single point or decision.
It is answered with a "yes" or a "no." You use this question when you
want to begin narrowing the conversation and getting specific answers
that lead you to a conclusion or a commitment.
Solicit More Specific Answers
You
can use closed ended questions to get more specific answers. "Will you
be making a decision within the next two months?" "Are you considering
changing your suppliers for this product?" "Is this the sort of thing
you are looking for?"
Ask Them To Take A Position
A
closed ended question forces the prospect to take a position. "Do you
like what I've shown you?" "Does this make sense to you, so far?"
"Would you like to get started on this right away?" You use this type
of question when you want to get clear answers and bring the sales
conversation to a close.
When A "No" Means A "Yes"
The
third type of question is a variation on the first two and is called
the "negative answer" question. This is when a "no" means a "yes" to
your proposition. "Are you happy with your existing supplier?" If the
customer says "no" it means that they are interested in considering a
new supplier. "Are you getting the kind of results that you expected?"
If the customer says "no", it means that the customer is open to
considering your product or service as an alternative.
Action Exercises
Here are two things you can do immediately to put these ideas into action.
First,
begin closed-ended questions with verbs. Whenever you want the customer
to be more specific or to take a definite stand on your product or
service.
Second, ask closed-ended questions in a warm, friendly,
curious tone of voice. Always be courteous, caring and concerned. Never
use pressure or manipulation.
Brian Tracy is the most listened
to audio author on personal and business success in the world today.
His fast-moving talks and seminars on leadership, sales, managerial
effectiveness and business strategy are loaded with powerful, proven
ideas and strategies that people can immediately apply to get better
results in every area. For more information, please go to
www.BrianTracy.com.
Keywords: sales, selling, selling techniques, sales success, sales techniques, sell more
