Business Sphere

The debate which has started a long time ago of whether or not salesman /saleswoman is born or made continues until today.

Indeed, the viability and profitability of any business enterprise is dependent to a large extent on the salespeople who make the sales, because no sales, no profit. In this case, business will just go bankrupt.

But let the debate on whether salespeople are born or made. The best thing to do, says Sales & Marketing Executive Report, is to inspire your people to enhance and build upon their own abilities and strengthen their relations with their customers. To do this, encourage your salespeople to:

1. Read in order to become more helpful and interesting to their prospective customers. This involves finding out about the goings-on in the customer’s industry and taking advantage of seminars, continuing education courses and motivational DVDs.

2.Write the prospect after each meeting, showing what the company is doing about the prospect’s specific need or problem in preparation for the next meeting. This shows the prospect that you are thinking about him or her.

3. Team sell. Bring the talents of the company’s support people into the sale. Often, technical help or the personal assurances of a vice president or service professional may be just what is needed.

4. Focus on long-term relationships rather than on “deals”. Cut price, if necessary, to establish a relationship with a small but growing company whose business promises to be very profitable in the long run.

5. Involve the prospective customer in identifying needs and shaping the offer package. This includes letting the prospect critique an offer before formal presentation or letting him operate a machine while it is being demonstrated.

6. Take responsibility for misunderstandings and service or billing errors, whether or not your company is at fault. Doing so proves your interest in helping the prospect and earns respect for the company.

7. Trust the prospect as you would like to be trusted. Convey the impression that your company treats the prospect as being on the same professional level and worthy of doing business with on a long-term basis.

8. Ask a happy customer for the names of three other individuals who may benefit from your offer, together with the individual’s permission for you to use his or her name. Doing business with your customer’s associates will strengthen your link with your customer.

9. Let go of a prospect that has remained unpromising longer than any other, no matter how large the potential is. Concentrate time and effort on new and existing prospects that have greater likelihood of success.