The Top 10 New Year’s Resolutions for Salespeople–Part 2 of 3

It’s a New Year and those New Year’s Resolutions are pouring out of you. Here is Part 2 of a 3 part blog post (go back and read Part ONE) defining The Top 10 New Year’s Resolutions for 2012 that will help you kick some serious butt in the sales world.  Pick a couple and get moving:

SEVEN Extra Minutes Preparing for Every Sales Call This Year

It has been my contention for years that the time spent preparing for the sales call creates the success of the sales call.  In today’s challenging selling environment, many salespeople are getting fewer opportunities than ever.  Thus, it is even more important to build the habit of greater pre-call preparation before every call.  Whether you sell over the telephone or in person, the majority of the pre-call preparation needs to be focused on the customer and their needs.  So…we need to learn (or re-learn) how to “THINK!”  Idea:  As we head into the New Year, it is a very opportune time for every salesperson to have a few deep conversations with their customers about their (the customer’s) goals for the upcoming calendar year.  A great way to engage the customer might be something like this; “Help me understand what it is that you MOST want to accomplish in 2012?”

**Action Step

List a series of topics (and corresponding questions) that you would like to see covered on each of your sales calls.  Where would you like to see the conversation go?  What answers from the customer would best help you build your case of value?   In my experience I have found that, if YOU do not decide, in advance where it is that YOU want to go, then the customer will often take you to where it is that THEY want to go…and too often that means discussing price!

SIX Specific “Thanks-Yous” to Your Internal Customers

It is my belief that anyone in your organization that touches the customer plays a role in sales.  In fact, it is this specific group of “non-traditional salespeople” that ensure your commission every day.  They deliver on the promises that you have made.  They make sure that your customer feels the love that you committed.  The serve, they help, they fix, they direct, they listen, they cure, and they deliver. They deliver the EXPERIENCE that you sold.  In fact, without what they do, you cannot do what you do!  When is the last time that you took the time to say THANKS?  Every other month this year, you need to identify and go out of your way to let someone know that you appreciate their efforts.  It is a fact that you are on the top or the bottom of someone’s to-do list every day.

**Action Step

Identify and write down the names of those individuals in your organization that play a role in your customer care/experience.  Who do they speak with when they have a problem?  Who deals with them  regarding their billing?  Who delivers your products/services to them?  Who handled their issues most often last year?  Now, immediately schedule the time to sit down with those people to express your gratitude for their efforts and to have a conversation about the GROWTH your customers.  Throughout the course of the year, you need to express your thanks (catch them doing something right) in 6 unique ways.  Ideas could range from a handwritten note to movie tickets to dinner gift certificates.  Praise in public or in private…but PRAISE their efforts and be thankful…because the things that get recognized and rewarded, get done again and again!

FIVE More Questions to Get to “WHY?”

Take a shovel with you to every sales call this year.  The shovel is not to shovel more of your #%@ on them!  It is to dig a little deeper to get to the answer behind the answer.  Most questions can gather information and data.  Great questions get to the motives behind that information and data.  In other words, instead of just finding out about the who, the what, the when, the where, the how, and the when (all of these are important), ask FIVE additional questions to get to the WHY!  Rarely does any customer really want to buy or own what you are selling.  They do, however, wish to accomplish, cure or avoid something in their business or personal lives.  Your product or service can most likely help them do that.  Make sure your questions uncover their motivations. Get to the WHY!

**Action Step

Go back to the drawing board and write down the main 3 or 4 BENEFITS that your customers receive from your product or service.  What pains will it cure?  What problems will it solve?  What fears will it offer peace of mind to?  What goals will it help accomplish?  Make sure that the things that you list matter to the customer.   Remember also that, with the changing economic environment, customer’s motivations today may be different from last year.  Next, list a series of questions that you will ask to get to the “why” in the conversation.  Dig, dammit! Dig! There’s GOLD in those answers!