Semper Paratus – Always Ready
Real success in sales is never formulaic. It comes from the desire to exceed expectations. This type of success is also always multi-layered.
So, while there is no formula for sales success, there are certain aspects that must be respected. I have observed over the years that the sales professional who overlooks these keys does so at his or her peril.
These 3 keys to success in sales are:
Focus – Have you ever wondered about the focus required to be a brain surgeon? How about a diamond cutter? In both cases, I don’t expect the person doing the cutting to be thinking about his or her two o’clock tee time at the country club.
At least not while they are carving on my noggin or my wedding ring. These professionals have too much respect for their craft to have anything less than a laser focus.
The same kind of focus should be applied when you’re in pursuit of a sale. If you have not taken the time to educate yourself on the client and their needs then you are just going through the motions.
As part of a sales team, each member will be responsible for certain deliverables. Never let yourself be the person that lets the rest of the team down.
Nobody wants to be the weakest link. You must get to know the client firm and every individual who will be involved in the decision-making process.
Speed – You should always want to be “the first-est with the most-est”. That’s because only bad things will happen if you don’t close the sale as soon as possible.
Every minute that passes without the deal being closed is an opportunity for the sale to be lost. Whether your client takes this time to rethink his/her needs or the competition seizes this opening to displace you, make no mistake. You let it happen.
Persistence – Keep digging! Never, ever give up! If you are in sales for more than a minute you will hear the word NO! Don’t take it personally.
Provided you have properly prepared the field to make the sale, the word NO is simply reflective of that moment in time. Circumstances may change and the hoped for “YES” may come your way in due time……….but only if you are persistent.
Focus, speed, and persistence are key components of your overall plan. They are not just random items to be pursued. Your master plan for every opportunity will include these attributes but the plan must be much more than these characteristics in isolation.
There is no rule book for sales in any of its many contexts. I don’t care if you are working in B2B or B2C, sales is more an art than a science.
You may have certain metrics that seem to reveal themselves over and over but don’t be fooled. You must be able to recognize when to break your normal pattern. When to break any rules you may have adhered to before.
You should also have a “hook” that sets your offering apart from all of the others. Something that is a highlight which will separate you from the herd. Einstein famously said:
“We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them”.
As a sales professional, you are first and foremost a problem solver. This is why you will work your fingers to the bone to understand your client and their needs.
You will know the pain points for your client better than he or she knows them. In fact, you will be able to identify potential pain points in advance if you have really immersed yourself in the clients’ business requirements.
Lastly, you want a big finale! Don’t allow yourself to be satisfied just responding to the client request. No! You want to ensure that you stand apart from any competitors. All other things being equal, you want to deliver something extra that cannot be ignored.
The Cajuns in Louisiana have this great term called Lagniappe. It means “something extra”. A real sales pro always wants to provide his/her client with something extra to ensure they are “above the rest”.
Recently, I was fortunate to be part of a team that won a major sale from a new client. The entire process had taken several months of work between our sales, engineering and operations departments.
Imagine the client’s delight when we met with them about a week after the sale to explain that we had identified a way to substantially de-risk a critical part of their operation.
There was no financial reward for us. We were just delivering some lagniappe. The client was extremely pleased and I’m sure we solidified our position with that organization.
“The superior man is modest in speech, but exceeds in his actions”. – Confucius
