The Blatant Truth Weblog

Born to Run…Errrr, Sell

Yes, some people were born to sell. Naturally extroverted, intrinsically good listeners, blessed with what is commonly referred to as a “thick skin”, these folks often gravitate towards sales and more often than not, they excel in the position.

But what if you share little if anything with these “natural born” sales superstars? Are you doomed if you find yourself in some sort of sales position and, after all, who isn’t selling these days?!

The answer is a resounding “no”. Do not start running for the hills if tasked with sales. Help is on the way. Here are some tips and techniques that can help put you on top of the sales game.

1. Don’t ever underestimate the importance of practice. Say it again—P R A C T I C E!
The more prepared that you are the more confident and comfortable you will be, and confidence is fundamental to successful sales endeavors. Practice your telephone pitch, practice your in-person presentation, it might even help to practice what you say / do at networking events.

2. Know your “stuff”! Nothing helps to build your confidence like being in control of the information that you need to present. Even an experienced sales rep can get tripped up when faced with a question to which they don’t know the answer. Become a master of the facts!

3. Relax. You are speaking to another human being made of the very same flesh and blood as you. Take a deep breathe and remember to control your rate of speech, tone, manner and inflection. Your tone of voice can contradict what you are saying. Make certain that they are in sync.

And lastly:

Don’t take negative responses personally. A prospective client might not be interested in what you have to offer and they might not be polite and courteous when expressing their feelings. Still, they are negatively disposed towards your product or service, not towards “you” and there is a vast difference.

These tips can be learned, embraced and when they become habit you will be a better salesperson.

Any questions on how, check out “The Blatant Truth: 50 Ways to Sales Success”. (Yep, I wrote it!)