| |
| |
|
Go Back | About | Contact | Web Design News | |
|
|
|
How to Leverage Your Influence
Why do we get into sales? Typically it is two reasons for most people. One is to make money, and the other is often that we like working with other people. Yes, there are good reasons to be in sales. To be highly effective and win on a consistent basis, we must remember that sales is a team effort. Its great to have a big ego (of course you would here this from me). A big ego will carry you far. A big ego is also a strong ego in my world. A strong ego is someone who knows when and how to put him or herself aside, and bring whole team along. There are two sales then that we must constantly win to be effective in sales. The first is the one that we talk about all of the time - selling to our prospects and customers. This is where we spend most of our time. The other is the internal sale. To be effective, everyone who supports us in our jobs has to believe that we are as great as our customers think we are (and we that we are). Top salespeople know this. They make sure that their sales consultants, sales engineers, financing specialists, product support personnel, contract administrators, office managers, administrative assistants and receptionists absolutely love them. This is an important way to achieve real influence. When your internal team loves you, you are a force to be reckoned with. You can call resources to bear when you need them most. When a big deal comes up, and you need the extra help for the fight, the support staff will want to give it to you because they like you. Salespeople that behave like raging assholes around their support staff don't get a lot of help when they are in a bind and really need it. Sure, you can have their boss order them to do it. Then their boss will dislike you too. And the first time you stumble, people will be line up to pile on you. And in today's less than certain economic environment, you'll be on high on their hit list. Having been in sales for a long time myself, I admit that there have been times where I have been less than wonderful to some of my support people. Since I've been there, I know how it happens. You're under a lot of pressure. You've got a quota that you gotta make. Maybe you don't know everyone well because you are new. You are not so certain that you are going to get the help that you need before either losing the sale or being fired. The common reaction for some people is to become a little Hitler. We have all this work that has to get done. It has to get done now. There's not enough time in the day or in the week. Yet these people that work with us, they don't seem to share our commitment to doing whatever it takes to getting the job done. Doing whatever it takes to win the deal. So we get strident with them, speaking in stressed out voices with wrinkled faces, repeating over and over just how urgent things are and that they must get done now. Well, these people that work with us and support us, don't for the most part have the financial incentives that we do. They aren't the risk takers that we are. If they were, then they would be in sales too. This is the source then of the stress that comes up at times between salespeople and our support staffs. We have different incentives towards the same common business goals of selling products and acquiring new customers. To be a leader then, one must have perspective. One must remember that while we may be in a risky business, the potential rewards are why we are here. Our support staff do not share the same rewards as we do, nor the same risks. It is unreasonable then to expect our support people to "do whatever it takes" without having a reason for such a commitment. You must become the reason. When you do, you will feel your influence increasing and your power multiplying. We want to sell and influence our support people just as we sell and influence our customers. That is, first get to know them individually. Find out what their wants, desires, and pains are. See how you can make their job easier and more enjoyable while working together to make more sales. Everybody wants to enjoy their work and to get some fulfillment from it. They will enjoy working with you, and will want to help you. Doing this will help you to get what you want out of sales - to make money and to enjoy working with people. © 1999-2004 Shamus Brown, All Rights Reserved. Shamus Brown is a Professional Sales Coach and former high-tech sales pro who began his career selling for IBM. Shamus has written more than 50 articles on selling and is the creator of the popular Persuasive Selling Skills CD Audio Program. You can read more of Shamus Brown's sales tips at http://Sales-Tips.industrialEGO.com/ and you can learn more about his persuasive sales skills training at http://www.Persuasive-Sales-Skills.com/
MORE RESOURCES:
Sales - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
It Isnt A Sale Until Youre Paid Back in the days when I sold for CTV and CBC Television I had a manager that once said " It isn't a sale until you're paid." Most salespeople absolutely HATE calling their customers to ask for payment as they feel like the GOOD GUY and BAD GUY rolled into one!Hey - we have all been there. A Look at Child Mannequins Not all mannequins are made to look like full-grown adults. Child mannequins are also common in many clothing stores. Do You Want to Know the 8 Tips to Selling More Products? So often sales men and woman are the very people that prevent themselves from obtaining additional sales and increasing their commissions. It doesn't matter if it's counter sales or door-to-door. I Don't Want To Be Sold; I Want To Buy I went shopping for clothes today.My plan was to buy a navy blue sports coat, a couple of shirts and ties and maybe a pair of black shoes. Improve Your Sales Closing Ratio Occasionally EGOPOWER readers send me questions or topic suggestions that I feel would be of interest to you. In this issue I give some tips to improve your sales closing ratio in response to a question Rob Smith wrote me from the UK: "I sell IT equipment to schools in the UK over the phone. Powerful Words Hi,I'd like to discuss the most powerful words you can use during the selling process.Quote: Words are the most powerful drug used by mankind. A Look at Mannequin Heads A mannequin head is a life-size head that includes all of the features of a human face. Mannequin heads can be used in several different situations. The Biggest Mistake In Selling! Some trainers and sales managers teach that there are prospects that just need a little more time in the decision-making process. They explain that a decision-maker's stall is not always a put off and they just need to think a bit more about their decision, or that they have to sell the idea to someone else. Creating Your Perfect Pitch! Why should you describe your business to others in 5 to 10 seconds?How long do you think you have to get anyone's attention? 5 minutes? 2 minutes? 30 seconds? It is actually 10 seconds. I know it does not seem like a long period of time but you will be amazed what you can say in 10 seconds. The Most Important Word in a Business Letter What do you think it is? Many experts insist it's the word "you." Why?When most of us read anything, we're looking for something that interests us. Why People Use Long Sales Copy Have you ever wondered why some people use long sales letter? Here is the answer: These people newer bothered to find out what the potential customer wants. If you know exactly what your potential customer wants, you can be short and to the point. 7 Strategies for Writing Fundraising Letters Writing fundraising letters can be an effective way to request donations to a charitable cause. Letters are used for a variety of purposes and can be sent to a large number of people or a select few. Challenge Yourself!!! Evaluate Your Selling Skills! This evaluation is not for the "weak-kneed". Real questions to determine Real skills for Real world sales. How to Reach Purchasing Agents of Big Corporations Now business owners and sales professionals can develop a Faster and Easier method of selling to big corporations, Hospitals and Universities, Government Agencies (State, County levels), and other medium enterprises.. The Top 10 Myths About the Sales Profession Myth 1: Sales People are all Shady!In the Broadway play "Death of a Salesman" Willy Loman was a down and out emotionally spent Salesman trying to understand his life after 34 years of traveling up and down the roads selling his products. The negative stereotype of a Salesman is rooted deep into the subconscious of society. Program Your Biocomputer For Sales Success Selling isn't something you do to people, it's something you do for them. If you feel as though you're being pushy or twisting arms when you are interacting with prospective customers or clients, you might be doing just that. Sell More: How to Get Motivated Buyers To Call You First How many sales opportunities have you lost to competitors who seemed to have the insidetrack? It's likely your prospect purchased from their emotional favorite.Selling goes beyond communicating the value of your products and services. A Simple Truth - Authentic Sales Tip A Simple TruthDo you have the right stuff?Are you consistent in your business?Do you build relationships easily?Are you approachable?I'm writing this E-letter aboard American Airlines flight # 2005from Atlanta to Miami, and then on to my final destination Tampa International Airport.For the last three days I've been attending the National Speakers Association annual convention. Sales Letters - How to Write Them You could just send out your brochure to potential customersbut it's much better to personalise your mailing with a wellwritten sales letter.Personalise - Using the person's name in a sales letter willgive you the greatest success. Focus on a Trade - Not a Discount Smart buyers will always ask for a better price. Unfortunately, too many sales people and business owners automatically think that reducing their price is the most effective way to respond to this request.
|
ChicagoAnimation's Acquisitions: Market Polls - 1pennyStock.com
Sponsors: Paving | VTL's | Religious Statues
