Depend on the rabbit's foot if you will but remember it
didn't work for the rabbit.
-R.E. Shay
A question is circulating amongst the ranks of salespeople
all over. It is asked of sales managers, trainers, teachers
and motivators alike. The question is realistic and sounds
something like this: "I am a pretty good salesperson now,
but I want to get better. What is the trick to selling
more?"
The question is a natural one. As technology continues to
explode, we are gradually beginning to believe that anything
can be engineered to run faster and do more with less
effort. Can it?
Technology is more fashionable and amazing than ever.
Consider the trends. Bag phones are so out of date I'm
embarrassed to talk about them. Today's phones are powerful,
compact, cool, and weigh only ounces. With home computers
and laptops, more memory now costs less. If we can actually
send information instantly over a light beam to the other
side of the planet, then why wouldn't we expect an easier
way to sell? After all, I can catch a flight from Charlotte
to Tokyo and get there the day before I left home.
Why can't a trick exist today to sell more with less work?
Let's take a look.
The quest for tricks or shortcuts in selling is an old one.
It has existed as long as the craft itself. Meticulous tests
have searched every angle for new, quicker, faster, and
easier ways to sell. Field tests are occasionally conducted
by salespeople themselves.
I am fortunate to have a personal reading library stocked
with magnificent books. As I review their pages, I am
constantly reminded of a major truth.
With hundreds of titles and literally tens of thousands of
pages, test results are the same. In the history of man,
only one trick holds the key to success in sales and success
in life itself. It is stitched into every page of every
book. Every veteran sales manager knows it. All studies
reflect it. Sales masters have it memorized it and recite it
upon request. It boils everything down to one thing.
The trick is that there ain't no trick.
While technology may replace last year's gadget, right now,
technology can't replace the human element in fundamentals
of selling. Why? Because selling is more than pre-printed
form letters, auto responders, and high tech PDA's. Selling
is not so much about snappy PDA's, trendy web sites, and
Blackberry's as it is about hot coffee, warm people, and
good handshakes.
If selling were a technology then sales would automatically
increase as technology increases. But unfortunately, sales
don't automatically increase as technology increases. Why?
Because technology is a tool. Selling is a skill performed
in an emotional arena. Technology can't overcome an
objection. It doesn't sense the customer on the fence.
Technology can't empathize with situations or maintain
direct eye contact, read body language or build common
ground. Selling is not a technology.
Selling is an art.
U.S. heavyweight collegiate wrestling champ Doug Kinney
pinned the issue when he said, "If you want to win, you
gotta dance with the one that brung ya." This simply means
dance with the fundamentals that have always worked, that
always will work, timeless basics that bring you personal
success every day.
So...what are the fundamentals in selling? Good question.
First of all, you must be willing to do the work. Embrace
the internet. Use PDA's. Use email. These things help you
stay competitive. But don't forget that great salespeople
adopt fundamental work ethics that others won't. Come to
work to work. While others talk with the talkers, you can
counsel with doers. While others plan parties, polish your
selling skills into smooth syncopated salesmanship. World
class salespeople don't just fall into sales anymore than
world class divers just fall into a pool. Work on your
dreams. Romance your dreams. Talk about your dreams, and
never associate with dream stealers.
Secondly, you must realize people don't buy what it is, they
buy what it does. Master salesman Ron Popiel doesn't sell
what his Ronco rotisserie oven is. He sells what it does. He
never mentions temperature or how it's assembled. "It cooks
a twelve pound turkey with less energy that it takes to
operate a hair dryer!" He sells "a standing rib roast! The
steaming tray!" He sells health, ease of operation,
simplicity, value. Value is what people buy. How many ovens
do you have? One large? Maybe a microwave? Maybe a toaster
oven? That's three. Watch out! Ron will sell you a fourth!
Great presentations will never go out of style. Sell what it
does.
Thirdly, you must love what you do. Do you love your work?
Do you believe in what you sell? Challenge yourself to be
your best. People that love their work make more, live
longer and have happier lives. Loving your work generates
believability. A key element in sales.
Love your work, and love your customers. In the movie,
"Jerry McGuire" the late great Dickie Fox said, "You gotta
love 'em before you sell 'em." People don't care what you
know until they know you care. When people know that you
care, you become a success magnet. See every customer with a
flashing sign on their chest that says, "Make me feel
special." Bad salespeople see customers as a hassle. Great
sales people see customers as referrals.
I once heard a customer say to a master salesperson, "I was
going to buy it the whole time. I just wanted to watch you
sell it to me." Understanding the real trick empowers you to
morph shoppers into buyers while others hide in the bushes
and watch. People listen to masterful salespeople. Don't
you?
Chris Alford is a father, a North Carolina native and
founder and president of Motivate America, Inc. and Chris
Alford Concepts, two leadership training companies
specializing in dynamic educational programs.
http://www.ChrisAlfordConcepts.com
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