3-22-2013
Sales managers often tell their salespeople that the best time to make a sale is right after they?ve just made one. While I can?t prove a statistical correlation between closing one sale and then, quickly thereafter, closing another, I can tell you that it makes sense to me. There is no doubt that after making a sale, salespeople typically experience a significant increase in their level of confidence. And it would be logical to believe that amplified self-confidence would make it easier to sell.
Of course, the opposite holds true as well. A salesperson in a slump finds it harder to sell than ever! So, if confidence has that much impact on sales success, how can a salesperson increase his or her sales confidence?
Here are six things you can use to increase your sales confidence (or the sales confidence of someone you manage):
1. Know your product. While it is critical that you know your customers? needs and challenges and understand their business so you can help them, you can?t let that keep you from being the expert on your product as well. Your sales confidence will skyrocket if you are, hands-down, the true expert on all of your product?s capabilities. Challenge yourself to not only know what you can do to help your clients, but also understand how you can use your product to help them achieve the ROI they need.
2. Know your process. Become an expert in your sales process. The more you know, the more confident you?ll become. Many salespeople are ?unconscious competents,? unaware of exactly how they make the sales they make.
Become conscious. Study the sales process, and look for ways to improve in each step along the way. Increase your awareness, and focus on what you are doing right. Then find ways to do those things more often, and increase
your sales confidence and grow your productivity while you?re at it.
3. Show that it works. It?s a lot easier to have confidence in something when you are certain it will do what you say it?s going to do. If you are serious about increasing sales confidence, then you need to commit resources to building case studies and showing your clients that your product gets results. There are many ways to demonstrate this effectiveness. You could develop printed collateral material, video testimonials, or success-focused podcasts. You could also invite a client that is getting results to a sales meeting for everyone to learn more.
4. Practice, practice, practice. One of the very best and easiest ways to build confidence is to practice. Remember back in your elementary school days when you were given the assignment to learn all 50 states? Then you had to stand in front of the class and recite them all. Just like every other kid in your class, you were probably nervous that you?d forget some states and get a bad grade ? or, even worse, embarrass yourself. This elementary assignment likely taught you that to ensure success, you need lots and lots of practice. When it was your turn to present to your peers, you may have had a few butterflies in your stomach, but if you?d practiced enough, you likely also had a good deal of self-confidence. Sales is no different. Practice is key. If you?re serious about increasing your sales confidence, you need to commit to practicing at that level. Role-play every scenario that you might encounter, and don?t stop after one time. Practice enough to increase your confidence, and you?ll see that it works.
5. Know your industry. Beyond knowing the capabilities of your product, you should take time to know the industry in which you work. What new technologies are coming that will make what you can offer better for your
customers? What are the key statistics that make your products important to your customers? The more you know about the big picture in the industry you serve, the more respect you will garner and the more confidence you will have when you sell.
6. Know your customer. Take time to know your customer before you start to sell them anything. Dig deep to understand their needs. Learn about their challenges and opportunities. A true understanding of your customer leads to significantly more confidence in the ideas and solutions you present. Confidence without talent or training will never lead to sustained success. But that success is rarely reached without it.
Matt Sunshine is EVP of the Center for Sales Strategy.
E-mail: mattsunshine@csscenter.com
Add a Comment Send This Story To A Friend
