Ok, now that you are taking control and going back to basics in your personal life - it is time to get your sales career back in order. The following is made especially for my sales people friends - but it applies to all of us.
I was in outside sales for more than nine years selling radio. I was good at what I did and I had a great time. But whenever my sales would drop it would ALWAYS be because of the same thing: I was getting lazy. So my sales friends: It is time to get back to the basics. Yes, this is obvious. Yes, this is simple. But what has happened is that we have gotten comfy in our sales careers and our "reliable" clients.
Things have gotten a little tough as of late and budgets have been slashed - so... we have to work a little harder. A few of my friends have called me to get a little inspirational MOJO - and this is what I am telling them. So for all my fellow sales warriors - here are a couple of basics:
#1 The truth is in the numbers!
When you first started at your job - how many cold calls did you make a week?
How many are you making now? (Tell the truth)
Most likely you are making less than half of what you used to. So, your "B2B" is to at least double the number of cold calls. Why?
Because if you are making 20 cold calls they are probably turning into 6 meetings. Those six meetings are probably turning into 2 sales. If you need 4 sales then you better do 40 cold calls. If you need 6 sales / week then you better do 60 cold calls a week.
It is basic math! Do this for one month and see how quickly your sales increase.
#2 - Don't judge a book by its cover
I know your mamma taught you this - and it still rings true. We have all heard the story of the homeless-looking guy who walked into Sears and all the salesmen ignored him. Then the "newbie" asks him if he wants help and he bought 20 refrigerators for the apartment complex that he owned.
Or in my case when I sold cars when I was 19 I was that "newbie." I worked with 14 car salesmen and they didn't want to help the mom who drove up in a beat-up van with her three kids. I wasn't jaded yet so I walked up and helped her. She ended up buying two cars from me - a new van for herself , and a work truck for her husband. I made $2,000 commission from this deal. Then the next weekend she sent her sister over to see me and she bought a car!
We get lazy, we get jaded - and we start judging the outcome before the sale even begins. You didn't do it when you were a "newbie" so don't do it now. Who knows how much money is passing you up when you stereotype the "opp."
#3 - It is time to get creative!
If you sell advertising you better come up with some amazing packages
If you sell services - you better have some amazing customer service
If you sell products to retailers you better package those babies up with GWP's or PWP's or some really amazing packaging that stands out from the rest.
There are a hundred other "yous" out there - what makes YOU so special?
#4 Get Excited!
Derek always makes fun of me because he says that I have a "sales face." When I get excited about a new restaurant in town and I am telling him about it he usually says something like: "Ok babe - you sold me! We'll go..."
He calls it my sales face because my eyes get big, my eyebrows go up and down, my arms start flailing around, my head nods, and my voice gets higher. This is just me - those of you who know me know that I can talk about a new pen that way - but the point is - I'm excited and I am making people want it too!
People are feeling kind of low right now. They are waiting for you to come in and get them excited again! Listen, if they are not buying from you it's becuase their clients are not buying from them. Give them hope. Let them know that their clients will be so excited about your product that they will make room in their own budget for it.
Everyone needs a little spike in their punch right now. Give it to them. Your excitement will wear off on them and they will be excited to do business with you.
Get Back 2 Basics and have FUN!
