How To Take The Right Steps To Increase Your Selling Results

By Jim Meisenheimer
Posted Tuesday, February 1, 2005

Steps - it is unrealistic for most salespeople to expect to make a sale in a single step. Most sales don't end after a single phone call. If you’re selling a complex product or service you won't get the order after a single face-to-face sales call. There are a number of steps involved in making a sale. If you want to make more sales, more quickly, more profitably, and do it more often you need your own personalized selling model.

This model consists of all the steps beginning with the identification of a sales opportunity and ends with the customer’s commitment to buy. Each step must be clearly defined and as a professional salesperson you must know each step like the back of your hand. How would you answer this question: what are the routine steps you take to generate sales for your company? If you’re answer isn't quick, crisp, and concise it means you need to do some homework.

In step - there is only one major way to get in step with your customers and potential customers. The single best way to get in step with your customers and potential customers is to ask rock solid questions. Assume nothing question everything. Remember, the more experience you have the more assumptions you'll make.

People are unique and so are your customers. It's not too early to start asking your customers this question. "What are your priorities for the year 2005." Don't assume you know until you ask the question and listen to their response.

Out of step - do everything you can to be out of step with your competition. From your customers perspective you don't want to look like your competition. Do everything you can to be different. Small differences create big advantages for you.

Example, attach a small ribbon to literature whenever you send it or leave it behind. Your promotional pieces will always standout from the rest of the stuff on your customer’s desk. The road to success is paved with differentiation.

Watch your step - personal and professional goals (in writing) determine who you are and establish very clearly where you're going. Imagine you are on one really giant and humongous stairway in life. If you could jettison yourself to the last step on that stairway and sneak a peek back down, what would you see? Probably lots of small steps.

One step leading to another. Always remember every step you take is moving you up or down on the stairway called life. View the steps as action plans on your way to achieving your next goal.

Step down - if the walls are starting to move in on you and you are feeling edgy and stressed you probably have too much on your plate. Translation – you’re trying to do too much at one time. When you have so much to do it makes you dizzy just thinking about it, change your focus to doing less instead of more.

Try this; write down three things that are low value time busters. Take the list and toss it away. Forget about doing these three things. Why would you even think about doing low value, time busting, time wasting, aggravating, annoying, and pain in the butt things? Try checking voice mail and e-mail less frequently. The messages will still be there.

Your life needn't be lived on a treadmill that's going full throttle 100 percent of the time. Step down periodically to enjoy the journey called life. Step down if you want a change of pace.

Step on it - time matters most. Watch your watch and keep track of your time. Don't waste your time on anything frivolous. If what you’re doing doesn't add value to your customer or make you money, why are you doing it? Today is the most important day of your life!

Are you living it that way? Being busy isn't the same as being productive. Perspiring and getting results are two totally different pictures. The former feels good while the latter is good.

Step up – and take action on all the things you are meaning to do. Procrastinators aren’t born they’re made from a lifetime of putting things off. Invest two hours this week to clear your desk. Create two stacks, MATTERS MOST and DOESN’T MATTER.

Take everything you’ve been meaning to do and put them into one of these stacks. Once done, prioritize the MATTERS MOST stack and get rid of the other one. Do first things first and always concentrate on doing what matters most.

Small steps – it’s been said that a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. My guess is the philosopher who penned that wants us to take a single small step. The first step is seldom the big one.

It is however the most important one.

About the Author
Jim Meisenheimer is the creator of No-Brainer Sales Training. His sales techniques and selling skills focus on practical ideas that get immediate results. You can discover all his secrets by visiting his website: (http://www.meisenheimer.com)