Remember, there are only two ways to Heat Up Your Sales: 1) obtain new customers, and 2) get your current customers to buy more stuff.
1. Change up your selling tactics. Work more with “A” accounts instead of “B” and “C” accounts. Your competitors want your “A” accounts as new business. Your best accounts might be able to issue an extra PO or two if you just ask them.
2. Measure your results. Meet with an accountability partner once a month. Keep a scorecard of your weekly activity goals and results. Be tough on each other. If goals are not achieved, get explanations as to why, and create action steps to improve this next week.
3. Double up your call activity. Don’t give in to the year end doom-and-gloom mentality that “nobody is buying because of the holidays.” Just like every other week and month, inventory has got to be replenished. Watch your sales increase as your competitor sits at the bar and stares at his empty glass of eggnog.
4. Offer gift certificates. Finding the perfect gift is rare. Being able to purchase a gift certificate on-line, right up until Christmas day gives you a competitive edge. $500 towards a website revamp; $400 towards a new office chair. How about splurging for a customer or colleague’s chamber membership? Check out this list of gift card ideas.
5. Make every call count. Be meticulously prepared and expect to obtain a successful outcome. Ask the best questions, control the sales process, handle those expected objections with professionalism, watch for buying signals, and add value by actively listening and suggesting options to the decision maker’s problems.
6. Expect to succeed. Hoping to get the order is a bad strategy. Daily planning, weekly planning, account planning, and meticulous preparation are the high payoff activities to immediate results.
7. Focus on high payoff activities. Ask yourself, “Is this activity the best use of my time?”
What a great ‘kick in the pants’, Mike! It’s all stuff we know yet need to be reminded of from time to time. I always get something from your newsletters.
Thank you!
Sherry Schultz
Thank you, Sherry!
For me, measuring my results really helps because it’s a constant motivator to compete with myself. Every week I try to beat out my scores for the week before.
Also, expecting to succeed always helps. People can definitely pick up on confidence. No one wants to work with someone who is a downer, but they want to work with someone who’s not only confident in their self but confident in their product as well.
Thank you, Zak!
Be ambitious & disciplined. Be the best. Your customers want to buy from the best.