5 Questions That Determine Success In Sales

The question is what does it mean to be successful?  That really depends on what your goals are.  Are you interested in making one-time sales with new customers?  Are you interested in repeat business or obtaining referrals?  John Maxwell says in “How Successful People Think,” success is spending your life on yourself and on others.  You can have REAL personal and lasting success in all areas of your life!  YOU get to CHOOSE!!!

Today, I’m going to teach you some sales techniques that will help you make the sale, but I’m also going to teach you how to make a customer.   You need to first choose to understand the difference and determine the answer to this:  “WHAT are you really selling?”

When presenting a product or service to a potential customer, there are some basic factors that will determine whether or not you make the sale.

1. Does your product or service solve a problem or fit a need?
2. Does the price fit the budget?
3. Can you deliver in the time needed and expected?
4. Is there a reason WHY they would want your brand/store/product?
5. Is there a reason WHY they would want to buy from YOU?

DO YOUR HOMEWORK and be prepared before you proceed to try to sell anything to someone:

1. What are the highlights of your product? What are the benefits?
2. What does your competition look like? (including prices & location)
3. What are the options a consumer could choose to purchase the exact same thing somewhere else? -stores, website, online auction sites, amazon, etc.  (are there delivery or hidden fees?)
4. WHAT DO THEY KNOW ALREADY before walking into your store?

Thanks to the internet, MOST consumers are educated on what they want, where it can be bought, how much it costs, and what the reviews are on most big ticket items BEFORE they walk into a store to touch it, feel it, and check it out.   And if the item is not a big ticket item, but rather something that could also be an impulse buy, the rules still apply.  The ONLY DIFFERENCE they will see between you and the competition, is NOT the product itself, but rather… it is YOU!!!  So you need to sell them on YOU!!!

The same concept applies to a sales team in an organization.  Everyone shares the same company, the same products, the same opportunity, etc.  But why is it that some people do a better job at getting all the sales and some people seem to not make any sales, or very little?  The ONLY difference in this equation is the salesperson.  It seems like they have an advantage or a slight edge over others.  What is it?

I’m going to propose that we ALL are salespeople.  We sell people EVERY DAY.  When you want your parents to buy you something or approve of something, you know exactly which one to go to.   Or if you’re married, you know when the best time is to present your case is. You also know if it would be better to directly approach and ask the question, or present the facts first.  You probably already have a solution in mind to all their objectives so you are ready to close the deal before you ask the question.

We also sell people EVERY DAY by making referrals.  We tell people where the sales are, who has the best steak and what movies they should go see.  We tell people who they should meet and who they should avoid.  We don’t get paid to do this, but we naturally do it anyway.

As salespeople, if you will take this natural approach that we do anyway, and put forth some effort to be prepared, knowledgeable in your field, obtain the necessary skills needed, know what your potential customers know, understand how you can help solve their problems and be willing to take a personal inventory and make some changes to yourself, you can turn your passions into profits.

“In keeping with the theme of this site, I’ve CHOSEN to find another way to earn extra vacation money so I can keep making discoveries and refer them to you.  Some of the links (not all) are affiliate links or direct you to my passions that help me live my dreams.  So…ENJOY and click away!  If you like it…great.  I had a feeling you would.  I only recommend what I believe in.”