Janna
Sales representative
What are some techniques which you should learn to become a good sales? #sales
38 answers
Jorge Boabaid
Jorge’s Answer
Hi Janna!
Good question. Learn how to sell is very important thing in your life. This is a knowledge that you take with you in your entire life, regardless of the industry you work. It's for your life.
If you learn early how to sell, you will be in advantage over your competitors in the job market.
Some techniques that will help you:
Believe in the product you're selling;
Learn all about the product you're selling;
Think in advance the objections that can happen during the sale time;
Listen carefully to what your customer has to say;
Look into the eyes of your client while speaking;
Learn techniques for public speaking;
These are the most important techniques in my opinion.
Greetings from Porto Alegre, Brazil.
Jorge, I completely agree with everything you said.
Karen A. Larson
Scott Lieberman
Scott’s Answer
Great question!
Some techniques to learn are
active listening skills
asking open ended questions
make sure you have a keen interest in the customer and what you are selling
educate customers on how they benefit from your solution
And....... Practice Practice Practice
Sales is skill so practicing helps you treat it like a process and get better at it every day
Good luck!
straight to the point!
Mario Makary
Anne-Maree Murphy
Anne-Maree’s Answer
Sales is a passion and some of the best are very transparent with clients and also humble. Be curious. Take the time to understand your client's business, and the industry. Some of the best advise comes from people like John Barrows https://jbarrows.com/, and Gary Vaynerchuk https://www.garyvaynerchuk.com/. Avoid being brash and taking too much about yourself, product and why they should buy from you. Take the time in your meetings to ask questions on what you can do to assist with their challenges and make them successful .
In your prospecting messages customize it to the individual, and before sending it look at their profile on LinkedIn or Twitter to assist you in crafting your message.
Finally, storytelling goes along way.Get to know your product solution well, and then use story telling to position that when you are pitching. Check out www.duarte.com/
Anne-Marie I completely agree that learning about the client is very important!
Karen A. Larson
A A
A’s Answer
In my opinions, a good sales representative is combining with sales the product and build the loyal relationship with the customer.
First of all - customer focus, get the real connection or engagement with your customers, get to know them more by their interest, family and life. Once your approachability is increase, the trust relationship within you and your customers will increase also.
Moreover, understanding customer’s needs is a bonus, beside of present the features and benefits of the product. Establishes and maintains effective relationships with customers and gains their trust and respect, once you can satisfy your customer, I think you are a good sales.
Also, use empathy to understand more about the customer concerns, by switching position or mindset of the customer, than you will be able to get the sales and win the customer’s heart.
And you might need to think there would be several types of sales you might involve into. Such you would work in a place without any commission to share, or on the contrary the commission would be your only salary. Surely you could choose the hybrid one. It might affect you to what kind of sales you are going to choose, which actually would require the skills a little bit difference.
Mitchell Nowak
Mitchell’s Answer
Listening is key to your success. Take notes and confirm by repeating what you have learned or are asked for. It is important not to interrupt.
Understand what the goals of the individual are (personally and professionally). Understand why this is a goal, can they measured. How does this goal or need affect the team, leadership and the organization.
Effective clear communication and teamwork will be needed when working with your team to understand and respond to you customers needs. Set action items, ownership and due dates.
Time management is key to ensure you prioritize the different tasks needed for your success. You may have customer visits, administrative tasks, follow ups, proposal generation, and/or strategic planning. Planning your time is essential or you will be overwhelmed and miss your commitments.
Understand your product as well as your competitions. What are your strengths and how do they align with the customers goals.
Communication verbal, non verbal, written and presentation skills will be needed.
Ability to self reflect, ask others advice for feedback to build and grow your skills (internal and externally with customers)
Jason Maltese
Jason’s Answer
This is a great question.
From my 19 years of being in sales, I have learned a few things that could help you with this question.
1.) Communication Skills! Being able to have a good conversation with someone is key to being a great salesperson. Eye contact, speaking clearly these are just a few things that will help you have a better conversation.
2.) Open-Ended Questions, the next time you have a conversation with anyone I want you to try asking only open-ended questions. This is any question that is not answered with a yes or no. Example of a closed-ended question: Do you like the color Red? Example of an open-ended question: What is your favorite color? And why? This can be challenging at first but I promise if you learn this skill it will take you from good to great!
3.) Open to Constructive Feedback. When you are in a sales job you have to be able to take feedback and use it to help you and not it hurt you. Remember that feedback can come from anywhere (peers, kids, customers) and learn from the feedback.
I hope these 3 tips help you out!
Jason Maltese
Claire Hong
Claire’s Answer
Performance management is at the heart of a sales manager's job. Sales managers need to be genuinely concerned with their individual growth while coaching and providing resources to help clients achieve their goals. There are several steps:
1) Plan
Discuss with your clients to set performance expectations and align your growth goals with their business goals. Together, we should make a concrete plan to achieve the goal, including areas for improvement, action steps to achieve desired results, and a schedule for action.
2) Check
We need to take time to talk about performance on a regular basis and see what actions you and your clients have taken and how they impacted performance.
3) Review
Then we need to review the planned performance on the schedule and discuss the factors that influenced the outcome. Discuss what went well and what didn't, and set new goals for the next performance management cycle, if required.
Clients may require continuous feedback/support. So, rather than waiting for a set formal feedback schedule for performance feedback, build trusting relationships with your clients to deliver regular, meaningful feedback throughout the year. Don't forget to include regular training/session on new system/policy/trend/education in your sales plan.
A candid conversation about performance is an important area. Listen to your clients. Conversation about performance is not a one-way conversation, but a two-way dialogue.
Plus, I recommend you to read some best selling books on sales skills.
Hope this helps!
Amanda Brooks
Amanda’s Answer
I've read through the answers given above and there are some really great answers to how to win the sale, but don't ever forget that once you have a customer, sometimes the hardest thing to do is retain the customer, I call this, after care.
I often send my customers a hand written card, (harder during covid to do this, as we are mostly working from home, but I'll send it to their office, as there's no timeline for gratitude), thank them for their business, add in a personal touch from some of the things learned through conversation.
Follow up with the customer, perhaps a few weeks after, to see how they're liking the product.
In sales, I find that problems are not always problems, as it gives you an opportunity to re-engage, and have continuous conversations, where you can save the day, and win ally within the company, and get repeat business, or leads (recommendations) for other potential groups or contacts for the future.
Hope this helps, and good hunting!!!
Dhanesh T
Dhanesh’s Answer
Door to door is incredibly difficult these days. You will get rejected by about 85-90% of the residences you approach.
Umm, I wouldn't do it. If you work on commission only it's going to be rough - unless you have leads to customers, this is a hard as hell way to make money.
Look, the worst thing to do is sound like a salesperson when a person opens the door - people are sick of sales calls of any kind. Be honest, be personable, and don't sound like you have a canned speech that you say to every potential customer.
Do not say 'how are you today' - that's the kiss of death saying that. Every trained sales consultant starts the conversation with that - even I want to shoot them. Say, hi and Introduce yourself. And just say you'd like to talk to them about new features being offered to existing customers. Keep it casual and comfortable and don't act or try hard. Make eye contact but don't stare. Look down from time to time, that's a submissive look and it will make people a little more comfortable - it reads as shy.
When you talk, don't try to spit out a rehearsed speech - if you stumble you appear more human - the more professional you sound the more it turns people off. People are very suspicious of strangers these days, so keep a comfortable distance and never step forward toward their door, they will feel threatened. If they say no, thank them for their time and ask to offer a card in case they change their mind and wish to call at their convenience but if they say no, be gracious.
Just think, be respectful.
Paul Hauber
Paul’s Answer
Sales is a great career! Every company needs them. A few things I have learned over the years.
• Establish rapport and greet with a smile.
• Asking open ended questions starts the customer talking of what they need.
• Ask further questions to help them discover more.
• Summarize what you heard them say and confirm it is correct.
• Present a solution or options that ties into solving or meeting their needs.
• Wrap up with how they can acquire the product or service that helps solve their problem.
• Sincerely thank them for their business and allowing you to serve them.
Always be improving your skills by looking at ways you could have handled a lost sale differently that would have been a better outcome. Constantly be sharpening your skills by investing in yourself by reading, attending training, workshops along with online resources.
I hope this was helpful,
All the Best
Alexandria Arredondo
Alexandria’s Answer
That's a great question!
I would say become a very active listener. Sales really is 80% listening and 20% speaking. Listen to your customers needs and be passionate about what you are selling. Be confident in yourself always. Be human, sales is also about trust. Listen to your customer and you can match what your selling to their needs.
Good luck!
Jason Powers
Jason’s Answer
Sales is an incredible opportunity to make a lot of money while helping people get what they want. I personally found a person I could mentor under at my first sales job. He had been in that industry for 30 years and I learned an incredible amount from him. If you want to be successful in sales I highly suggest you emulate the successful people doing the same job you do. That, and role-playing different scenarios that you will face and how you respond will make it MUCH easier to overcome objections during negotiations.
Lastly, and this is HUGE. Try to stay away from companies that are commission only. In general, they tend to abuse or use their employees without fair compensation. If someone is not willing to pay you a basic salary plus commission its highly possible you don't want to work for them. This has been my personal experience and the experience of practically every other salesperson I have worked with. Beware the commission only scams!
Good luck in your career!
Rob Maar
Rob’s Answer
Sales Rep is a great job!
It is very important to understand what you are selling. Know everything there is to know about your product.. And, here are some other key traits that will help you sell.
- Be Confident - Whether is its in person (good handshake, look the person in eye) or phone sales where your voice is your tool.
- Be passionate about the product you are selling. If you believe in it, so will your potential customer.
- Be prepared - Talk to your co-workers and know what kinds of questions people will ask and have your answers prepared.
- Practice - Use friends and family to practice with. The more practice the better!
Many good books available online for sales as well.
Best of luck!
Jamie Troxell
Jamie’s Answer
Hi Janna! I think that the most important thing about sales is a genuine concern and care for your customer, good work ethic, and grit. Here are a few best practices:
Ask open-ended needs based questions- Everyone jsut wants to be successful. Genuinely seek to understand what their struggles and challenges are. What are their goals? What's holding them back? Become a partner and listen for keywords and hot items that you can tie back to your solution. Here is a good list: https://www.justsell.com/top-30-open-ended-questions
Present your solution- Make sure to tie in what they care about and pause/check in with the customer to make sure they are following you.
Don't get discouraged by "No"- I have learned that in many cases this means "not yet" and not to be shy about asking what they are concerned about...Price? The solution? Something else? Many times once you understand their concern, you can address and overcome it. This is hard at first, but gets easier with practice. winning a customer over after some challenges is one of the most rewarding parts of this job.
Get better everyday!- Network with successful sales people. Spend time developing yourself. Never stop growing. Here are a few online best practice articles.
http://www.eyesonsales.com/content/article/17_best_practices_of_top_performing_sales_people/
http://www.hoovers.com/lc/sales-marketing-education/7-sales-best-practices.html
Best Wishes!
Stéphane Decque
Stéphane’s Answer
Hi
You have a lot of advices above. I would add that the best thing is to start from the beginning. What does it mean ?
Begin as a sales guy selling simple products in stores this is a hard job as people are not often interested in your products. So you have to be good in what you do. With the experience you will improve your skills and your approach. Experience in king in sales so do not hesitate to multiply experiences. And believe in yourself, in your are confident that you like SALES domain do not hear the bad advices. When I was young, a guy told me I will be a bad sales guy as I was too shy. 30 years later I feel really comfortable in my life, in my job selling products. I am very happy about my choice so listen to your heart if you feel this is your way for the future...
Rich Rapp
Rich’s Answer
Erin Saunders
Erin’s Answer
Cindy Shelton
Cindy’s Answer
https://smallbiztrends.com/2017/08/what-makes-a-good-salesperson.html
Ability to Listen
A good salesperson needs to satisfy a client’s needs. The only way to find out what those are is by listening to what each prospect is saying. The best salespeople aren’t always talking.
Empathy
A good salesperson knows how to feel what their customers feel. By getting inside a prospect’s skin, they know just how to sell a product or service. Empathy is a great way to anticipate what a customer wants.
Hunger
These folks also have a need to sell that goes beyond the money. They have personal needs only a sale can help them with. In short, their egos need to be fed with good sales numbers.
Competitiveness
Salespeople who succeed enjoy measuring their skills against their peers. In a word, they’re competitive. They don’t just want to get better at what they do. They want to be better than everyone else.
Networking Ability
Good salespeople love to network. They get involved in their community and have many different business relationships. Networking is not so much a part of the job to them but the way they like to spend their time.
Confidence
Believing in the product or service they are selling is essential. That comes across as a confidence that’s infectious and makes customers want to buy more.
Enthusiasm
A successful salesperson is always motivated. They are always ready to make a sale at any given moment and continually looking for possibilities.
Resiliency
Top earners know how to bounce back from a dry spell. They don’t get discouraged when the sales numbers are down. Rather, they look for innovative ways to turn things around.
Multitasking Skills
An outstanding salesperson knows how to juggle deals they are trying to close with promising leads. They can even respond to queries through emails and on the phone at the same time. Great multitaskers make excellent additions to any sales team.
Honesty
The folks that are best at selling stuff are also honest. They know that shady deals lead to burned bridges that can multiply and cost a lot more than one client.
Curiosity
Being curious with the clients and the product is only the start. The best of these folks are also on the lookout for changes in the industry and what’s offered by the competition.
Adaptability
An outstanding sales representative can go with the flow. Adapting to the client’s schedule and preferences can make all the difference.
Communications Skills
There’s no way around having excellent verbal skills if you’re trying to sell people goods and services. People who excel here know how to stay away from jargon and hard to understand concepts.
Persistence
Without being rude or pushy, good salespeople know how to get the job done. They know many people face the most challenging obstacle just before they reach their goal. They know how to work through slumping sales numbers.
Passion
When a sales representative loves their company, it shows in their pitch. That’s why the most successful salespeople are the best cheerleaders for their small businesses at the same time.
Tenacity
Sales is hard work. The people who really succeed don’t wait for customers to come to them. Prospecting takes up a lot of their time.
Thoroughness
Sales representatives that position themselves at the top stay in touch with their clients. They send birthday, anniversary and thank you cards. It’s all about looking for new ways to stay in a client’s mind.
Understanding of Value
The real superstars in this line of work understand that selling isn’t just about price. They know how to use a value proposition to full advantage.
Ambition
Setting goals and achieving them is important in every small business. That’s especially true for the quotas that salespeople work towards.
Charm
Charming sales representatives create a good first impressions and open the door to sales. Working on your diction and having a groomed appearance makes a big difference.
Imagination
Salespeople who can think on their feet and fit in with changing situations are worth their weight in gold. Having a strong imagination is a valuable characteristic.
Patience
Some clients need a little more handling than others to close a sale. A good sales representative knows this and takes all the time needed.
Initiative
Taking matters into their own hands is the mark of the real pro here. If there’s a product or services that needs to be sold, they can find a way.
Independence
Being self motivated and working on a commission make the best salespeople really good at working on their own.
Commitment
Finally, the best salespeople know they need to go above and beyond to be successful. They like to set the bar high and are continually try to meet new goals.
Scott Sichini
Scott’s Answer
Jorge,
There are a lot of sales techniques and most companies you would work for will teach you the techniques they would like for you to use. Almost all of them teach you to connect with the customer and to discover things about them that will allow you to link their products to the customer. One of the biggest things I can tell you is you cannot be afraid to hear someone tell you no. Almost all sales jobs are a numbers game the more people you ask to purchase the more likely you are to close sales.
Robert Peterson
Robert’s Answer
My biggest thing is learning the product that you are selling and how to relate it to your customer. Connect with your customer and gain trust. Last but not least use the power of asking.
Robert recommends the following next steps:
Liliana Palomino
Liliana’s Answer
Connect with your customer, discover what your customer needs, recommend according to your customers needs, close the sale by asking for the sale. Consistency is key to master these sales process.
Ivonne Rivera
Ivonne’s Answer
Sales is all about people and building trust. If the person or company trusts you and your passionate about product it will help! Connect with your customers, be genuine, personalize it, and discover what’s important for them. Also, recommend a solution based on their needs.
Jacob Swanson
Jacob’s Answer
Great sales techniques are developed over time.
Pro tips
1. Know your product.
2. Know you customer.
3. Know your numbers forward and backwards.
4. Feedback is crucial! Always try different meathods. There is no perfect answer.
5. Speaking human.
6. Find a mentor and learn best practices.
7. Failure is necessary.
Stephen Wilcox
Stephen’s Answer
Great question, one thing I think that's really helped me is mastering the art of people. The better you can understand people and tendencies the greater sales person you'll be. I read a really good book called the like switch which really helped me.
Alana Marcum
Alana’s Answer
Sales can be a great career. The skills that make you successful in sales will also make you successful in other parts of business. Active listening skills, asking open ended questions, and understanding the the needs of the customer and/or the customer's business are critical skills. Doing so, will help you become a trusted advisor. A healthy amount of a competitive spirit and strong work ethic will also help. Best of luck to you.
Lisa M Santana
Lisa M’s Answer
A good skill to develop is selling with emotional intelligence, having this skill will help you connect with your customer on another level.
Selling with emotional intelligence helps build stronger relationships with clients and helps them through the buying process!
Example of emotions or stages
- needs validation
- decision anxiety
- wanted to be treated special
- I want to be first
- know it all
Educate yourself early and perfect your craft!
KJ Ilardi
KJ’s Answer
Take every learning opportunity you can get! As a sales assistant, I have the opportunity to learn from 13 different Account Executives, and 4 sales managers. I use every chance I have to learn from them by asking questions, paying close attention to the work I do for them, and being a student of the business in general.
Jon Kanikula
Jon’s Answer
Great question, but there really isn't a perfect answer. Every sales person is a little different. The first step is to trust in the product or service that you are selling. Once you trust in your product you will have the ability to gain the trust of your customers. The best sales people are folks that can listen well and convey confidence and truthfulness to their customers. Listening is a big part of sales. If you can ask the right questions and sit back and listen, then formulate an answer to solve your customers problems or pain points then you will be successful.
Jason Lary
Jason’s Answer
Kopavi Delise
Kopavi’s Answer
Learn how to connect with people. People buy from people they have things in common with and can connect on a personal level. Unless you can show genuine interest in the people you are selling to it can be a difficult thing to do. Through understanding who the person is you can relate the real benefits to them on what you are selling and provide the right solution to them. Know your product or products! You will lose the trust from your customer if they don't believe what you are talking about. Overcome objections with clarifying what the objection is, don't just take no, understand why no so you can specifically overcome the real objection. Ask for the sale! Never let a no or a failed sale affect your next sales opportunity, you will fail often but the more consistent you are and the more positive you stay the better you will do.
Herman Jr Palaje
Herman Jr’s Answer
First, you have to identify the customer's challenges and align it to the solution you are selling. Do not oversell, sell the benefits of the products instead. Conduct a demo (online) if needed. And lastly, always treat your customers as your friends.
Jordan Ventura
Jordan’s Answer
Great question. There are a lot of character traits that you can embody as a Sales Representative & every rep has their own unique personality. I typically find that the most successful reps are motivated (as you will likely have a quota to hit), have strong communication skills, are adaptable, consultative, and driven to succeed. I have been in sales for almost 5 years and it was my first career out of college. I love the fast-paced environment and the ability to communicate with clients and help their businesses grow and succeed on a daily basis.
I hope this answer helps!
-Jordan
Karen A. Larson
Karen A.’s Answer
Jessica Ramiro
Jessica’s Answer
Be gritty, stay focused, and make sure you organize and prioritize what is needed to be done! If people tell you "no", don't take it personally because what they really mean is "not now". I would also highly recommend associating and asking advice from the most successful person who has created results because it will help you get on your feet faster!
Chris Beasley
Chris’s Answer
There are so many sales techniques out there. I challenge you to take a step further to try and identify the sales techniques that really fit you the best. So, before you start really trying to nail down techniques that may or may not work well for you dig into some good books. There is a plethora of great books that you can read on the subject and what you really want to do is find those books that seem to resonate with you. The ones that you feel work well with your personality and your outlook on how sales should be performed. Then you can start to formulate the techniques that will make you the most successful.
Here's a few books to start with that will give you a good introduction to sales. I would start with the 25 habits of highly successful salespeople by Stephen Schiffman. What I like most about this book is that it will introduce you to successful habits you will need, and you can start to analyze which one really works best for you. It also talks quite a bit about the sales journey from beginning to end so it gives you a good overall view of the sales process.
The next book I'd recommend is and old school book by zig Ziglar. He's a legend in the industry and he has a unique perspective on sales. The book is Secrets of Closing the Sale. What makes this book unique is that it is a very clever approach to closing sales without being overbearing or too pushy. So that might fit well with your personality.
The last book I'll recommend is The Sales Bible: The Ultimate Sales Resource by Jeffrey Gitomer. This book is excellent for beginners. It focuses on conversational techniques and how to turn prospects into clients. So, make sure to look at this book as well.
Good luck in your career in sales Janna. I think these books will give you a good foundation and help you develop the types of traits that will make you successful.
Zach Rickenbach
Zach’s Answer
People buy from people they like, by listening, you understand you prospect and what they want and why there speaking with you today.
Casey Jones
Casey’s Answer
The most important skill is listening and asking questions (discovery/qualifying). Learn to ask open ended question.
Know your product/solution and be a consultant - not everyone is a fit by the way - which is fine! Tell them they aren't a fit but you'd welcome speaking to them again when/if they are. They will respect that.
Once you have determined they are a good prospect - teach and tailor. These are presentation skills. The more you get in front of people, the better you will get. Practice! Give them valuable insight they don't already have, give them examples of other customers achieving success aligning to their goals, and tailor your presentation to the prospect (business/technical), etc. Most successful salespeople can pivot their approach on the fly to match the prospects desired goal/outcome.
Ask for the business (closing). I cannot tell you how many people are uncomfortable doing this. This skill is imperative to making a living. If the answer is no, ask why and if you can address that, would they be open to doing business. Getting a quick "no" is must better than coming in 2nd after a long campaign.
Tell them thank you and keep in touch. They are buying from you, the skill of nurturing and building your network will serve you long after the sale is final. Good luck...sales is a very rewarding career!
Joel Corpuz
Joel’s Answer
Suggested reading, I would start with "The Challenger Sale" Matthew Dixon and Brent Adamson. For me personally, I've worked for two organizations that made transformation software. What does that mean? It means I went to large organizations and spoke to them regarding their business and what it means to become more agile as a business. Yes, very high level statement however it involved:
- several meetings to discover how an organization conducted their business
- several meetings to discuss the "art of the possible"
- on many occasions I would tell the client in a very subtle way: "this is how you should do it"
This is not achieved overnight and your skills around active listening, asking open-ended questions and uncovering information need to be sharp. Being the consultant takes some skill development however can be a very rewarding experience