Become a better salesman: 5 tips to improve your performance

Sales is part of our everyday lives. Believe it or not, almost everything we do is related to selling. Want your friend to grab sushi with you tonight? Or want your significant other to see the new Marvel film over the new DC film? Want that original Nintendo from the garage sale on the corner for three bucks instead of five? It’s all about how you sell it.

B2B sales is no different. After all, while you are selling to a business you are, first and foremost, selling to a person. Use these tips to improve close rates and become a better salesman.

1. Focus on the benefits

When you call a stranger to talk about your product, they aren’t thinking about your product. They are thinking about all of the things they need to do that day, what they need other people to do, and how best to get it all done. They don’t care that your product is well-designed or that it has a WYSIWYG layout.

Speak with the person on your next call instead of speaking to them. Focus on what they would perceive as a benefit. Explain how your product will save them time if they are really busy. If they’re worried about their spend, show them how you can maximize ROI or free up budget elsewhere.

2. Respect their time

Take a minute if you say you only need a minute. Also, if they say “now isn’t a good time” don’t try to talk to them anyway. By respecting your prospect, your prospect will respect you. In today’s world, being a better salesman isn’t just about closing the deal. It’s about starting a relationship.

Start your next relationship off right: on a basis of mutual respect. When people respect you, they’re much more likely to be open to listening to what you have to say.

3. Don’t give up.

Being a better salesman is about persistence. If you’re trying to reach out to a VP of Marketing and they don’t answer or respond to your emails, keep reaching out. It doesn’t take much to make a quick phone call or drop an email occasionally. But, it does cost a lot to lose a deal.

Your target is just as valuable if you speak to them on the third call or the 50th. Stay the course.

4. Listen.

This is a no brainer, but it’s actually a lot harder than you think. If they interrupt you to ask a question you’re about to answer next, deviate from your script to show you’re listening. That’s more important than getting through your presentation the way you initially planned.

Create a dialogue with your prospect. Acknowledge them. This may make the 30-minute call last 45, but they will feel as though they’ve been heard. They will see you are focused on helping them, not helping yourself.

5. Be honest.

Honesty is the best policy. Unless someone asks about wrinkles. In that case, lie. Always lie.

If you don’t know the answer to something, be honest. Don’t guess. Don’t make something up. Tell them you’re not sure. Get them the correct, verified information after the meeting. They’ll appreciate the fact you went the extra mile, and you won’t have to worry about having to tell them you were wrong, later.

Ready to fill your pipeline and put these tips to the test? We can help. Drop us a line and we can chat about how our cold calling team can grow your early stage pipelines.