Sneeze It

One thing at a time

Building a sales force that will provide your business success for years to come doesn't have to be a difficult process. Instead of trying to do everything at once, it's highly recommended that you try one thing at a time. Focusing on different areas and giving them your attention is much more productive.

The Priority

What is the priority of your business? You already know yourself, but making sure the team knows is just as important. This allows them to understand exactly what needs to be done in order for success to shine. Once you get there, they can be rewarded for their hard work.

The goal here is being able to create a need that will benefit you and your team. Without it, people will be torn in various directions without any sort of guidance. In the end, no goals equal a faulty business.

Action Steps

If you're not familiar with action steps, these are built to make things happen. The system you set up can be anything from a milestone progression to fast acting solutions. Profiling a customer provides several action steps revolving around questions. Finding out what their needs are, how to solve their issues and other areas will be crucial.

The proper profiling strategies provide an in depth look at what the client needs. Even though you might understand what they want, what is their reasoning behind it? Granted, you don't want to probe when it's not warranted, but when they open the door, you should definitely get all the information you can from them.

Overcoming Obstacles

There is a reason your client hasn't done anything to solve their problem. It could be a major issue or something minor, but you won't know until the questions are asked. Obstacles can literally make or break a sale, so the more you know about the individual the better.

How to Teach

One of the best ways to teach this approach is by role-playing. A one-on-one meeting never hurt anyone, and it can give your sales rep the chance to see what you want to achieve with a client. Otherwise, they are left to learn on their own, which might not be good enough for your company.

If you focus on this area alone, it will have a tremendous impact on your company. Once it's time for the salesperson to have his or her review, you will see unbelievable results. When they understand what you need from them, it will be time to focus on other areas.

Listen; we know you can be a multi-tasker, but if you only focus on a couple things at a time, it makes a huge difference. Try it out for a few months and you see just how organized you've become.

Top 5%- How does a Sales Professional get there?

Anyone in sales more than a year has probably come across the top 5% conversation. This usually occurs in the first 2 months on a consistent basis and during meetings when accolades are given out. The top 5% sales person is well above the rest when it comes to knowledge, understanding, technique, and the amount of money they make. How do you get there?

Reaching the top 5% isn't an easy task. If you know anyone who is considered to be in the top 5%, you probably think they have a different personality than you. Whether they seem rude, cocky, arrogant, polite, or anything else, you just don't have what it takes to accomplish the same goals. YES, YOU CAN! We're going to give you a few ways to start making it happen now:

#1 Surround yourself with the right people

Probably one of the most important approaches a top 5% sales representative can have is surrounding him or herself with the right people. This is especially true if you're new to the sales game. The leadership and guidance you get throughout the journey will have a major impact on your success. Let the negative and inexperienced "mentors" coach the other 95%, because this isn't going to be you.

#2 Utilize Planning and Organization

The sales rep who tries to build a career off raw talent will have two results, a short sales career, or a mediocre one at best. There are several different strategies you can use, but without proper planning and organization, they won't reach their full potential.

It's also a good idea to remember that each potential client has different needs. So the strategies you use will vary from one client to another. Just ask a financial advisor what he or she does before sitting down with someone. They look at spending history, net worth, and ask the right questions upfront to help the people in need (plus several other things).

#3 Find the Decision Makers

Individuals who reach the top 5% in sales do more than just get the sale. Their profiling skills are strong as well. One of the major components is making sure you're in front of a decision maker. All sales reps have been in front of a person who says they need to speak with their husband or wife first. If you have, you most likely felt like you wasted time.

Getting in front of more people throughout a workday will happen if you schedule to meet with decision makers. Most married couples or partners want to make decisions together. Since you know this upfront, schedule a time to meet with them when they can both be there. In the end, you will see more people throughout the year and increase your overall sales.

#4 Fill in the Spare Time

We all go through droughts from time to time, but the people in the top 5% know how to keep it at a minimum. They take the time to find new business, even if the day is full of repeat clients. However, these potential "new clients" will be seen at a later date to keep the schedule full. So while others are dealing with a "dry" part of the year, the top 5% person will be continuing to build their business.

If you're willing to work hard and build a client base, all four of these tips will be crucial to your success. In 6 months to a year from now, you could be in the top 5% yourself.