Some people feel that to be successful in selling you need to be extroverted. I don’t believe that. In fact, being an introvert can actually be an advantage in selling as I see it. I know because I am one at heart.
According to the recent Accenture 2011 Global Consumer Research Study, despite the fact that that customer satisfaction actually increased slightly in 2011, consumers tend to switch their service providers more often. Here are some of the key findings:
Disconnected: How Commoditization is Derailing Your Sales If your product or service allows you the chance to up sell your customer at the point of sale (and seriously, what product or service doesn't??), then you instantly double and even triple your income if you know how to properly suggest and get your prospects and customers to buy more.
First, let's talk about what NOT to do:
1) First of all, you absolutely have to ask for the up sell in order to get it. I know that sounds like a "duh!" comment, but take it from me — out of the thousands of sales reps I listen to each year, a very small percentage actually do.
2) Ask for the up sell as an afterthought. As you'll see, timing is everything with the up sell. Don't wait until the very end of the sale to suggest one. You have to make it part of your original product offering as you'll see.
It would be a cliché to say you must be positive and enthusiastic while you explain your product’s features, benefits, and specifications to a customer. Since all your competitors are just as friendly and positive as you are, the spirit needed for victory requires something more.
If you want to exceed your budget consistently and bring new business into your company, you need to be successful at prospecting, period! This is why the most successful sales professionals earn the big bucks! Sales managers hire sales people that can bring in new business, not manage existing accounts. Yet there are many ‘newbies’ that come into a new company hoping that they will be handed a gravy train account that just keeps sending in new purchase orders. Maybe that happened 20 years ago but not in this millennium.
To successfully prospect, you have to understand these three realities so that you have realistic expectations.
1. Get focused and dedicate...Read more at http://www.soldlab.com/news/2011/6/28/the-psychology-of-prospecting-to-read-more-sales-news.html
Because, in the competitive sale, the prospective account has initiated an inquiry, your Influencer has a built-in reason to cooperate with your need for information. While they rarely volunteer details, they are almost always cooperative when asked for them. In fact, the opening situation – that they, by contacting you, have demonstrated interest in a discussion – provides you a gilded invitation to collect information for your initial meeting. This is a huge opportunity if it is handled properly. The key here, given that we have limited time on the phone, is to ask the right questions – in the right order – to learn as much as possible about the current state of the buyer.
Most formal RFPs provide a contact person for questions. Whether responding to an RFP or handling an incoming phone call, the request should be as follows: “to make the best use of your time, do you have a moment to answer a few questions for me?” Because of the pre-established interest of the account, the response you will get is, “sure, what would you like to know?” Once you get this response, follow this seven-question sequence to lay the foundation for your strategy.