Three steps to better sales

Recently I spoke at a conference for small business owners where I was asked to deliver a keynote on growing sales. This is a common topic we work on in our firm, so it is not uncommon for us to share information on it. If you really think about it, all leaders who pretty much own or run a business want to increase sales. 

Often when someone wants to increase sales, they really want quick, simple tips they can do themselves and apply to all situations. Those are not super common; however, there are three tips I can give that will help you and your team with sales. These may sound simple; however, for most people they are not that easy. Still, focusing them and working to get better at them will always help with sales improvement. 

Three steps to better sales

 1 – Be curious

One of the greatest mistakes salespeople make is talking too much about the wrong things. When we focus on being curious, we are able to change the dynamic from talking to asking questions. Curiosity causes us to ask questions. When we ask questions, we create a conversation that allows for mutual discovery and comfort. 

2 – Be suspicious

Another great mistake salespeople make is not digging in when they hear generic things. Often a prospect will say something like “looks good,” or “I am interested.” Most salespeople don’t dig deeper to find what that really means, which often leads back to the issue in No. 1 where they talk too much about the wrong things. When we are suspicious, we don’t depend on the first answer or piece of information; instead, we ask more questions, which continues to drive mutual discovery and comfort. 

3 – Do not be emotionally attached to the outcome

When prospects talk about salespeople, one of their biggest complaints is how emotional the salesperson often gets during the sales interaction. This is typically because the salesperson has an emotional attachment to the outcome of the sales call. They get excited because they think they will get the sale, or they get frustrated (or even angry) because they think they will not get the sale. Obviously, this is the most difficult of these three steps; however, it is the most important. When the salesperson is emotionally tied to the sales interaction, the prospect does not feel comfortable. 

Getting better at these three things will allow the salesperson to become more comfortable in the interactions with prospects. This creates a situation where the prospect can be more comfortable. When both parties are more comfortable, we can get to a “yes” or “no” answer faster and save time in sales. In addition, we are often able to make larger sales and make them faster.

Now let me ask – of these three things, what do your team and you struggle with the most? How much difficulty is it creating for your organization? How much longer is it making your sales cycles? What impact does it have on your closing ratio?

If you do not know these answers with 100% certainty, think about how much it is costing you. If you don’t know or don’t like the answers – find a business growth consultant who can help.