The secrets to successful selling

Every entrepreneur knows the importance of sales to business. During a slump, when people and businesses tend to keep their hands in their pockets, intelligent selling is even more important, so that you can squeeze every last drop from the soft market. This week, we present some top tips for business sales from The Sales Institute of Ireland, and Peter Lawless, sales expert with business training companies, Sli Nua and 3r. 1. Unique Value Proposition: Sales will come more naturally if you have a product that can genuinely differentiate itself from the competition in some meaningful and positive way. 2. Commercial Website: For many potential clients, a website is the primary contact point with a company. Ideally yours should aspire to be more than a rudimentary list of your products and contact details. Is your website engaging, easy to navigate and can it accept online orders? Does it deliver the enquiries, leads and sales that it should? A cleverly-designed website can be thought of as an extra sales agent. 3. Sales Training: Consider developing an in-house Sales Training programme or sending key people on an external course. These people can then pass on their knowledge to others in the firm. 4. Develop Relationships: It can take many months of groundwork before a prospect becomes a customer. Be sure to put in the time so that your company is the one to get the order when the client feels like biting. Most sales are made after the fifth call, yet most sales people quit after the first! 5. Back Winners: Not all sales are the same. Some are less rich in margin, and some require more effort to generate than others. Take a close look over your product assortment and focus on the most profitable lines and on those that consistently sell well. 6. Voicemail Skills: The new gatekeeper in the sales process is electronic - it's voicemail! Many sales calls are likely to end up at voicemail, so it pays to be prepared so that you can maximise your thirty second slot. Don't get confused though - you are not selling your product through your message, you are selling a return phone call. The prospect is more likely to be hooked if you can focus your voicemail on a problem that his or her company is facing. 7. Forget Canned Presentations: Avoid giving generic sales presentations if you want to make an effective pitch. To really connect with your prospect, you need to make your spiel about their company, their problems, and their needs. People are interested in your product only to the extent that it can help their situation. 8. Use Testimonials: Opinion isn't any more biased than when it's coming from a salesman! Everybody knows this, so the credibility of the salesman is, sadly, always in doubt. Sidestep this awkward reality by using (satisfied!) customer testimonials on your website and on any company literature. Third-party glowing recommendations are an excellent sales tool. 9. Overcoming Resistance: It is the unhappy lot of the salesman to have to constantly bat away objections. Try not to get defensive though; instead, be curious, calm and interested. Saying something like "Tell me more about that..." will soften up the prospect and may help to uncover the real reason for the objection, which you can then deal with. 10. Off-Peak Prospecting: Many PAs and secretaries (gatekeepers!) will work 9am-5pm. If you call before or after this period, you may actually get through to the decision-maker, who will generally be working longer hours! 11. Close the Sale: Watch for buying signals and gain commitment from your prospect as you move towards your ultimate goal of clinching the deal. If things are progressing satisfactorily, why not say something like "Will we sort out the paperwork now?" If the meeting loses focus or the conversation starts meandering, the chance might be lost - be bold and decisive!