4 best practices of a successful salesperson
We all are salespeople. We are just selling different things.
Whether you seek a career in the sales industry or not, your success will grow if you adopt these practices in your own life.
As thrilling as this choice might be, it comes at a cost: having the right skills and discipline to reach your goal. Throughout this article, I’ll refer to one of the must-read books in this field, “The psychology of selling” by Brian Tracy.
I added some action exercises for you to practice and personalize this journey.
Here are 4 things successful people have mastered, and what we can do to implement them in our lives.
#1: Self-concept
Many people struggle with low self-esteem, which results in poor performance not only in their sales performance but in every aspect of life.
Our constantly growing self-concept directs our daily actions and routines, which is a determinant factor for becoming our highest self.
So how can we build our self-concept? As wonderful as it is to have high self-esteem, it turns out that improving it is no easy task.
The key is to align your actions with your subconscious mind. You become what you say to yourself.
Successful people have control over their internal monologues. Don’t underestimate the power of positive affirmations.
Action exercise: Decide today to become a confident, high self-esteem person; say over and over to yourself, “I like myself!”
#2: Dealing with rejection
If you are in sales and you fear rejection, you’ve picked the wrong way to make a living. Rejection is an inevitable part of our lives, however, we never seem to get used to its prevalence.
You might think that the best way to deal with rejection is to not deal with it at all — brush it off and leave it there. Wrong. Refusing to deal with rejection can leave you worse off than before.
So what can be done in this unpleasant situation?
Accepting rejection is the first step toward managing the feelings aroused by it. Successful people don’t feel guilty for feeling. They don’t ruminate on them either.
Everyone has a different way of dealing with rejection: you should figure out what helps you get back on your feet faster and more robust.
The next step is what makes the difference: taking action.
Punch your pillow as much as you can, scream at a rooftop, lift as heavy as possible — do whatever helps you go through the grieving process. Take responsibility for how you feel, then take action.
Action exercise: Refuse to take rejection personally, accept it as a normal and natural part of selling, very much like the weather.
#3: Know your product
The prospect does not care what your product is. He only cares about what your product or service will do for him. Every customer has three choices with every selling offer. He can buy from you, he can buy from someone else, or buy nothing at all.
The objective is to find how your product can substantially improve the prospect’s life.
This improvement must be great enough to justify the amount of money they are willing to pay.
Telling the prospect that he should buy your product because of “price and quality” is very similar to saying he should buy your product because you will deliver it to him. It is not a reason to buy at all.
Why is this the case? Let’s say that this is the bare minimum for selling. Your product or service wouldn’t have survived if it wasn’t already well priced and superior.
While asking the appropriate questions to clients will provide you with information about their needs, it is equally crucial to ask these questions to yourself first.
Action exercise: Where does your product fit in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs? Begin by identifying your target audience’s essential needs. Next, consider how your product or service might fit those requirements.
#4: Setting goals
Having no clear life goals is similar to sailing without a destination — you let the wind and stream dictate your life. It is essential for your success that you decide what you want out of life.
Once you write your goals down, you’ll be programming them into your subconscious mind. Another powerful way to tap into your subconscious is visualizing your goals.
When you do all the required steps, you’ll receive clear guidance from your subconscious regarding opportunities around you.
Top salespeople have clear-cut goals in their careers. Once they decide their annual income and sales goals, they break them down by monthly, weekly, and even daily goals.
The final step of this goal setting is to determine the specific activities in which you must engage to achieve your desired sales level.
Having personal and family goals is the reason why you’d want to get up in the morning and work all day, in the face of failures.
Do you have any hobbies? How would you like to spend your weekends and leisure time with your family? What makes you happy to the core?
Ask yourself these questions; it is never too late to get a gym membership.
Action exercise: Imagine you could double your income in the next two or three years. If you did, what are some of the things you would change in your life? Make a list of all the things that you would be, have, or do if you were earning vastly more money than you are earning today. The longer the list, the greater you’ll push yourself out of your comfort zone.
Action exercise: Get a spiral notebook and write down 100 goals that you would like to accomplish in the years ahead. Make a list of everything you would like to have in your life and everything that you would like to do. Imagine that everything you write on this list is going to come to you at exactly the right time and in exactly the right way. Keep this notebook on your desk. As you come up with new ideas, write more of them down. You can never have too many goals.
Thank you!
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