Full blast in 2009! Here's how...

The good news is that there's something you can do about it. Starting RIGHT NOW. The first step? Change the way you're thinking about sales. And the next step? Read this article and make every effort to incorporate these suggestions into your sales career. The result? Exploding sales (in any economy).

2009 mindset
Watch your thoughts
How do you feel about being in sales? Are you proud of what you do? How do you regard sales as a professional career? If your answers to any of these questions leave you feeling deflated and blue, then you might want to reassess why you are in sales in the first place. Is it by choice?
It's 2009, and it's time to review your sales world. If you can't commit to your career, maybe you should start looking elsewhere. Here's a few hard ‘n fast facts:

• Sales is not JUST about making money, it's NOT about asking people what they can do for you, it's about SERVICE and commitment
• You are ENTIRELY responsible for your career
• You don't work for Mr X/Y/Z. You work for you: Mr/Ms Salesperson Inc. You may sell Mr X/Y/Z's products or services, but you are responsible for the outcome of every deal. If you don't get training, invest in some. If your car stinks, invest in one. If Mr X/Y/Z won't buy you a laptop or a decent mobile, get one - they are necessary tools in your chosen career.
• You will experience slumps: Every career has ups and downs.

Stay motivated

1. Stop thinking that you aren't destined for greatness. You are. And there's a lot you can do to realise your dreams if you just start.
2. Recognise and reward yourself daily
3. Know what you're good at, and maximise on that. If email isn't your thing, rather set your contacts target at 15 meetings a day.

2009 business democracy
Are YOU the trusted advisor?
The idea of a flashy, lone salesman making it to the top and staying there without creating meaningful relationships is an outdated fallacy. In 2009, sales is about service. You are a trusted advisor to a client that has a need you can fill. There is NO OTHER way to SELL.

1. Start your relationship by asking clients what their overall business plan is - what they want to do to grow their profits and business footprint. Then, listen. Are there mutual opportunities to promote?
2. If so, start the dance. If not, walk away.
3. In tough times, know that your customers are looking to get rid of dead weight. If your service is astounding, if your communication with them is constant, if you're always only a call away and ready to serve with a smile, then they'll never get rid of you - you're ‘their guy'. If your sell is any less exemplary, know that they have now got the opportunity (and impetus) to start looking elsewhere.
4. Be more than just a salesperson, become a business consultant. You have a network of contacts in your black book right? Perhaps you can link up a few clients by introducing them to one another (those with similar business interests).

2009 vision
It's a Brand new world
There's a reason people buy - it's called a need. But there's also a reason why they buy from YOU. Do you know why? It's got to do with your personal brand, the way you do things.
So how do you leverage your personal brand in favour of sales?

1. Identify what you're good at in sales (is it connecting with people, doing presentations, writing great proposals, etc)
2. Identify what, in tandem with answer 1, sets you apart from your peers. If you've discovered that you do everything in the exact same way as most other salespeople, then you best find a way to do something differently. Change your e-mail signature, change your voicemail message every day, doodle on your business cards before you hand them out, find a way to WOW.
3. Use every opportunity to make use of 1 and 2.

2009 savvy
It's all about the tools
Technology, especially in the field of CRM and lead-capture software, was designed to aid the sales process. Yes, it may be trying to add each and every contact into a database, and yes it may be time-consuming working on a system that requires you update entries each step along the way, but ultimately such software was created to funnel opportunities, highlight how long it takes you to close a deal and measures your capability on the phone. And with all that info, you can seriously work your sales process and improve the not-so-hot parts of your sales.

1. If you don't work on a CRM or CQM system, make sure you have your own lead sheets on excel, detailing time, number of contacts and outcome
2. Update your presentations each season - do a course in powerpoint and learn how to effectively present the slides you have created
3. Take advantage of mobile days by using every available feature on your cellphone: Use it to record negotiations, capture photos, synch contacts and calendar so you always know what's ahead, use the GPS to navigate your way to a client.
4. The Internet has a mammoth amount of sales resources within its web. Google the word ‘sales' and you'll be amazed. Sign up for sales tips, newsletters and special offers - and listen to podcasts of great sales pitches.

2009 sales
It's not business as usual
Following your normal process will lead to your normal results. Times are not all that normal. To bump up results, bump up what you are doing — more calls, more creativity, more ideas, greater responsiveness, more contact. Do something your competitors aren't doing. Ask yourself at each step: What ADDITIONAL effort and resources can I put into this opportunity?

1. Can you involve a specialist? To contain costs, arrange a conference call with him or her and your customer
2. Is there a senior from your team you can involve face-to-face or by phone?
3. Can you add extra value without lowering your price?
4. Can you do the project in stages?
5. Can you demonstrate you go the extra step, for example, visit one of the company's stores before your presentation to show your commitment to really knowing the customer?

Once you're doing things a little differently, you set a higher standard for yourself and your clients will appreciate it.

End 2008 in selling style Seven easy steps Take a serious look at your pipeline Stop wasting time with opportunities that won't or can't buy right now If there are opportunities where you question the prospect's willingness and ability to pull the trigger in your time frame, meet with them and iron out a plan Prioritise the remaining qualified opportunities. Then go close them. Mind the gap Look at your typical closing ratios, compare them to what's happening this year in terms of lengthening buying cycles, pricing issues, and decide what you're willing to do to overcome those challenges. Calculate the gap between what you believe is honestly closable and your remaining budget. Up the ante Are there any opportunities from the past that might be resurrected that could possibly require less than a full buying cycle? Are there any opportunities in your contact base where you might be able to up-sell or cross-sell to help make up the gap? Go to market(ing) Are there any quick hit campaigns that might be conducted to flush out some qualified suspects? Review your network. Are there networking partners that might be able to uncover a few leads for you? Review old leads. Are there any leads you forgot to follow-up with or whose situation might have changed since last contact? Review your customer base. Are there any that you can approach for a referral? What is the realistic total from those sources and subtract that from your gap. Define your selling ratio How many Initial Meetings (in your remaining time frame) will you need to get the pipeline stocked with enough potential to fill the gap? How many of those Initial Meetings will come from marketing efforts, networking and referral sources? Whatever is left is the meetings you must set through cold calling. Know the numbers What's your Conversation Ratio? (Dials to conversations with decision makers) What's your Appointment Ratio? (Conversations to appointments) How many dials do you need to make in order to hit your goals? Get on the phone! It's not too late to finish up the year with a strong push!

SALESGURU 2008 10 lessons learned Throughout the course of the year SALESGURU has observed salespeople and the way they operate. We too experienced the downturn, we've had our own staffing challenges, and we're learning how to sell in these tough times. We've learnt that: Sometimes, all a great product needs is a new sales angle Keeping it lean means there's no room for someone who isn't generating income Tracking the sales process means we're all on the same page Being hands-on is imperative where key accounts are concerned Patience is required, especially in these times where the buying cycle is extended Understanding the value of what you sell is just as important as understanding the client's need. Forget the brick and mortar of what you're selling - what is its value in terms of what it can do for the buyer? It's important to be hungry, even a little arrogant, because it means that you see value in what you sell. Discounts don't make a sale - they break it. Now is not the time to fire or retrench. Now is the time to hire - Always be hiring, don't allow any gaps in your sales force If your product is correctly positioned, is useful and has value, it'll sell - no matter the economy.