Sales- How the Process Really Works

It's one of those funny jobs.
Tell people you are a doctor, they nod in respect.
Everyone needs doctors.

Tell them you're a salesman, they go 'Oh, Really?'
Well, in my case, no, they smile and say 'Of course. What else would you be?'

But we are not a respected profession.

'Profession????', I hear you say.
Yes, profession.

Paid liars, I hear you say.

No.

Being a salesman involves very tight ethics indeed. Plus a lot of REAL skill. If you intend to survive.
And a bit more.

Time and time again, I have been at meetings where the issue of training has come up. It always will, because it's the kind of industry where the majority of people taken on by a company, don't last more than a month. And my point of view has been simple. It's not about training, it's about recruitment. Recruit the right people.
The job is 20% product knowledge, 30% strategic thinking, 50% personality.
The company can only influence the first part.
You cannot MAKE a salesman.

Why?
Because a really good salesman never lies.
A good salesman, is like a good lawyer.
A good lawyer cannot stand up in court and state something he knows to be false.
He states the facts concerning his client in the best light he can.
And a GOOD lawyer, acquits his client, with the TRUTH and the TRUTH alone.

Just as a good salesman, sells with the truth. He just knows how to package it.

It really is the easiest job in the world, if you can do it.
If you can't, I'm sure it must be Hell.

Now you cannot make a salesman, but you can teach him tricks of the trade. So here's the rules. And yes, let's call them ethics. Because that is what ethics are. Rules that govern our conduct, because life doesn't work unless you keep to guidelines.

1. Never allow boundaries. Never be formal. If you are, you create barriers you yourself will have to dismantle. Be familiar from the moment you shake hands. A tiny minority will take umbrage. Who cares? In most cases, it saves you the 'John- I can call you John, can't I ?' later.
2. Football and Flirting. Perfectly simple. Emote to them as people. If they are male, find out who they support, divert the conversation with a chat about how that team played at the weekend. And remember 'I thought you were unlucky' or 'Great win', MUST pass your lips. If they are female, drop the tone of your voice, be seductive (Never of course, take it further. It's purely business. It really IS unprofessional to meet customers in a personal capacity, if she sees it as more than a bit of fun, the company could loss credit. My friend The Baker made this mistake once; he had to keep seeing her for over a year for fear she'd kiss and tell)
3. Make them sell to you. Don't go in there and preach to them. Your first comments should be totally irrelevant. 'Nice little office you have here.' 'Your receptionist is a little darling isn't she? How long have you had her?', that sort of thing. Then make them tell you what is they are looking for. Make them tell you what they want to be sold. Then, sell them back their own vision. They've told you what they want. You can either sell it to them, or you can't. Keep the probing, the open questions, the chit chat going as long as possible. You may well find that you haven't a cat in Hell's chance of selling them what you thought you were going to sell them, but they DO have a need you didn't expect- that you can satisfy.
4. Never lie. Cover your back. A satisfied customer tells four business contacts. A DISsatisfied customer tells eleven. Fact. Never put yourself in a position where you are open to accusations of mis-selling. Before you close, remind them 'Of course, it IS my job to say this, but I DO think this is in your interests.' Why? Because it may not pan out. That's not your responsibility. But handle it right and even if it doesn't, they won't hold it against you- in fact they may STILL use your company even if the delivery doesn't initially deliver. Because they actually trust the salesman who sold them in the first place. Brutal honesty is actually the best tool a good salesman has. Why? Because sometimes you have to tell them straight; 'It's up to you. What I'm offering you, means you can make three members of staff redundant. I can see why you hesitate- you like those particular three as people. You don't want to tell them that a new machine means you don't need them. I understand. It would be a hard decision for me too. How much do you want that cost saving? That's really what it boils down to.'
5. Be you. That's the bottom line. Good salesmen are genuine people. Make it clear you are just doing your job. That way, they listen more, because they'd like you if they met you in the pub. Show them the person you are.
6. Never lose control of the conversation. Use the principle of attack and lull. Talk as long as you want. Out of a half hour conversation, five minutes (if that) should be nitty gritty. The rest should be getting to know the man or woman you are talking to. Give them a bit of you and every now and then draw the conversation back with 'Anyway, you're a busy man/lady, so I don't want to waste your time...'.
   
7. Know when to close. Know when you have enough information to block off their options. They have told you enough now, that now you tell them what you want them to buy, you can handle every objection they raise with the ammunition they themselves have given you.

Pictured above: Dizzy Bizzy, our slightly offbeat, but eminently foxy admin girl. (Yes she IS texting whilst hula-hooping, it's a real pleasure to watch.)

It really is one of the most beautiful jobs to do. Sometimes, I thank my lucky stars. So many, many people have to do such tedious jobs to get paid. Me? I do what I'd do if I wasn't at work. Chat to people.What better way to have money enter your bank account every month?