Best practices in sales.
Posted on September 18, 2007
Filed Under Sales and Marketing
While sales managers are looking for ways to incorporate true best practices into their organization, the question is: “Which techniques are truly best practices and which are merely recommendations by a self-proclaimed expert?”
Recently an interesting article about best practices in sales was brought to my attention.It starts by defining a best practice is “a technique or methodology which, through experience and research, has proven to reliably lead to a desired result in a specific context.” The author Steve Gielda, partner at Advantage Performance Group (www.advantageperformance.com), adds that a best practice must be: 1) Observable (something top performers actually do as opposed to something they say they do); 2) Measurable (a behavior, not an attitude); 3) Repeatable (something that can be replicated across the sales force); 4) Closely linked with success (if performed regularly, it leads to winning more often than not).
Here are five that truly are best practices:
#1: Understand and develop customer needs. The ability of a sales person to identify a customer’s problem areas. The ability to ask good questions and listen to what the customer says naturally follow this practice.
#2: Gain mutual trust. Top performing sales people work hard at building and maintaining trust. They do it by always telling the truth, even when it might cost them business; by responding quickly to complaints, problems and customers’ expressed needs; by returning calls in a timely manner; and by doing what they say they are going to do, when they say they are going to do it.
#3: Know your customer. This goes beyond uncovering their needs to knowing what they and their organization can do. The best practice is to penetrate deeper to understand the customer’s business. Who are their customers? What are the trends impacting their customers’ market or industry? How do these trends impact the strategic direction of the customer? Who are the customer’s competitors and how do they threaten the customer? Top-performers do not solely rely on asking their customer about these issues, but invest the time to research it themselves.
#4: Access and power to leverage internal resources in creating customer value. Top-performing sales people are expert resource brokers. They not only know what the customer needs to drive better results, but they know the person or people who can best demonstrate that solution. They know when to draw on internal resources and when to partner with other vendors to serve the customer’s interests.
#5: Know who else is talking with your prospect during the sales cycle. You may find yourself in a complex sales process and therefore view one good sales call as one link in a long chain of successful interactions. The goal in each customer interaction is to move the sale forward, sometimes inch by inch. You want to know if and when your prospect is speaking to the competition.
Now judge for yourself and give us your feedback. Do you agree with any or most of these? Let me know what has helped you close your best deal yet.
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7 Responses to “Best practices in sales.”
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I have travelled and lived across many countries and met many great people during those travels that have all shared wonderful stories and experiences with me. » read more
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Thank you for giving great advice. Am looking forward to learn more.
Keep it coming!!!!!
I don’t think ther is ONE methodology to sell. You have to use different techniques depending on the prospect and his psychological buy-profile. But hey, who am I :-)
I agree Hans, but when we observe great sales performers we can identify some key factors that contribute to consistent succes in sales. When you mention, “…different techniques depending on the prospect and his psychological buy-profile,” wouldn’t that translate to: #1. Understand and develop customer needs?
Perhaps you could share some of your ideas or experiences, too?
Hi Rob,
The initial four steps you quote for best practice are essential in the work I do. I work with warm leads over the phone and do my best with listening, and elciting information that will work toward coaching them closer to their goals. What else would you say is important for phone sales?
Looking forward to more tips!
Hello Britt,
Thanks for reading our blog. To answer your question, “What else would you say is important for phone sales?” I would recommend staying in information mode until the need to sell your product or service has been established. That way, people are much less defensive and more likely to provide all the information you need.
Happy selling!
Rob
Interesting …Rob you have some very useful information here …I would like to talk to you. Could you send me an email with your phone number?
Thanks!
Really enjoying reading through your website.
Gives more motivation and I believe that trying to learn how to master the things that might sound very simple (asking right questions, listening, creating trust…) will help me to become a good salesperson, since that seems to be where the foundation lies in..
Keep posting more and will be reading!