The commercialization of products and services demands specialization, clear objectives and action, but above all, a good rationalization of time.
by Augusto Diego Berard*
There are many types and classes of people dedicated to sales and very few, take the activity, as a profession. Sales can be the result of a good advertising or promotion campaign and the role of the seller is only limited to receiving that order and charging a commission for that sale. In these cases, we talk about salon sellers or pick up orders.
This type of situation occurs in all companies, in which there is no concept of proactive work, aimed at going out to look for opportunities and carefully analyze the requirements and needs of the market.
Let's talk about the star seller
* The star seller, is the one for his personality or training, stands out in the company.
* Obtains results and achieves goals higher than the average.
* He is always motivated and takes on his job, with love and passion.
* Transmits to the customers you visit or contact, this positive energy, which ensures the best sales within the organization.
* Charisma and his ability to understand human behavior allow him to differentiate himself from the rest.
Can a star seller be formed?
The answer is yes. In the world of corporate business, charisma and personable personality are not enough to achieve sales goals. Every human being who wants to improve and grow, can stand out in the field of sales.
The training takes many years of study and has to be accompanied by experience in the field of work. For this type of professional training, it is ideal to have a good sales manager or director, who can bring to his people, the experience and knowledge of traditional sales techniques that are in all books.
It is also very useful to have the support of sales consultants or coachers, who guide and train salespeople. The point of view of an external to the organization, provides new alternatives and generates creativity within the work team.
Time management
We know that time is scarce and limited. Time is the sales man's most valuable resource. You have to take advantage of it in the best possible way, to avoid distractions and detours. Sales must be achieved and for this, time is pressing.
The answer to time management lies in agenda planning. If the working day is eight hours a day, for five days a week, we have to methodically define what times to allocate to the sales activity.
First step: Build a database, with 50 or 100 potential companies to contact. Target market or TARGET of the business.
The companies selected to be contacted, have to qualify, according to the product to be marketed.
Example
A company dedicated to providing monitoring services of trucks and cargo vehicles with a GPS satellite system, should have a base of potential customers in the logistics and transport sector.
A company that integrates security systems by CCTV, alarms, access control, will organize its actions to the TARGET: banks, financial companies, commercial offices, warehouses of valuable goods, factories with a certain size or number of operators.
Planning is basic to start working. It allows you to conceptualize the business and see it, from a general market perspective. There is a phrase that sums up this thought and that applies in many aspects of professional life: "for a sailboat or boat without direction, no wind is favorable".
Returning to the database
In this database, enter: Company, Telephone, Contact, E-mail, Observations. A spreadsheet or a similar one, are ideal to dump the information.
What questions does the professional salesperson ask himself, to plan the working day:
* How many calls to potential customers will I make per day?
* At what times and for how many hours?
* How will I organize the information collected to be able to follow up?
* How many emails will I send and with what message?
The design and management of the seller's database will optimize times, reducing downtime and generating greater possibilities of closure throughout the month.
The seller's custom database
The objective of the seller is to get to know deeply the need of his potential client. What is the real problem it has. With that key information, you'll put together the solution and present it. The client will feel recognized and relieved in the face of the proposed solution.
The professional seller does not impose his product. It makes the customer feel that they are buying a solution to their corporate need. The professional salesperson is the ally of the client and seeks their long-term satisfaction.
Is there a sales pitch to apply?
Yes. The discourse to be applied, always has to be oriented to ask and discover the needs of the client. A potential new customer is NEVER called upon to "offer a product." You have to call, to know their needs and problems. The salesperson should always think about solutions for their customers and never "offer products".
An example of a first contact call to a potential customer:
-Potential client company XX S.A.: attends the telephonist, (in charge of filtering the calls) Good day, he communicated with XX S.A., with whom he wishes to talk...
-Seller: Good day Miss....pause..., could I communicate with the purchasing sector...?
- Potential client company XX S.A: which person in the sector do you want to talk to?
-Seller: I would need to make a query, to the person in charge of electronic security purchases...
- Potential client company XX S.A: I will communicate it with Eng. Nicolás, one second please.
-Eng. Nicolás: hello....
-Seller: please, could I contact Eng. Nicolás...? ( this question, is made on purpose, even knowing that the one who attended is Eng. Nicolás... it seeks to begin to create a cordial and empathetic atmosphere).
-Eng. Nicolás: if it's me... Who am I speaking with..?
-Seller: my name is Jesús Rodríguez (always use name and surname) and I call to make a query ... can speak at this time...?
-Eng. Nicolás: I hear it
-Seller: I am trying to locate the right person within your company, responsible for the improvement and optimization of costs in security (GPS monitoring, CCTV, access controls, etc.) ....pause...
Eng. Nicolás: the person responsible for these tasks is me...
-Seller: I am glad to be talking with you, I would like to send you an email with a presentation of the solutions offered by my company, so that YOU can evaluate the convenience of it, what do you think?...
Eng. Nicolás: I think your proposal is very good and I look forward to your e-mail with this presentation.
Seller: I appreciate your attention and I will contact me again in 72 hours, to coordinate a PERSONAL talk with you, to be able to introduce myself.
The seller has to get to know his potential customer face to face. Personal relationships are what make the difference between success and failure. If there is no trust, there is no business.
The use of the telephone, mail, advertising, promotions, are only tools, which facilitate sales management, but do not produce stable links in the long term. Human beings, we must know each other and interact face to face to bond.
Customers don't like to be imposed or sold. The customer BUYS, based on the trust generated by the seller and the belief that he is satisfying a lack or need of his company or organization.
In business between companies, the times of the procedures can vary, depending on the culture of each of the organizations. Knowing how to know and detect this culture of work and decision making is part of the work of the professional salesperson.
The care and constancy of a methodical work, always manages to achieve the proposed objectives.
Without sales, or salespeople, organizations would cease to exist. Fostering the spirit of service and sales in all members of the company is key to the progress and life of organizations.
*Augusto Diego Berard is a renowned business consultant. If you want to contact him write to the email: [email protected] or visit the website: www.pampamarketing.com
