Management Tip
At Mayblack Media Consulting our number one management tip is “95% of the selling process is within your control; the only mystery should be getting a yes or a no.”
So many times we see sellers that are lost and overwhelmed. They don’t have a plan and believe that making a sale is based on luck, circumstance or their place on the call-in list. I had a boss who used to say, “this is not a hobby for me.” Those of you that know me well will know this person, and whether you agreed with his style and tactics or not the phrase had meaning. I believe that good sellers treat their craft as a vocation. They are serious about what they do and it’s never a hobby.
We (sellers and mangers of sellers) control everything up to the point of asking for the order. If you focus on what is within your control, more often than not the sale becomes a foregone conclusion.
So, what do we control? At Mayblack we believe there are five key steps in the process.
Five Key Steps:
- Time management. You own time or it owns you.
- Prospecting. We can pick and choose our targets based on a wealth of information no further away than a screen. IT HAS NEVER BEEN EASIER TO PROSPECT THAN IT IS TODAY!!
- Getting to the decision maker. Now it gets hard. This step separates the “A” players from the rest of the pack. Figure this out and you’ve moved yourself into the “I’ve got this” territory.
- Find a problem to solve, Asking good questions and being naturally curious are key traits in a good salesperson. If you can find a problem or challenge to solve you can present a solution.
- Ask for the order. But you won’t actually have to ask. You found a good prospect, had an audience with the decision maker and found a problem to solve so it’s time to present the solution. Chances (95% or better!) you’ll make the sale.
Great selling is not a mystery – do the work, own each step and you’ll close the sale.
Oh…and one free tip? After you present and ask for the order, zip your lip. He who talks first, loses.
Now go do something!
