3 Strategies for Achieving Your Desired Sales Results
Sell Without Limits
Put a flea in a jar, tightly screw on a perforated lid, and sit back and watch the flea try to jump out. After a while, remove the lid and watch as the flea still fails at escaping the jar. Surprised? It’s an interesting phenomenon that the flea learns to accept its limits, and then doesn’t know how to move past them, even when the physical barrier is literally lifted away. As interesting as that may be, it leads us to a rather unwelcome comparison. We aren’t that different from fleas in this regard.
If we perceive a limit, are continually struck down or fail to achieve our desired results, our efforts slowly trickle to a halt. If things change, we’re too used to being stuck and fail to see the new opportunities – just like the flea. It’s time for a life change. We aren’t fleas. We aren’t physically trapped without hope of escape bar some supernatural assistance. We can and should work at overcoming limitations – especially self-imposed shackles.
Here are 3 strategies that will help you move past your limits to achieve greater sales results:
1. Triple Your Selling Hours
No, this isn’t impossible. Yes, it does take dedication and strategy but remember, this is within your realm of control. First, put recurring selling time on your calendar and commit to not deviating from that schedule. This time should include prospecting, qualifying and closing sales. In addition, take the time to set recurring daily or weekly meetings with your support team. Redirect all odds and ends into these meetings. It’s important that you don’t jump in and out of selling time to handle administrative and client support details. According to the American Psychological Association, “Even brief mental blocks created by shifting between tasks can cost as much as 40% of someone’s productive time.”
2. Increase the Size of Your Average Deal
If you want to see an increase in revenue, you either need to increase your number of clients or the size of your average deal. The first might seem easier, but can be time consuming. Don’t automatically rule out the latter. It is possible. Start by taking the time to truly understand your clients – both and as individuals. Once you know and understand their motivations and struggles, you’ll know what you need to speak to when trying to increase your sale size. Identify all the problems your product solves, and establish why your client should find that valuable. Next, develop clear vision and strategy statements that align your thinking with larger-sized deals. Committing this to writing will put you in position to act accordingly throughout the year. Finally, focus, focus, focus.
3. Generate Half as Many Proposals
You might think this sounds counter-intuitive, but this is another aspect of focusing. You shouldn’t make a proposal unless you know it will be accepted. They take a lot of time and effort to generate, and you don’t want to be wrestled into sending one before the time is right. Remember that a proposal should formalize what has already been agreed upon. If you don’t know exactly what the client needs and they don’t understand exactly what you offer, do not send a proposal. If the client pushes for something on paper, send an e-mail detailing your understanding of the situation and questions that must still be answered. Close the e-mail with another meeting invite, giving the client specific dates and times that work for you.
Obtain Your Desired Sales Results
As long as you believe that getting beyond where you are today is not an option, you’ll continue to be struck down by the preconceived limits you have placed on yourself. Tell yourself enough is enough. You can change, you want to change, and leaving those limits behind you will be incredibly rewarding. If you’re looking for more of a foundation to build on the above strategies and move you to a new normal, check out RedRock’s Systematic Foundation ™ Sales Training & Coaching. Remember that the fear of not accomplishing your goals should never be what prevents you from achieving success. Decide today to focus your efforts on actions that will ensure you surpass your goals and desired results, without letting limits get in the way.
Jeff Ruby
Founder of RedRock Leadership