Sales is a process that requires perseverance, preparedness and follow through. The best sales people in the world know that the 5 C’s of selling are also the habits that get sales representatives to the finish line.
1. COMMITMENT
Do what you say your going to do. Own your sales appointments and follow through. You’d be amazed how many deals are lost because the rep failed to show up or didn’t follow through on his/her commitments.
2. CULTIVATE.
Have a time set aside each day for prospecting. It’s a best practice for all top sales people, we all do it. We sell. We hunt. Stop spending so much time on other things that really aren’t that important. Be accountable. If you want to be a top performer you have to prospect EVERY DAY.
3. CONVINCE.
If you don’t believe in your product and they don’t believe it, you don’t have a chance. Take the time to get your customer involved enough to take ownership. Guide them. But in the end, it’s not what you say, it’s what your customer believes (perception is reality), and if they believe you. Close the sale!
4. CLOSE.
Always know how you are going to close the sale. We all are guilty of it. We omit the close after our Rockstar presentation. Why? Fear. Heck with that. If they say no, you now know you have work to do. Also, be prepared with several closing techniques, as you never know what the customer may throw out at you. Remember, Always Be Closing (ABC).
5. CONFIDENCE.
Why should I buy a pen from you if you don’t believe it’s a solid pen? That’s stupid. Believe in yourself. Know that what you are doing is truly helping your clients. The #1 trait of top performers is confidence. Be confident.
So there you have it. My 5 C’s for success. Remember all of these tips, or like I like to call them, traits, you will find in the make-up of top performers. Be good to yourself, but more importantly, be good to your customers.
Jeff Biggam is an seasoned sales executive with 20 years of experience in the field. You can follow him on Twitter or LinkedIn.