I know that I seem to spend a lot of time and effort getting someone to re-boot their sales career, without as much regard for those individuals who are doing well, and just needing to fine-tune some of their efforts.  During this post we will spend some time talking about some activities that will help you to sharpen your skills.

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You may want to “sharpen your saw” for a variety of reasons.  Among these reasons could be:

• To make more money
• Exceed sales goals
• To increase your effectiveness and efficiency
• To get a promotion or better job

There are things you can to that will affect these areas.  If you are doing well, and want to consider these while there is not serious survival pressure.

The activities that a sales professional does can be common and some are based on particular situations.  There are activities that are done everyday, and there are those that are done as a reaction.  The good part about sharpening skills is that you move away from survival techniques and move to the items that make you more effective.

9 Items to Help You Tune it up

I know that you have heard these items somewhere before.  I hope the explanations will hope you understand why you need to consider them.

Here are some items that I would suggest:

• Seek out a mentor
• Mentor someone
• Get up to date on technology
• Examine your goal setting
• Institute a networking plan
• Attend a sales seminar
• Improve your knowledge – Take a class
• Join a group or association with common interest
• Get a sales coach

Seek out a mentor – You have heard this one from me before, and I cannot emphasize it enough.  I have done two posts about it, and the interesting part is that most Black sales professionals do not do it.  I will note that the mentor need to be accomplished, rather than of a particular race or creed.  It is always good to have someone that shares some of the same challenges in cold calling and organizational interaction.   If you want to see more, check out Black Sales Journal 1/27 Do You Need A Mentor, Probably Two, and Black Sales Journal 7/18 When Mentoring Goes Wrong.  Remember, mentoring can be formal and informal in terms of the arrangements.  Make sure that you arrange it so you can get what you need out of the relationship.

Mentor someone – Nothing helps you re-examine the most important areas of sales professionalism like when you are teaching it to others.  Whether it is the finer points of prospecting or the timing of a close, you think about it harder when you have to teach it to others.  You may refer to Black Sales Journal 3/28 Being A Mentor on this important topic.  You will be giving back, but also re-examining your sales base in the process.

Get up to date on technology – This is a good one to examine.  Increasing your mastery on your system at work is just as important as some of the actual face-to-face work you will be doing.  If you are on Sales Genie or SalesForce.com, you may need to bring yourself up to date to be most efficient.  These programs have good functionality, and your ability to shorten use times depends on your mastery, so get good at it.

Examine and change your goal setting – Stretch yourself on your goals and internalize them.  You all know what stretching means, now I will quickly say that internalizing them means that you will substitute them for the goals that you were given for the year or period.  The new number then is “your” number, and it is taken for granted that your new number is more ambitious.

Institute a networking plan – I will point to Black Sales Journal 2/21, Networking for the Black Sales Professional for this valuable suggestion.  The strength of networking is that prospecting can be less tedious.  They know why you are at the function (chamber meeting, business function etc.) and they know you are going to “touch” them at some point.  It is expected at this function, so your comfort level is high.  The good thing is that this is where your elevator pitch (Black Sales Journal 8/12, Know Your Elevator Pitch) comes in handy.  If all goes well, someone in there is in need of a widget, whether they know it or not.

Attend a sales seminar – There are many that believe sales seminars are a waste of time.  There are some that are worse than others, yet I believe that if you come out of it motivated, and believe in the boundless ability to make money, then it cannot be a total waste of time.  I went to a Zig Ziglar event one time, and he delivered a lot of platitudes, yet there were some sound messages delivered as well.  Note – If you pick up one kernel that develops you, you have been successful.

Improve your knowledge; take a class or course – It does not even have to yield a certificate, let alone a degree, but a course that strengthens you technically can yield strong benefits.  Knowing more about your product, marketplace, or the sales process is a plus and an excellent way to sharpen skills.

Join a group or association – This one is a solid way to network as well as capture an audience for your skills.  Joining a group or association is an excellent way to develop contacts, show expertise, and gather the backing that you need to be considered a true expert.

Get a sales coach – I saved this one for last because it may cost money.  A sales coach is a solid way to get someone to evaluate your sales style and help you improve your weak areas.  Do you have a problem probing, supporting, or probing?  If you sales manager is not giving you constructive comments, you may need someone to help.  Coaches are not free, yet depending on the resources that you have at your disposal starting with your sales manager this might be necessary.  Try your manager first, then a mentor next.  If that does not give it to you, consider a sales coach.  Sales coaching can be on-line, personal, or for teams of sales professionals.

Be Honest With Yourself

The most important thing is to be honest about what you really need help on.  If you are just low in spirits and need some uplift, consider attending the sales seminar.  If you are in need of someone to bounce things off of seek a mentor.  I think you get the drill.

If you career is not sputtering, this is really for you.  If you don’t need to do some emergency triage to stay in your position, you can strengthen areas that others are forced to ignore.  Pick one, and make yourself more complete with the objective of continuous improvement.

We welcome your comments.

There are always gambits and tactics that you could learn from the best sales professionals.  Some of these useful tools might present ways to become more effective and some might be ways to be more persuasive.  Whatever the thrust is, there are procedures that are working for some of the highest earning sales professionals out there, and you should be doing all of them.

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The best sales professionals have benefited from learning these things from others as well, although some of them have worked hard to construct the tactics.  I am a believer that the tactics are “fair game”, and the best will feel flattered that they are being ‘copied’.

12 Lessons –  Learn and Benefit

We all have certain tricks of the trade.  The best sales professionals have some rather simple ones that they brag about.  I think that the ease is in knowing them, and that they can be effective. You will need to remember and practice them, as they don’t necessarily come naturally.

Remember that you are not without your own time-proven gambits, yet these can supplement anything that you have been doing.

• Before You Leave – Secure the Next Appointment
• Each Meeting Have an “Action” in Mind
• Be an Effective Listener
• Know When to Say “I don’t know”
• Be an Expert
• Recognize that Rejection is Part of Sales
• Show a Personality
• Always be Dressed for Business
• Have multiple “touch points” at Each Customer
• Prospect Every Single Day
• Develop Deep Enduring Relationships
• Be Responsive

Before You Leave – Secure the Next Appointment – Never walk out without the next chapter being planned.  One of my favorite sales authors, Stephan Schiffman (101 Successful Sales Strategies, 2005 Adams Media), makes this suggestion about the first call.  I certainly suggest it for a first appointment, yet suggest as well for much of the early going with a customer.  End each session setting up the next encounter.

Each Meeting Have an “Action” in Mind – Know your end game for each session.  Make sure that you have an action step in each meeting.  Your update to the customer keeps you in contact, and keeps things moving along

Be an Effective Listener - The best sales professionals let the client talk.  They ask open-ended questions that generate complete thoughts and answers.  They let the client completely finish those answers before giving their input.  Then…they listen! Customers know when you are listening, and they appreciate it.

Know When to Say “I don’t know” – No customer expects that you will have an answer for every problem during your call or meeting.  It is safe to say that you don’t know.  Follow-up is the key, be responsive and do your research.

Be an Expert – You all know my sentiments about being an expert.  It is that angle that you can take which can define you in the future.  Everyone needs expertise in some particular area, and once they have it, the recognition and acclaim begins to flow.  Whether it is an industry, geography, or a product, you should recognize that “expert power” is effective and can mesmerize a customer in addition to giving the requisite value.

Recognize that Rejection is Part of Sales – A sales professional does not take rejection personally.  The Black sales professional needs to be able to separate rejection in the sales process from preference and prejudice.  They are different!  Rejection is part of the process, and the more you have rejection, the more you are able to determine its common nuances,  Don’t sweat it.

Show a Personality – Don’t put on a show, but show that you are a human being.  If the only thing the customer/prospect thinks is that you want his check, you have missed an opportunity.  Remember to be personable, not personal.

Always be Dressed for Business – Dress as if you are serious, and always dress for the part.  Business dress is your “uniform”.  Don’t find yourself being lulled into dressing down as you are on a mission.

Have multiple “touch points” at Each Customer – The “deeper” your contact points go into a customer, the more assured that you can be of having an “ear” in an organization.  When there is change in your customer’s organization, you will appreciate this suggestion.  Know more than one solid contact in each of your customer’s organization.

Prospect Every Single Day – Every single day you should be preparing for the future.  Prospecting is not the sole source of new business prospects, but it is most effective use of your time on a daily basis.  It needs to be a planned routine and it needs to consistently be executed.  Only then can the “law of large numbers” work for you.  Religiously execute the prospecting plan.

Develop Deep Enduring Relationships – Everyone that most of us sell to is a current customer and a potential repeat customer.  Relationships “rule” in the end and can change “preference” as two whom one prefers to do business with.  Develop relationships with a purpose, and work at them.  If you are truthful, and give value, they will start to increase in depth.

Be Responsive – The best sales professionals are responsive to the highest degree.  They answer their phones, return missed calls methodically, respond to questions and do all follow-ups against the clock.  Responsiveness does not mean that you grant all wishes, but it gets answers so people can move to the next important item.  It is always appreciated, and creates an expectation that many sales professionals cannot match.

I know that there are probably more things that could be learned, yet if you live by these simple rules you can generate more success.  If you are good at internalizing them, the difference will be reflected in a professional demeanor and the success should follow.

Maybe you are doing many of these, although maybe not all.  Try them and let me know the results.

We welcome your comments.