4 Key Attributes of Mentally Prepared Sales Professionals

The Mentally Prepared Mindset

Top salespeople don’t just have meetings; they are mentally prepared for meetings. Just as you would make sure you have the demo, the samples, the PowerPoint or brochures as well as the product video all keyed up on the tablet, top salespeople also take the time to prepare mentally. Are you mentally prepared for your next sales meeting? Here are 4 key attributes of mentally prepared sales professionals.

1) Mentally Prepared Sales Professionals are Organized and Focused

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Top sales professionals keep a great record of their clients and their information. They have the names of their clients’ spouses, information about their passions, hobbies, and the industry they are selling into.

Mental preparation for sales presentations and meetings are a part of mental discipline. It is often not boring or a lot of memorization if sales reps are genuine and authentic. Get into a problem-solving mindset rather than sales mode with clients.

2) They Study the Unique Sales Problems of Their Clients

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Mentally prepared sales professionals consider the information on the client already known, what would be helpful to know in this meeting, and how the product or service offers value.

In this way, mental preparation is a lot like putting together a jigsaw puzzle. In going over current information, the mentally prepared sales professionals may find missing pieces. Reviewing client information provides a framework for details and data for the sales rep.

This is vital to understanding the story and challenges that the customer is facing. By discovering these details in authentic and genuine conversations, the product or service becomes the solution rather than just a part of the puzzle.

WATCH NOW: Four Traits of Successful Sales Professionals

3) They Are Experts at Adjusting Their Sales Tactics Based on the Client

It is very common for a sales professional to find a method of selling which works very well with one client. A common mistake is to develop a thought that this sales technique or method is the “perfect” option for all customers.

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Customers are very different. This difference extends even to companies within the same industry. What works as a solution for one company may not be needed or effective in another company. Locking into a mindset of one sales solution for all customers is not only self-limiting, but it is likely to be self-destructive.

A better option is to maintain an open mindset about trying new things. This also goes back to not taking rejection personally. In some cases, the deal-breaker may be the approach that was used. Experimenting with different approaches and methods differently will keep the sales professional focused on the buying signals sent by the client.

For example, one customer may want to spend 10 or 15 minutes sharing personal stories and getting to know you as an individual. Another client may want to talk about the problems they are experiencing, and a third client may want to include a team approach to making a purchasing decision. Some customers may want information emailed while others will want to hear your presentation at the meeting. Understanding each customer will impact how you structure and plan your time with the customer.

4) They Communicate in a Relaxed and Genuine Manner

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By being flexible and carefully discerning what approach is best for the client, top salespeople vary their presentations, communication styles, and interactions with the customers. This flexibility comes across as authentic, natural, and not stilted or forced. It also gives you additional ideas for how to be comfortable in trying new approaches with future customers.

Not being rigid also allows the successful sales rep to quickly read a customer and adjust their style in the first few minutes of a meeting. Challenging yourself to meet the best style for working with a customer is a great mindset for success and one which will have an immediate positive impact on any meeting.

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July 5, 2018September 21, 2018

Handle Customer Objections: Key Sales Lessons from Tommy Boy

Key Sales Lessons From Tommy Boy

Sales professionals can learn a lot from sales scenes in movies. Hollywood may seem like an odd place to look for inspiration but rest assured, there are plenty of invaluable sales lessons to be learned from Hollywood’s cult classics. Learning how to handle customer objections during sales calls, dealing with difficult clients, or refining your sales strategy, can improve your selling skills. When it comes to handling customer objections, these key sales lessons from Tommy Boy can teach sales professionals a thing or two about how to effectively deal with customers’ concerns. Learn how to navigate the world of sales by taking a cue from these two classic sales scenes in Tommy Boy.

How NOT to Handle Customer Objections

There are key sales lessons from Tommy Boy that teach you how NOT to prepare for sales meetings. Tommy (played by Chris Farley) prepares for the upcoming sales presentation meetings by frantically pacing to overcome his nerves as Richard (played by David Spade) tries to prepare him with some classic sales advice: “We don’t take no for an answer.” What follows is a hilarious montage of sales meetings with Tommy bailing out of every sales meeting after getting rejected without even learning how to handle customer objections.

The fundamental message here is that with every sales meeting will come objections of all kinds. It’s important to be resilient with how you overcome rejections in sales. Pay attention to your clients’ reasonings and objections. Adjust your responses accordingly and treat every objection as a chance to ask more questions about their specific problems. A good sales tip is to know your product or service like the back of your hand.

Sales professionals must also learn to read their customers personality and adjust their sales presentation accordingly. One way to do this is to ask open-ended questions that reveal their specific pain points and problems. Pay close attention to the nature of their language (and body language), when they answer your open-ended questions. Adjust your approach accordingly to match their personality to improve your chances of closing the sale.

Both Richard and Tommy fail to speak the customers’ language in this specific scene. Richard relies too heavily on the technical aspects of the product or service and inevitably turns the customer off. Tommy, on the other hand, is too informal with his approach and unavoidably ends up ruining the sale.

How to Handle Customer Objections

Now let’s look at how Tommy Boy effectively handles customer objections. In a critical scene of the movie, Tommy closes his first sale with a customer by utilizing open-ended questions and asks, “Why would someone put a guarantee on the box”? This strategy moves the conversation forward and keeps the customer engaged and curious.

A key sales lesson from Tommy Boy is to take advantage of the belly-to-belly you have with customers. Tommy was able to effectively deliver a convincing argument as to why his product was superior. He was able to close this deal by handling the customers’ objections with relevant anecdotes and interesting examples. Tommy’s argument was predicated on the fact that a “guaranteed label” on a box does not always correlate with a quality product. Tommy learns how to handle customer objections and ultimately ends up closing his first sale on the road and goes on t save his father’s company.

If you enjoyed these key sales lessons from Tommy Boy and would like to learn more about how to handle your customers’ objections with The Sales Coaching Institutes One-on-One Sales Coaching program or our Professional Sales Training services.

June 21, 2018February 20, 2020

Mastering The Sales Mindset

Assess Your Sales Mindset

Mastering-The-Sales-Mindset-Affects-Your-Performance-Cycle — **Your Sales Mindset Affects Everything**

Mastering the sales mindset is an important aspect of developing as a sales professional. How often have you looked at salespeople and wondered why they were able to sell on a consistent basis while you struggle to simply get a meeting with a client?

Have you ever felt the latest strategies for sales may be effective for some people, but do not match your sales methods or sales experience? Do you ever find yourself thinking a sales meeting is a waste of time-based on your past interactions with customers or companies? If so, then it’s time to reevaluate your sales mindset. Thinking with the right sales mindset is a key aspect of selling that has helped successful sales representatives advance in their sales performances.

It may not be the tools, techniques or sales skills that are holding you back from realizing your potential. It may be your own thinking about sales and belief in your personal sales abilities that creates negative obstacles in your path to selling success. Your sales mindset affects all aspects of your sales performance.

Related Reading: 8 Traits of a Successful Sales Person

Passion Drives Performance and Mastering The Sales Mindset Fuels Passion

Selling is a passion for many people. It is an area of interest and personal growth with its own rewards. Selling goes beyond excellent compensation and lifestyle. Motivated and empowered salespeople are not driven by their income, but rather from the satisfaction, challenge, and personal achievement that the profession affords.

“A Passionate Sales Mindset Drives Purpose.”

For most, this is not an initial mindset. Sales professionals who learn how mastering the sales mindset affects their performance experience a more fulfilling sales career. These sales professionals have honed their internal vision of sales to create a sales mindset of success. They learn to develop confidence in their ability to work with customers in a meaningful and positive way. Successful sales professionals focus on relationship building, making connections, and understanding the client’s business issues. They listen to customer challenges and help them find value in the products and services they offer.

Create Solutions and Solve Customer Problems

Sales-Mindset-Solves-Problems — **A Healthy Sales Mindset Solves Business Problems**

In this way, highly successful salespeople are problem solvers and barrier breakers for their customers. They are not salespeople per say; rather, they see themselves as solution providers. Successful salespeople offer creative options and practical methods of overcoming challenges to their customers.

Turning from a sales-oriented approach to a problem solver perspective is one of the key factors in moving to a winning sales mindset. With the right internal vision and sales mindset, average salespeople can become great sales representatives and entry-level sales professionals can set a foundation for success throughout their career.

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June 14, 2018April 13, 2021

3 Key Aspects of An All-Stars Daily Sales Schedule

The path to productivity and success is paved by creating a solid daily sales schedule. Creating a productive daily sales schedule is one of the most common challenges that sales professionals face. A solid daily sales schedule can streamline productivity and improve the overall flow of your day. Keep these 3 key aspects of an all-star daily sales schedule in mind when you are organizing your priorities for the day.

1) Make Time For Non-Sales Related Activities In Your Daily Sales Schedule

All-Star sales reps perform all non-related sales activities between 6-8 am in the morning and/or 6-8 pm in the evening. These activities include planning, territory management, and improving product or service knowledge. Set some time in your daily sales schedule to take care of other tasks earlier or later in the day. Make sales your one and only focus during business hours.

2) Connect With Your Prospects at an Appropriate Time

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Elite sales professionals manage their daily sales schedule by prioritizing sales touchpoints by the Probability of Making the Sale. Pay attention to how your prospect prefers to be contacted. Younger prospects may prefer email or social media, while older prospects prefer a phone call. Sales touch points also include knowing your prospect’s availability and schedule.

3) Reach Out to Other Sales Leads That Are Under The Radar

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Seasoned sales professionals follow up with at least 3 older sales leads every single day. Ensure that your daily sales schedule involves reaching out to your leads in a timely and professional manner. Have your notes ready and be prepared to talk about any relevant issues or concerns. Show your prospects value through professional consulting and offer specific advice to improve their business.

June 8, 2018February 7, 2019

The Art of Asking Open-Ended Questions

Why Are Open-Ended Questions So Important?

What kinds of questions are you asking your clients? How do you know which questions to ask and when to ask them? Some of the most successful salespeople are those who have learned the art of asking open-ended sales questions. Selling is game of questions. Successful sales professionals have developed a knack for tuning into nuances and details of their client’s responses. They listen with intensity and make adjustments to their questioning based on what the client is saying.

The majority of salespeople will listen to a story politely and then go into their sales pitch, but are they really listening to what the client is saying? Some people don’t listen and are really just waiting for their turn to deliver the sales pitch. The art of asking open-ended sales questions involves tuning into keywords, themes, and patterns within the customer’s story and developing a sense of curiosity around these factors of communication.

Related Reading: Successful Telephone Selling Techniques

Open-ended sales questions are questions that allow more information to come forward. Since open-ended questions don’t limit the scope of the client’s answers to “yes” or “no”, they are effective in that they allow clients to convey more detail with their specific needs and objectives.

Being Curious and Listen

Open-ended sales questions reveal additional information and insights regarding the product or service. Asking the right questions and probing client responses will allow you to address the specific needs of the customer. Understanding the potential buyers’ interests will help you to offer a product or service that is the most suitable for them.

For example, if a customer is concerned about being able to track production through a plant with better software than currently in use, some great open-ended questions to get more information would include:

What areas of tracking do you feel your current software is missing?

How would you see the ideal tracking software working in your facility?

What specific requirements do you have for tracking software?

Be Patient

Give your customer enough time to convey information and listen carefully to what they have to say. You will have a more complete picture of the problem, which allows you then to provide a more specific description of how your software or product can solve those gaps and issues. Patience is your friend. Take time to mentally think about the right questions.

Invest some of your time in crafting your own open-ended sales questions. It is an indispensable sales tool that allows sales professionals to effectively qualify sales opportunities, establish trust, build rapport, and gain credibility with customers. Mastering the art of asking open-ended sales questions will allow you to build more meaningful relationships with clients. They allow you to connect with your clients on a more personal level so that you can better understand their problems and develop real solutions.

Author: salescoach