We were talking in the office here the other day, ‘juggling ideas’ if you like, when the idea for this blog came about.
During our discussion we identified several behaviours or skills that have added real value to our work as sales practitioners down through the years and which have contributed in a big way to the bottom line – boosting our sales performance.
We concluded that good business habits form the core of all successful professions but for salespeople in particular, a few specific sales habits can make an enormous difference.
So, welcome to our new mini blog series: “Tips to Help You Improve Your Sales Performance!”
In this small series, we’ll present some tried and tested tips and techniques to improve your performance and explain why these will make the difference between you scoring the winning ticket or being left with the wooden spoon.
Sales Tip of the Day #1: Show Up … Follow Up!
In business in general and in sales in particular, the pressure to find the next customer is always high and good entrepreneurs are constantly seeking the smallest sniff of a lead to see if they can turn it into something big. If you don’t turn over every last rock to see what’s underneath or attend every event that might result in a new lead, someone else will be there in your place.
One half of a simple rule of thumb in sales, then, is: Show Up!
Woody Allen famously noted that 80% of success is due to showing up. That old observation still holds true, as much in sales as in life, simply because no one will remember you if you weren’t there. But for people in sales, just showing up is not enough. If you were there, those that matter should know it! And if they don’t, then you should remind them.
So, the other half of a simple rule of thumb in sales is: after you show up, Follow Up!
One of our colleagues here worked in Italy before joining us. After a year or so of teaching English as a foreign language there, he tired of it a little and decided that he wanted to use his native language skills in more challenging and exciting ways.
Surprised at the poor quality of English used on the websites of many iconic Italian soccer clubs, he figured that he was well-placed to help some of them to market themselves better internationally. So, he chose one famous club, his favourite, re-wrote a key section of their website in spiky, compelling English and sent it to them with a note asking them to get in touch.
The next day he got a call from the marketing boss at the club. A week later he found himself with a dream job as real-time translator – in the press box – at the team’s home games! True, being there at the right time was crucial, but this is a pretty good example of how, not only showing-up, but following-up can make all the difference!
Showing up is a vital thing, as it will certainly prise open a lot of rusty doors for you but following up is even more important because 9 times out of 10, it will most likely be the thing that gets you the deal.
Call it the WD-40 of sales!
Tune in soon for another sizzling tip!
