It Starts with Sales

This article is part five of a multipart report on small business marketing.

Michael Douglas said it well in the 1987 movie “Wall Street,” acting as the extremely successful and wealthy but unscrupulous corporate raider Gordon Gekko: “Greed is Good!” And when he was rolling in money, it was.

Donald Trump’s catch phrase: ”You’re Fired!” has crushed the hopes of aspiring billionaires.

It comes down to one thing in both cases – make the sale and make the money. Otherwise, see you later!

Businesses revolve around sales. If you don’t have sales, your business will fail. How can you tell if someone has the skills to become a great salesperson? Look for these characteristics:

•easy to get-along with
•a great sense of humor
•not easily offended
•a positive attitude
•wants to better themselves
•eager to learn about your company and products

Sales training is something the produce industry does not invest enough time and energy in. “Here’s a Blue Book. Everyone in here is potentially your customer.” Ever hear that? It’s called Produce Sales 101, and that’s the course.

Instead, I suggest companies invest in serious training. People skills – think Dale Carnegie – is the first area you should invest in. If your salespeople lack skills to make them empathize with your customers – if they have no rapport with your customers – guess what? Your competitors’ sales staff may have these skills and can take the lead.

Persuasion is Selling

The ability to get along with another human being is so important in sales that I consider this the tipping point when it comes to making the sale or losing it to your competition. What differentiates my apples from my neighbor’s? Nothing really. Why does one retailer buy from me and not from my neighbor if the price is the same and the apples are the same? Maybe we get along well and have common interests. Maybe over the course of time, I have persuaded him to try my products, and I followed up as promised. Maybe my neighbor didn’t care what happened after the sale.

Sales training can be done one-on-one or in groups. My first two sales trips selling advertising were to the Hunts Point Terminal Market in New York and to the Boston markets – tough places to break in a new kid. I went there with a veteran of the industry who introduced me and basically let me watch his pitch. He also helped me with the important aspects of a road trip – where to stay and where to eat and how to avoid traffic.

I also was sent to a telephone sales training course early in my career, which turned out to be my only formal training. The rest I learned by myself. But I was motivated to be the top salesperson in the company. When weekly and monthly sales figures are sent around to everyone, I did not want to be at the bottom.

Sales Basics: AIDCA

The foundations of most modern sales techniques lie in five stages of action:

1. Attention: Grab the attention of your prospect.
2. Interest: Build their interest by appealing to their emotions. Show them how your product will benefit them, as well as the company.
3. Desire: Build their desire for your product by showing them the features and benefits you can provide.
4. Conviction: Increase their desire for your product by statistically proving its worth. Compare it to its competitors. Use testimonials from your current clients.
5. Action: Encourage the prospect to act. Ask for the order. If they object, address their objections.

Relationship Selling

My favorite selling technique is called Relationship Selling. It involves building a friendship with your prospects, and, of course, listening to their needs. Once you have earned their trust – and this means learning about their interests, their hobbies, their family, etc. – you are on the way to making them a customer.

Sales training should be an on-going commitment. Don’t let it slide. Start working on your training today!

One more thought – I never fully understood what the title of a business book on my father’s shelves meant until I was involved in sales. The book, written in French, was entitled, “La Vente Commence Quand le Client Dit le Non!” In English it means, “The Sale Begins When the Client Says No!”

And that’s the truth!