Since I started my career in sales, I have learned a lot of strategies and techniques about selling from various sources. I have learned from books, audio recordings, videos, and live training events of local and international trainers. I could enumerate a hundred techniques that I have learned and applied throughout my sales career. There are too many of them but they cannot be applied in all selling situations. However, there is one basic technique that I believe to be very applicable at all times. The most basic yet the most effective one is asking questions. 

After hundreds of client encounters, I have proven that asking the clients questions rather than just giving them the information about the product or service we offer has the following benefits:

1. Clients feel that they are valued. It is usual for people to feel cared for when they are asked what they feel or what they think rather than being told what they should feel or think. This is the same in any selling situation. When the salesperson goes on talking about the product or service they offer without really knowing if the prospective clients want it, the latter tends to feel that the salesperson’s main concern is just to sell. On the other hand, when a salesperson asks prospective clients questions regarding their needs and wants concerning the solutions to their problems, the clients will more likely appreciate them. They would feel that the main concern of the salesperson is meeting their needs. When clients feel that they are valued and that the salesperson they are dealing with is not just after the sales, wouldn’t they consider availing the product or service even more? It could even lead to a more meaningful and lasting client relationship.
2. Salespeople are able to identify the objections of the client. Many buyers base their decisions on information they get about the product or service. When they hear one thing that does not fit their standard, they might reject the product or service altogether even if the benefits outweigh the negative factor. Therefore, it is important to ask questions that would allow you to know what tips them off about the offer. Once you know what it is, you will be able to handle the objection and have the chance to close the sale. 
3. Salespeople are able to lead the clients to what they need. Assuming to know what clients need is the biggest mistake a salesperson can make. There are times when clients do not know what they are looking for but the only way to help them know what they need is to ask them questions. Proper assessment is the key. Once you are able to assess them, you will be able to provide the best offer. Clients want to work with somebody who knows how to lead them. 
4. Transactions become more efficient. When a salesperson just drops all the information about the product or service they offer, they are wasting more time than necessary. What if you offer 10 different kinds of products? Would you discuss the specific details of each product to the prospective buyer without even knowing the specifics of what they are looking for? Most clients do not care about all the information there is about what you offer. They just want to know if such a product or service has the features they need or want. Therefore, asking what they need or want is the best way to get the job done efficiently.  

With all the sales strategies and techniques, I learned and mastered, asking the right questions surely became the most basic skill that helped me help clients get what they need or want. It is a basic skill that I always incorporate in all the strategies I used and now teach other salespeople during my training sessions. Do you find these helpful? 

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It is not once that I heard comments that refer to salespeople as self-serving. People think that the reason for the existence of the job is to promote or sell products or services to people. It is now common for people to feel that compliments given and niceties shown by salespeople to them are just a front to lure them in. This judgment is not only the cause of people’s prejudice but also the result of many salespeople’s wrong approach in selling. 

However, the reason we venture into business or enter the world of sales is not mainly to generate sales but also to solve people’s problems.

Do you wonder how you can earn the trust of the people you want to serve despite the general reputation of salespeople? You have to make sure that your priority is to serve other people right, not the price that the service entails. Once you know that your heart is in the right place, you will be capable of making them feel that you love to help them. Here are three ways to display that love:

1. Lead people to avail the right product or service regardless of the corresponding benefit on your part as the salesperson. Even if you or the company can benefit more if your buyer would purchase a more expensive product, you should not lead him to own that product if you know that it is not what he needs or wants. 
2. Make people feel that their concerns about the product or service are valid. It would be best not to be defensive when the buyer raises questions or concerns about the product or service he intends to avail. It is your responsibility to address those concerns and make him feel comfortable with his choice. 
3. Walk with them from the start until whenever. Even after the purchase, you should still make yourself available to your buyer. Your service should not stop after the sale is made. Be creative in making sure you still connect with them whether they have questions or not.

These are very simple acts that you can do as a salesperson, but they can help break the stigma attached to salespeople. On a more personal level, these good practices can help you in gaining more clients. How? Through the excellent service you provided and continually provided your valued clients, you made them feel safe with you; therefore, they will refer their family and friends who need the same product or service to you in the future. 

How else can a salesperson make a client safe and loved? 

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The word “sales” always manages to stir different emotions in me every time I hear or utter it. It has become a vital part of my life since I chose to pursue a career in this field, from being a salesperson to being a sales trainer. Therefore, the topic of sales makes me happy and excited. Yet, at the same time, it brings out unpleasant memories as well. 

Having been a salesperson, and a consumer at the same time,  for many years allowed me to gain many bad experiences related to it. Here are a few of them:

1. A prospective client ghosted me. This ordeal did not only happen once but many times. Several times in my life as a salesperson, I experienced being left hanging without knowing the reason. Being in this career entails a lot of disappointment, such as being ghosted. One has to endure the pain of broken promises. Yes, buyers can also break a salesperson’s heart by suddenly changing their minds or by deciding to disappear. We should not let this dampen our spirits and become hopeless. We should use this kind of story to motivate ourselves to become better salespeople that prospective clients want to have lasting relationships with.  
2. A mall salesperson kept following me around like a stalker. I believe I am not the only one who experienced this kind of treatment by salespeople. As a salesperson myself, I could understand their desire to make a sale. However, as a customer, being followed around makes me feel uncomfortable. It makes me feel pressured to purchase something that I might necessarily not need or want to own. This kind of selling behavior is pushy and will more likely lead a salesperson to lose customers than gain sales. 
3. My prospective client suddenly zoned out as if gone out to another world. In the past, I often got worried about my future clients while I talked to them because they seemed to be somewhere else while being physically there with me. What would you feel when in the middle of your discussion, the other person no longer responds? I would usually think that the customer has not heard anything I had talked about and that the long time I spent talking was useless. It took me a long time to realize that it was my fault for not involving my prospect in the conversation. Instead of asking them questions to know what they need or want, I unconsciously made them uncertain about the service I offered them. 

You see, many horror stories happen in the world of sales between a salesperson and a customer. With these stories that I shared, the horror occurred because of the salesperson’s failure – failure to prove credibility, failure to make the customers feel safe, and failure to identify what the customers need or want.

While experiencing undesirable situations is inevitable, it does not mean that we can do nothing to prevent it from happening again. To become a better salesperson, you should know how to serve your customers better and equip yourself with knowledge and skills to help you do so. 

How about you? What horror stories have you experienced throughout your time as a salesperson?

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In training sales professionals, I teach them how to close sales by handling the objections of their prospective clients. There can be many different types of objections, and I teach them the many different ways to address those objections. However, those techniques do not necessarily ensure closed deals all the time. It is a fact that salespeople must also learn to accept. Now, we know that getting rejected makes us feel inadequate, and most of the time, it makes us feel uncomfortable to move forward. It inevitably triggers us to have a fear of rejection. And the sad truth is many salespeople are still living with it.

When rejections hit us, it is always important to know how to cope with them. Here are some ways that I have practiced doing to make myself feel fine every time I get rejections:

1. Maintain professionalism towards the person who rejected the product or service. Instead of giving up on the customer that refused your product, make an effort to make them feel that you are still there for them whenever they need you and that you are happy to serve them regardless of the rejection. Keep your composure and your good treatment. You never know when the time comes that they will require the product or service you offer. Once that time comes, and they still feel your presence and connection, they will surely remember and consider you because you treated them well unconditionally.
2. Shift the focus to valued clients who need your help and believe in the product or service you offer. They say there’s no use crying over spilled milk because you can no longer undo the occurrence. Time will only be wasted when you keep on thinking about a rejection from our customers. Instead of languishing and wasting precious time, it is beneficial for you to focus on taking care of your current clients or customers. Always remember, you already have clients who look up to you, trust you, and expect you to deliver what you promised to them. When you give your energy and focus to them, you will feel fulfilled and more motivated to fulfill your role as a salesperson.
3. Identify what worked, what did not work, and how you can improve next time (e.g., the way you present the product or service). Turning a pretty undesirable situation into restorative material to improve yourself as a salesperson is one way to handle rejections. When rejected, assess your performance and determine what did not work that led to the rejection. Take notes so that when the time comes that a similar selling situation occurs, you will not make the same mistake and apply the appropriate strategy or technique instead.
4. Equip yourself with the proper knowledge, skills, and art in selling. Consider it as a tool for your growth. After assessing what did not work in your previous selling transaction, invest your time to strategize how to solve people’s problems and apply proper and effective ways to handle the objections you initially failed to address. It will make you even more excited to face future transactions with confidence and conviction.
5. Accept the fact that not everyone has a need or want for your product or service. You have to do your best not to get carried away by the momentary feeling of sadness after receiving the rejection. You also have to make sure not to take it against yourself nor the person who rejected the service or product you offer. Learn to condition yourself that in sales, being rejected does not mean that you as a person are the one being rejected. It only means that the product or service is not favorable or valuable for the customer, so the latter chose not to avail it. Having this mindset also helps you to keep a good relationship with them even after the rejection.

So, when faced with rejections, never allow yourself to stay in a slump. That is not the way to deal with it. Focus on the beneficial ways which can make you an even better salesperson. Like how there are constant challenges in your personal life that help shape you as a person, there should also be challenges in your sales career that hone you to become a champion. Always remember that rejection is part of our career in sales, but it’s not the end. You feel it, you learn from it, and you move forward.

How about you? How do you deal with the rejections of your customers or buyers? 

When you are in the field of sales, you have a lot to learn—being out there as a salesperson does not simply mean offering a product or service then getting compensation. In the number of years that I’ve been in the sales industry, I have not only learned a lot of knowledge and skills about selling, but I also met different types of prospects or the people I serve. Knowing the types of buyers is very helpful and essential when you want to have a successful career in this field. As for me, I find this knowledge very useful in dealing with people, objections, and other obstacles in selling. Therefore, I am sharing these details – the five types of prospective buyers.

1. The low-price-seeker type. This type of buyer is the most logical one. This person’s decision is typically based on the price of the product or service; therefore, that is the first thing he or she will ask from you. And we all know if the price is known to them without understanding the benefits and other advantages of your product or service, they usually conclude, “it’s too much.” As a salesperson, it is always good to acknowledge the “price question” by saying and asking like this, “I understand that you want to know the investment involved. Is it fine if I share with you the details of that towards the end of our conversation? Because I believe there are other details aside from the investment that you would also want to know for your total peace of mind, like the benefits of the product, the terms and conditions, and the delivery time, correct?”
2. The always-busy type. This is the type of buyer who usually says, “Sorry, I am busy. Just send me details, please.” You’ll most likely take a long time to complete a transaction because setting an appointment is quite tricky. We should be flexible when handling this type of prospect. You can try this approach. “I understand that you are currently busy. That’s why you want me to send you the details via email. The truth is there are so many details that can’t be relayed via email. Relaying the information in person or via call is a must. I want you to know that I am so excited to share the details with you via phone call for your total peace of mind. When are you available to talk to me, is it after your work or during the weekend?”
3. The I-know-it-all type. As the name suggests, this type of prospect knows or claims to know everything there is to know about the product or service you are offering. When you present your product or service, it will seem like you are the one who does not know much about what you offer. How do you address this type of prospect? It is best to let the person share what they know and acknowledge their thoughts or sharings. You can say like this, “Thank you for sharing. I admire people like you who make and do more research about the product or service they are interested in, and it means to me that you are serious about owning such. With that, how can I help you to get started?”
4. The value-seeker type. This type of buyer does not typically mind the amount of money he or she needs to shell out as long as he or she gets the value he or she wants. What matters most to this type of prospect is the long-term gain he or she will enjoy after saying yes to owning your product or service. You, as a salesperson, should know what to highlight in presenting your product or service to this type of buyer so you can give him/her total peace of mind. For example, you can say, “I understand that you’re looking for a product that offers the best possible value. Our other valued clients and I can relate to you. We all want long-term gain. I am excited for you to experience what we have for you. Would you settle this via credit card or cash?”
5. The innocent type. This prospective client is the type who does not really know what he or she wants from the product or service. It is possible that they are interested in getting the product or service out of necessity or influence of other buyers, but not really knowing what to look for. With this type of buyer, it is essential to ask a question like, “What made you decide to visit our office? How can I help you?” From there, you would know what he or she really wants. Then provide the best possible product or service.

This information can help you to position yourself appropriately when faced with prospective clients to serve. Through this, you will not only be able to prepare the approaches you can use when dealing with them, but you will also be able to determine the best ways to serve your clients.

Do you agree that having the above knowledge can significantly help a salesperson?

Being in the sales industry does not yield the same results for everyone. Some reap a bountiful harvest from the effort they exert, the investment they put in, and the time they invest in working in it. However, a lot more salespeople struggle in earning decently in this field. 

It is not just about the financial aspect that makes a salesperson’s life rewarding, though. When you really know what it means to be a salesperson and your roles and responsibilities, you will enjoy the benefits that come with it. Here are the top five benefits you would enjoy when you do what is proper for a salesperson.

1. Your relationships with your valued clients turn into friendships. Meeting new people, of course, is one thing that is inevitable for a salesperson. But the best part of it is when those new people become your valued clients, and the professional relationship is cultivated to become a closer one – friendship. In essence, you will also get the chance to learn from your valued clients.
2. Your sales and communication skills improve. Being able to communicate with people with different personalities and characteristics all the time can make a salesperson very skilled in speaking, listening and asking. In addition, after dealing with different kinds of prospective clients and their objections, you become more and more knowledgeable and experienced in turning those objections around. 
3. Your networks and referrals grow. When you as a salesperson do what is right in this industry, you will not need to look for new clients. The valued clients you serve well and maintain a great relationship with will help you find new clients. In essence, your clients are helping you share your mission with the people they know or love. That’s a great way to grow your network.
4. Your personality develops positively. Working as a salesperson properly will help you develop self-discipline, total commitment, positive attitude, and unstoppable passion that you can apply in your life. Cultivating these qualities can make you have an excellent reputation not only as a salesperson but also as a human being. With that, you will be the preferred choice in your industry.
5. Your income increases without pressure. If you focus on your mission of helping people achieve what they want or solve other people’s problems, you will surely succeed in sales. In other words, an increase in income will follow naturally. But suppose you focus on making money and not on the roles and responsibilities of a salesperson. In that case, the tendency is you will find it even more difficult to obtain financial stability in the field. 

It isn’t sincere to say that we should not use money to be in the sales industry because, after all, humans work to earn a living. However, money should not only be the focus of everything. We are not only here to survive and serve our own needs. We are given individual abilities that allow us to be in specific fields to fulfill roles that will also benefit other people. Therefore if you have the skills fit to be a salesperson, your purpose is to serve others while also fulfilling your own needs as a person. 

Do you agree with this? Feel free to put your comments below.

         Many people, especially those who are my clients, usually ask me how to improve in the field of sales continuously. I have five significant pieces of advice, which worked for me since I was still starting in the sales industry until now, for those who ask me such a question. 

         The first is to attend training on sales. Different skills need to be learned and developed when you are a salesperson. So even if you are already an expert on your product, it would not be enough. Do not rely on the free training that your own company conducts regularly. Instead, take every opportunity to learn and relearn. However, do not limit yourself to learning from your usual source. You also need to learn from different mentors, especially if your current learning or strategy is no longer effective. Always remember that everything is changing, so is information. 

         The second is to implement the lessons learned from training right away. If you keep on attending different sales training sessions or programs but do not apply the learning right away, what is the use? You are just wasting your time and resources, not to mention the opportunities lost. When you expect great results from investing time and resources for sales training, remember that you are accountable for making those learning work. Your learning is like bullets – it cannot cause harm if it’s just lying around idly, yet deadly when used with a gun. 

         The third is to practice every single day. Since, as they say, we are creatures of habit, we must practice any new skills we learn regularly. More importantly, practice will make you get used to using a new skill and help you master it. One of the best ways to make sure you get to practice daily and master it is to do role-play with your colleagues, friends, or family members. Make sure also to use as many lessons learned from training in your day-to-day client interaction.  

         The fourth one is to build your self-discipline. If not all, most salespeople find it difficult to stick to a productive routine because they find it difficult or challenging. This challenge then leads to them neglecting whatever new knowledge or skills they got and fall back to doing what they are comfortable with, even if it is not working anymore. Being consistent in producing excellent results in sales entails commitment – commitment to keep moving and improving. Teach yourself never to give up when faced with challenges and never get distracted by other fleeting things. 

         The last one is to work with your mentor. I will never get tired of repeating this advice to whoever needs it. We all need people who understand how the sales industry works to guide us. We need experts to teach us how to become effective salesperson, and how to serve clients better. We don’t have all the information that answers all the questions about such. But, there are people who have the expertise in each of these aspects. We need them to help us. We need them to teach us. We need them to guide us. We need to work with them. We need to be pushed by them and be able to witness our true potential in the field of adding value, solving people’s problems, and helping them get what they want.

         If all these pieces of advice are followed consistently and religiously, I can guarantee that you will be a great salesperson and a champion in your industry. If you want to see an improvement in yourself as a salesperson, are you ready to take on this challenge? 

Selling, just like most skills, is learnable. There are books, seminars, and training that one can engage in to acquire knowledge and hone it. However, these materials or means do not suffice for someone to be successful in sales. One must first possess some things before getting into it, and even develop to stay there.  

In my years of sales experience, I have truly learned a lot about the art and skills of selling from colleagues, leaders, mentors, and even renowned international trainers. While continuing the journey to growth in this field, however, I needed (and still need) the following for me to have a direction, stay on track, and fulfill my vision:

1. Unstoppable Passion. Passion fuels us to be persistent amidst all the challenges we encounter in our work line. Without passion, we will more likely give up easily. It gives us energy. Passion typically serves as the compass of some to go in a specific direction. Some discover it early, but a lot of people find it a bit later.  
2. Firm Self-discipline. Human as we are, we are prone to distractions. This fact is the reason that we need to develop firm self-discipline. We can overcome distractions when we know how to control ourselves from getting lost in those. With self-discipline, we can go back on track when we become unbalanced for a moment. Successful people, who consistently achieve success in what they do, definitely did not just happen on their accomplishments. They paved their way towards each success by painstakingly following what needs they need to do.  
3. Positive Attitude. In school, we learned that before our body can carry out any action, we think of them first. That is why when you think you can’t do something, it becomes a reality. In short, you sabotage yourself every time you think negatively. In selling, there are no amount of training and sales techniques that can help us sell if in our mind we are already doubtful. We always have to maintain a positive attitude. 

Being successful in sales requires all these and continuous learning because we can only become the best in what we do when we are at our best self – heart, mind, and soul. When we think about it, this also applies to any field of specialization. Whatever career path or whatever our calling is, we need to help ourselves grow in it, continuously burn with passion, maintain self-discipline, and muster positive attitudes. When we have all these, we find fulfillment in what we do because we know we are doing the best we can. Not even money can give us such. Don’t you agree?

A new year has finally taken over. Most of us, salespeople, have been preparing to have a better start and a smooth journey throughout the year. Although there are still restrictions due to the community quarantine, everyone is already gearing up to perform exceptionally. As helping salespeople elevate their results is one of my missions, I ensure to make them aware of everything that may affect their sales. Some of the things that salespeople need to be mindful of are the mistakes they are unintentionally committing and how they handle their sales transactions and results.

Here are the top two common mistakes that a salesperson usually commits without realizing the consequences each have:

1. Lack of belief in one’s own product or service. The most common mistake of a salesperson is the lack of confidence in what they are selling. Some salespeople believe that the products or services they offer are expensive or too much. In this case, right after the salesperson asks for the client’s answer or commitment, the latter would typically say, “The price is too much.” Why is that? It’s simple! I learned over the years that selling is a transfer of feelings or emotions. In other words, if the salesperson believes that the product or service is expensive, the client would feel the same way. In the same premise, if the salesperson fully believes that the product or service is very attainable, that they would buy their product, they will easily convey that belief or feeling to the clients. There are also instances where a salesperson says what he or she needs to tell about the product. Yet, there is no sign of conviction of the product’s benefits in presenting the product to the prospective customers. As a result, the salesperson killed the sale.
2. Not owning the same product. Another common mistake of a salesperson is selling but not owning or experiencing the product. In other words, for a salesperson to convince or persuade a buyer to own the product he or she is offering, he or she should know what it feels like to own it. How would you describe the feeling of driving a car to someone when you don’t even drive or own one? Or how would you convince someone how important securing the lives of people is if you are not insured yourself? Again, selling is a transfer of feelings. To be an effective seller, a salesperson must share his or her personal experience and the concept of what he or she offers, not the product or service itself. Indeed, you cannot give what you do not have.

Some salespeople think that these are trivial reasons for dropping sales, but on the contrary, these have a significant impact on one’s sales results. Regardless of the quality of the products or service offered, the selling techniques used, and the person’s tenure in the sales industry. If a salesperson does not believe and see the value of his product or does not even know the feeling of owning the product, it would be a struggle to sell it to customers.

Do you agree with these? Let us know your thoughts by leaving a comment below.