Some close friends of mine recently entered the world of B2B Sales for the very first time.
I spent a weekend (wasn’t enough) sharing some of my experiences and learnings which I thought would also benefit many others in my network and beyond.
This post will cover some advice & best practices for those new to the game.
Sales Tip #1: Focus on personal development and always be learning.
Successful salespeople have to be confident in themselves.
Reading material: ‘How to Win Friends and Influence People’, ‘The Millionaire Next Door’, ‘The Richest Man in Babylon’, ‘The Four Agreements’ and ‘The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People’.
Check out videos and audiobooks from Zig Ziglar, Brian Tracy, Jack Canfield, Tony Robbins.
Take plenty of notes.
Focus on written personal goals and affirmations and keep them with you.
Remember: Your only limitations for success are the ones you set for yourself 😉
Sales Tip #2: Know your product/service better than anyone.
Don’t just become an expert, become a resource of knowledge for your customers and coworkers.
The internet is an incredible resource, where you can learn just about anything you want about any subject.
Furthermore, work with management on improving workplace inefficiencies. Not only will this help you to easily make yourself noticed, but you are also likely to be more comfortable on the phone.
Needless to say, you are more likely to earn someone’s trust & business if you are able to answer their queries and objectively point out how your solution can help solve their problem.
Sales Tip #3: Learn every possible customer objection and develop multiple responses to it 💬
“Your Prices are Too High” 📈
“Sure, but wouldn’t you agree that it makes better business sense to buy on overall best value, ROI and not just on the lowest price? How important are things like [Insert Product Highlights, i.e. response time and order accuracy] to you? If you place this order with [Insert Company Name], and the order arrives one week late, will that be worth the small difference in price?”
“Don’t Call Me” 📞
“Mr. Customer, no problem. I’m just concerned I haven’t given you enough information for you to feel comfortable doing business with us, is that possible?” Alternatively, you can drop them an e-mail or get in touch via social instead 😉
“We’re happy with our current supplier” 🛒
“That’s great! May I ask who that is and what made you want to work with them in the first place?” Find out if there’s something that they aren’t totally happy with or if there is an additional void your product/service can fill, i.e. “What’s the biggest issue you have in filling your orders right now?”
“I’m Too Busy to Talk Right Now” 🕒
“I’m sorry I caught you at a bad time. Does X (time/date) work for you for a quick chat?”