Mueller - Successful selling -- be on top of your game

People are saying the economy is turning around. Whether this is true or not, as sales people, we must always be on top of our game. Recently, I had the opportunity to work with some seasoned sales professionals. My job at hand was, according to their manager, "to excite and energize them" at their annual sales meeting.

If I think about what excites most sales people, it is getting the sale! So with that in mind, we spent some time reflecting on some basic sales practices, and getting back to the drivers of successful salespeople. So we spent half a day reviewing and reflecting on our best practices.

As sales professionals, we always need to think about attitude. What is our attitude, and more importantly, what does it look like outwardly to our clients and potential customers? My mentor, Carol Sealey, always said, "Attitude is the only thing we have control over in our lives," and she was and is always right.

Sometimes, as sales people, we may get a little disheartened when dealing with all sorts of people and their personalities. Maybe the long sales cycle gets us down. Or it could be that selling to VITO (the very important person at the top) is not always possible. We know that successful sales professionals look at these obstacles as challenges, and develop creative ways to go around them, and stay positive when dealing with them.

The right attitude may be the source of a salesperson's ability to do those things that his or her competitors do not want, like, or do not have the self-confidence to do.

Of course, attitude must be supplemented with actual selling skills. Sales professionals must utilize a focused approach to selling, and they must possess a diverse portfolio of selling skills. More than ever, we must essentially be consultants to our clients. We must be able to uncover challenges and problems, and develop the appropriate solutions that are results-oriented for the client.

Being a good conversationalist is not enough for sales professionals today. Sales professionals are asked to make presentations, to submit proposals, and submit our solutions via technology. We may only have a few minutes to communicate an idea or initiative. I have many clients who communicate through technology exclusively. I have other clients who will only communicate by phone or in person. The ability to communicate effectively, and through diverse media is a critical skill that all sales professionals need to master.

Our informed consumers expect more support than ever before. It is up to us to involve others in identifying viable solutions, and servicing the customer after the sales. We must be able to organize our time, schedule, contact management systems, presentations and support systems to maintain business with our clients. We also must be expert "coordinators" to manage all levels of personnel within both our own and our client's organizations.

For some, creating relationships comes naturally. For other sales professionals, it is a skill that they plan, develop and execute with a purpose. Either way, it is up to us to create admiration, trust and respect with our customers. People buy from people. If they trust us and like us, they are going to want to do business with us.

When we network, it isn't all about how many business cards we can pocket. Remember, networking is a process of caring and sharing with others. It is up to us to help "connect" people whenever we can. When we do this, it almost always comes back to us in the form of increased business ourselves.

When we have our attitude controlled, and we are able to develop relationships that are mutually beneficial, we are on the right road to selling success.

When we utilize good selling skills -- a focused approach, good credibility statement, good questioning, expert solution development, and great follow-up, we are sailing down the highway. When we use our best time management and organizational skills, the road is likely to be much less bumpy along the way. Enjoy the road to success in professionals sales!

Sharon Mueller is the regional manager for Dale Carnegie Training-St. Louis. Dale Carnegie Training is the world's oldest and largest training company. Dale Carnegie Training can provide a keynote speaker, public courses, or comprehensive organizational training programs for your organization. Mueller can be reached at 332-0900.