6 Ways You Can Become A Better Salesperson

There’s no doubt—you’re a great salesperson. But perhaps you’re still seeking to improve your sales pitch, or maybe you’re struggling a bit to find your ground in your sales career. However challenging, a job in sales is one of the most fruitful and fulfilling jobs you can get, especially here in the Philippines.

In a career where competition is tough, it’s important that you constantly try to improve yourself. Here are 6 effective tips that will help you become a better salesperson:

1. Throw away the script.

A good sales pitch starts long before you set foot in your client’s door. Do your homework. Never skip asking probing questions so you can truly understand what your buyer needs.

This is how two struggling salesmen in the movie The Internship led their team to victory on a sales challenge during their internship at Google. Characters Nick and Billy closed a limitless deal with a local pizzeria who’s having trouble interacting with potential customers during the digital age. Of course, their charismatic personality helped them closed the deal. But knowing this information ultimately allowed them to customize their presentation in a way that addresses their client’s major pain point, making it clear to the local pizzeria how advertising with Google can help them expand business.

In sales, you should know enough about your prospect’s business before ‘getting into it.’ After pitching to clients for years, you most likely have an idea of what works and what doesn’t. It’s time to apply those learnings and let go of your memorized script. At this point, you can already survive a pitch without it.

2. Direct your efforts to the right person.

Are you presenting your pitch to an account manager, a department director, or the CEO? Understanding the role of the person who’s going to receive your pitch is a helpful way for you to tailor your communication strategy. It is a great place to start in assessing their common pain points and engaging your clients in a language that best fits their role.

When doing a sales pitch, it’s best to sell to the actual decision-maker/s. Take, for example, Mark. He’s a car dealer who wants to sell the latest car model to a man in his 30s. He explained every detail about the car’s specs, feed him information about its advantages, and had a very convincing sales talk—only to be turned down in the end because the man has to ‘ask his wife first.’

All the research you do will account for nothing if you’re talking to people who don’t have the last say. Of course, this is easier said than done. One of the major hurdles of salespeople is getting access to the decision-makers. But if it won’t really be possible, at least make sure that you’re talking to a person who understands the business and knows it well.

3. Know the best way to deal with your client, but never let go of control.

Every client has different likes and quirks. Some clients are all about business, demanding you to get straight to the point. Some want to take things lightly, and some want to be constantly chased. But no matter how your client wants to be dealt with, the most important thing to remember is that you remain in control of the sale.

In Robert Greene’s book The Art of Seduction, he provided a definitive guide to obtaining power and influence. Even though the book takes the character of a seducer, there are valuable lessons in there that make it an excellent book for salespeople who want to take their skills to the next level.

Here are some seduction laws which principles can be applied to sales:

• Always Say Less Than Necessary. 60% of clients want to connect with sales reps during the consideration stage when they have already researched your product and other options. Avoid overselling. Be comfortable with silences. Don’t destroy your credibility by mistaking silence as uncertainty.
• Guard Your Reputation With Your Life. Build a reputation for honesty and trustworthiness. A good reputation greatly benefits a salesperson’s long-term interests. When a client knows that you’re selling not just for the sake of money but for the chance to make their lives better, you become their go-to salesperson.
• Play To People’s Fantasies. Paint a clear, colorful picture of how your product can make their lives better. Appeal to the senses to make your pitch more interesting and interactive. And while you’re doing this, make sure that you don’t overpromise. Only use colors that your product can carry.

4. Believe in your product as much as you believe in yourself.

In the movie The Wolf of Wall Street, Jordan Belfort, a young stockbroker convicted of securities fraud, founded his own brokerage firm at the age of 20 because of his passion for closing sales.

You’re probably thinking, “It’s a movie about fraud and corruption in the corporate banking world. This has nothing to do with improving my sales pitch!” But if we really think about it, there are some logical sales lessons from the movie The Wolf of Wall Street that every sales representative can adapt in their field.

It was Belfort’s burning passion for sales that ultimately drove him to incredible wealth. Selling and closing accounts were part of his DNA. He believed he can sell anything, and this belief became the pillar of his company’s success. When selling, it’s important that you demonstrate that burning passion for your product. Passion exudes confidence. There is nothing more credible than a salesperson who knows everything about his/her product, and at the same time values it as if it’s his/her own.

5. Handle rejections like a pro.

In a career where rejections are quite common, overcoming sales rejection is almost a part of the job. Losing a deal can be devastating. But the best salespeople never let rejections suck the life out of them.

Keep in mind that not everyone is a part of your market. There are people that won’t serve your product, but that doesn’t mean that you’re bad at your job. Also, not all ‘no’s’ you get are final. Sometimes, buyers say no to you because they don’t need your product at the time. It’s also possible that they are not ready yet. But if you managed to develop a relationship based on trust with your client, it’s more likely that they seek for your service in the future once they’re ready. During that time, you can still turn their ‘no’ into a more rewarding ‘yes.’

6. Cultivate long-term relationships.

Even after you sealed the deal, it’s important that you stay in touch with your clients. Technically speaking, your pitch ends once the client signs the papers. But in reality, it’s just the start of their buyer’s journey.

Part of your responsibility as a salesperson is to make sure that the deal you closed goes smoothly until the very last day of its implementation. These clients you have just closed are the same people who will trust you in the future—if everything goes exactly as planned.