The sales force is increasingly becoming the face of a business to customers. Sales professionals need to be not just knowledgeable and skilled but also bright, articulate and personable. The sales force is increasingly becoming the face of a business to customers. Sales professionals need to be not just knowledgeable and skilled but also bright, articulate and personable. It can expect to develop their skills to such an extent that they can comfortably transition into management roles after a few years in sales. Sales people are expected to be on their feet for long periods of time.
1. Time Management :
Proper time management is one of the key skills for the sales professional. It is important to understand how much time you have for what you are doing and especially when you are involved in a busy sales cycle. These cycles can be very intense and will require you to be at your best at every step. Time management skills also help in overall organization and planning.
2. Dealing with Problems & Lack of Information :
The sales force can experience a number of problems that may hinder the sales process and this is where good documentation comes in very handy. It is important to document every problem so that it can be solved as early as possible. If there is ever a question of lost documents, lack of information or lack of training material then you will want to store these details in an easily accessible place and keep them up to date regularly. This is where a well thought out software application can provide some much needed solutions.
3. Team Collaboration :
Every sales cycle is unique with its own set of individuals. Outsourcing the sales process to a third party company or even a temporary agency is not a good idea. Outsourcing may improve the speed of implementation but it also takes away the control and knowledge that you should have as team leader. Team collaboration entails information sharing and knowledge acquisition between team members through meetings, webinars and virtual meetings.
4. Managing Expectations :
The sales compensation plans will have to deal with different expectations from different people such as clients, end users, prospective buyers, senior management and representatives of your business partners. This can be an opportunity to gain knowledge about how other organisations work or at least understand how your business will function in that particular environment in the future.
3. Better Conversions :
Sales professionals make use of different methods and techniques to persuade customers to choose their product over that of their competitors. This may range from an online presentation, a teleconference or demonstration at an event. The process will be different for each scenario and you need to know what works best in each case. This can be very difficult to manage and you will have to rely on your experience, knowledge and training.
4. Proactive Marketing :
The ability to think and act beyond what you are currently doing is vital in sales. Marketing related troubleshooting can be very effective if done early. It can also be an opportunity to learn or even do some research on a new technology or product that may become important in the near future.
5. Customer Relations :
It is very important to keep your customers happy and satisfied in order to promote your products through them and their word of mouth marketing. Research shows that the highest number of repeat purchases come from loyal customers rather than trying to convert new individuals through cold calling techniques or advertising campaigns. This is where customer relations play a major role in the sales cycle and it can determine future success for your business.
ElevateHQ is a commission software that helps sales teams plan and execute their proven sales cycle process. It is geared towards professional sales teams with clients of different sizes and verticals. You can also set them up with automatic workflows to help them close more deals.