A Salute to Common-Sense Selling ….

We answer 500 million emails a day.  We find new exciting contacts to befriend on LinkedIn.  We mail thought-provoking whitepapers.   But, do we ask ourselves, “What am I trying to accomplish by doing this?”  I wish I would have started asking myself this question years ago.  I would have spent time on the right activities at the right time.  I may not have been less busy, but I would have been a lot more productive.

I have learned a few things over the years that have really helped me.  They are not ground-breaking, they are not going to be published in a book, but they are to me the difference between winning a new partnership and just wasting time.

My little tidbits:

1)  Put your all into it! If it is worth doing it is worth doing correctly.  Trite I know but so true. 

2) Never say no to something just because it is outside your job description if it is something your client or prospect needs, you can provide it and of course it is within your company’s guidelines.  Example, putting together a PowerPoint of screenshots or a “boring” one pager of detailed product specifications may not be glamorous but if the client/prospect needs it to move forward then it is within my job description.

3) It’s the little things that close deals.  I can talk for hours about the “little things” sales representatives and I have done that have made a deal close: deciding to email a third party for help, bringing in an internal implementation partner to reassure a prospect, picking up the phone and having a conversation versus sending an email.

4) Let them shine!  Although clients and prospects need to understand they are partnering with a great resource (you) and a great company, they also want us to recognize THEIR achievements and future accomplishments.  So, take the time to customize your presentation or live demonstration and talk about all the great things they told you they will do with their new solution.  Talk about how they are the right people and the right company to get the job done and you are there to help make that possible.  When you customize your solutions to look like your client/prospect they see themselves in an even BETTER light.  It’s like test driving that fancy new car, admit it you look really good behind the wheel, don’t you?

I told you these are not ground-breaking concepts.  But, they have allowed me to win deals over the years and for that I salute good ‘ol Common-Sense selling!

Now … go ask yourself why you are sending out that whitepaper!  Oh, and get that deal signed too while you are at it!

*The content in this blog entry and all content on this blog are my opinions only and do not reflect the opinions of my employer, ADP, Inc.