One of the most valuable sales skills, that a salesperson or business leader can have is knowing how to sell anything to anyone.

Being a great salesperson opens up many doors of opportunity, especially for entrepreneurs and business owners.

You can learn a few simple techniques that can be applied to any other sales call or situation, whether you’re selling a product online, over the phone, face-to-face, or even in an interview

Whether you’re a seasoned, sales expert or professional, or just starting on this exciting path, you’re about to discover the secrets of selling anything to anyone. We’ll be blending my proven strategies with the powerful insights of sales experts to create a comprehensive guide that guarantees your success.

Selling Value vs Price

First I want to share the importance of knowing value vs price when learning how to sell.

One of the great areas that I work on with corporations all over the world is called value selling, or customer value offering.

Value selling says that customers buy your value or service because they anticipate enjoying a value that they would not have in the absence of your product or service. People don’t buy products, they buy the results the product will give them.

I’ve trained more than 2 million salespeople in 75 countries and I teach them all the same thing:

Sell the value and the benefit of your product or service to your customer.

Focus on explaining and expressing how it works for the customer. If you focus on the value, the price becomes less and less important. If you don’t focus on value, the only thing you can talk about is price.

Research says that the value is the difference between the price you charge and the benefits the customer perceives they will get.

If the customer thinks they will get a lot of benefits for the price they pay, then their perception of value is very high. So you can control that.

Teach people how much they will benefit, how much your product or service will help them, and all of the things your product or service can do to help them achieve their goals and solve their problems. The more you focus on these values, the less important the price becomes.

How to Sell to Your Ideal Market

Value selling is a sales technique that leverages customer anticipation of enjoying the benefits of the item for a sale.

With this approach, the sales conversation focuses on how the buyer’s life will be improved with the asset at hand, rather than the actual features and hard facts related to the product.

To do so, here are the key steps to understanding how to sell before you sell it.

Identify Your Target Audience

Asking yourself who your target audience is should be the start of any sales journey. Selling is all about knowing what motivates people, and to do this effectively, you must have a clear picture of your ideal customer.

With a clear understanding of your target audience, you can customize your sales approach efficiently, ensuring that your potential customers see the value in what you’re offering. This means you need to understand their needs and pain points, create buyer personas, and analyze competitor strategies.

This allows you to modify your products and services to align with evolving market trends, resonating with your audience and building a strong relationship with them.

Understand Your Customer’s Needs

Let’s start with the cornerstone of successful selling – understanding your customer’s needs (and pain points). This principle remains timeless because it’s the foundation of how great sales are built. You must recognize that your customers are looking for solutions to their problems, not just products or services.

In almost every case, a salesperson who focuses on customer service and how a product can meet their customer’s needs and wants while solving their pains will be much more successful than a salesperson who focuses on the features and specifications of the product itself.

To identify the needs and pain points of your ideal customer, you can use various research methods such as:

• Surveys
• Interviews
• Examining feedback from support tickets
• Social media interaction
• Online reviews

This will help you generate hyper-targeted content that effectively resonates with potential buyers and allow you to center your sales pitch around meeting those needs is the best way by far to close a sale.

Create Your Buyer Personas

After determining the needs and pain points of your customers, you’ll need to create comprehensive buyer personas. Dive into market research to find customer data and uncover demographics, psychographics, and behavioral patterns. This data will guide form a comprehensive buyer persona

Create a customer avatar based on this information. How old are they? Are they male or female? Do they have children? How much money do they make? What is their level of education?

The number of buyer personas can vary, and it’s beneficial to start with a few and expand if needed. You can collect this type of information through interviews with current customers, prospective customers, or participants from third-party networks.

Research Competitors

Knowing your customers isn’t everything you need to know how to sell. It’s also equally important to do some competitor research. Analyzing your competitor’s strategies can give you valuable insights into their SEO and marketing approaches.

It can help you see how they position the same pain points your buyers have and connect better with your target audience. Identifying a unique market position is essential for differentiation and ensuring that your sales offerings are different from your competitors.

You can also use this research to learn from your competitors’ successes and failures, which will help you develop more effective sales and marketing strategies for your own online business.

Personal Branding & Learning How To Sell Yourself

Whether you’re cold calling or have done auto sales to someone before, it’s important to keep in mind that before a person is going to be willing to hand over their hard-earned money to you, they’ve got to like you the salesperson just as much as they like the product that you are selling.

When you’re making a sales pitch, take a little time to get to know your potential customers and let them get to know you.

Tell them a quick story, make them laugh, and overall simply let your personality shine.

If you can make your customers see you as a person and perhaps even a friend rather than just someone who is trying to sell something to them, they’ll be far more inclined to buy something from you.

Building trust begins by connecting with the prospective buyer on a personal level. Share your story, your passion, and your expertise. Show genuine interest in their concerns, and let them see the real you. In this digital age, authenticity shines brightly, and it’s a magnet for customers.

Write a Compelling Sales Pitch

When you’re ready to sell products online and have multiple sales channels at your disposal, the next step is to craft an engaging sales pitch.

Always Ask Questions

Questions are your most potent weapons in the art of selling. They unlock vital information, establish rapport with potential buyers, and guide the conversation towards a mutually beneficial conclusion.

Asking questions is essential, but don’t stop at just a few. Dig deep and ask lots of questions.

The more you inquire, the more you understand your customer’s perspective. Open-ended questions are particularly valuable because they encourage meaningful dialogue.

Don’t Sell. Help

A paradigm shift is happening in the world of sales. It’s not about pushing and selling products online; it’s about helping people solve problems. It’s all about contributing value first and selling second.

Your customers are looking for solutions, and your job is to be the guiding light. Share knowledge, insights, and resources that genuinely help your customers. By demonstrating your expertise and willingness to assist, you build trust with existing customers and establish yourself as a reliable partner.

Keep in mind that one of the main things that lead people to buy a new product is that they are struggling with an issue that they hope that product will address.

It’s your job, therefore, to make sure that you are as helpful as possible.

When you are genuinely trying to be helpful when it comes to addressing your customer’s needs, your sales pitches will be far more successful.

Keep The Focus On The Customer

In the world of sales, the spotlight should always be on the customer. Tailor your pitch to their needs, address their concerns, and make them feel like the center of attention.

This principle can’t be emphasized enough. Keep your customer at the forefront of your mind throughout the sales process. Make them feel heard and valued, and they’ll reward you with their trust and loyalty.

The Science Of Selling

Understanding consumer psychology is a powerful tool in your sales arsenal. It enables you to anticipate your customer’s reactions and tailor your approach accordingly.

Consumer psychology delves into the why and how of buying decisions. Leverage this knowledge to create persuasive messaging and sales strategies. For instance, understanding the principles of social proof and scarcity can drive customers to take action.

Make An Emotional Connection

Emotions play a massive role in decision-making. If you can elicit the right emotions in your customers, you’re more likely to secure a sale.

Craft your sales message and presentation to reach an emotional high point. Whether it’s excitement, relief, or inspiration, make sure your customers feel something positive when they interact with your offering

Personalization Matters

Selling isn’t about you or your product, it’s about how you can improve your customer’s life. The key is to craft your pitch in a way that revolves entirely around them.

Emphasizing this, it’s essential to keep in mind that your primary focus is on the individual you’re selling to. Tailor your communication to their specific needs and preferences. Demonstrate how your product or service directly addresses the unique challenges they face, making their decision-making process smoother and more rewarding.

Approach Them On Their Level

Adaptability is a key trait of successful sales reps. You must have the ability to meet your customers exactly where they are and speak their language so you resonate with them.

Whether your customer is a tech-savvy millennial navigating the digital landscape or a seasoned traditionalist rooted in time-tested values, it’s crucial to approach each interaction on their terms. Tailor your communication style, language, and references to align with their generation, industry, and unique preferences.

By doing so, you not only bridge the gap but also establish a connection that transcends generational or industry differences, creating a more profound impact in your sales endeavors.

The Art Of Persuasion

Emotions have a profound impact on decision-making. To close the deal and master the art of persuasion, aim to create an emotional connection with your customers.

Try this: You’re not just selling a product; you’re guiding your customers on an emotional journey. It’s like embarking on an adventure together. You can achieve this through the compelling art of storytelling. Share stories that resonate with your customers, stories that evoke empathy, excitement, or even a sense of transformation.

Let them see how your product or service isn’t just a commodity but a guide to a better, more fulfilling life. When your pitch triggers positive emotions in your potential customers, it’s bound to strike a chord within their hearts, compelling them to take action and become part of your story. By doing so, you become not just a seller but a storyteller and a catalyst for change in their lives.

Leverage Customer Testimonials

Trust is an invaluable currency. One of the most potent tools to help you build trust with your target buyer correctly is through customer testimonials. These authentic endorsements serve as social proof, reassuring potential buyers that your product or service lives up to its promises.

When a prospective customer sees that others have had positive experiences, they are more likely to feel confident in their decision to buy. Encourage satisfied customers to share their success stories, highlighting the specific benefits they’ve gained from your offering.

Always Make It Human

In the exhilarating world of sales, it’s easy to get caught up in the numbers, the pitches, and the strategies. However, successful selling is a profoundly human endeavor. It’s essential to never lose sight of the fact that you are selling to a person, not just a prospect or a potential client.

When you approach your sales efforts with genuine empathy and an understanding of the unique needs and desires of the individual across from you, you transform the transaction into a meaningful connection. It’s crucial to engage in active listening and genuine conversation. Don’t treat your customers as mere leads or statistics but as individuals with their own aspirations, fears, and motivations.

By doing so, you can tailor your approach to resonate with their personal needs, making them feel seen and heard. Every successful sale is not just about closing a deal, it’s about creating a positive and memorable experience for the person on the other side, one that fosters trust, loyalty, and lasting relationships.

Choose the Right Products to Sell Online

Selecting the appropriate products to sell online is a critical phase in your sales journey. It’s not just about finding a product that you think is good; it’s about finding a product that your target audience will love and want to buy. This entails weighing commoditized against niche products and assessing product demand along with profitability.

The type of product you choose to sell can significantly impact your sales and profitability. For instance, products that cater to customers’ passions or guilty pleasures tend to generate deep loyalty and customer attachment.

Find Your Niche Products

In the online marketplace, you have the option to sell two types of products: commoditized and niche products. Commoditized products are essential goods that are high in demand, while niche products cater to specific interests.

Choosing a niche product can help reduce competition and offer more opportunities for growth. However, selling niche products online also comes with its challenges, such as dealing with a limited market size which can restrict the potential customer base and revenue.

Evaluate Product Demand and Profitability

When settling on products to sell, assessing product demand and profitability is of great significance. This involves using tools like Google Trends and keyword research to gauge customer demand. You can also make use of test marketing to measure a product’s sales performance, providing data to predict national sales potential. This allows you to address product or marketing flaws before committing to a wider launch, reducing the risk of costly changes.

Understanding and segmenting niche markets can simplify finding consistently well-selling products with minimal effort.

Consider Shipping and Fulfillment Logistics

Another vital element to ponder when selling products online is shipping and fulfillment logistics. Proper management of these aspects directly impacts customer satisfaction and operating costs. Here are some key considerations:

1. Calculating shipping costs
2. Choosing a shipping carrier
3. Considering offering free shipping
4. Strategically locating fulfillment centers

These steps are crucial to managing transit times and shipping costs effectively.

Modern customers expect free and fast shipping, with an increasing demand for sustainable shipping options, which can be addressed by offering carbon-neutral shipping through services like the Planet app.

Build an Effective Online Business

Armed with a profound understanding of your audience and appropriate products to sell, the next phase involves constructing a functional online store. This involves selecting the right ecommerce platform, designing a user-friendly website, and implementing SEO strategies.

Creating your own online store on your own website, as opposed to a brick and mortar store, requires:

• Easy navigation
• Clear product descriptions
• High-quality images
• Quick load times
• A straightforward checkout process
• Essential pages such as the product page, category, about page, contact page, and FAQ.

Design A User-Friendly Website

After settling on the suitable ecommerce platform, the subsequent phase is to design an intuitive website. This involves creating clear, strategic navigation, showcasing trusted payment icons, and providing an accessible, straightforward return policy.

Product pages should feature high-quality images with zoom-in functionality and compelling descriptions that act as a virtual salesperson. Optimizing the user experience and conversions can be achieved by offering promotions like free shipping, optimizing site speed for SEO, and implementing strategies like cart abandonment emails to address potential lost sales.

Implement SEO

Executing SEO strategies forms a vital component of constructing an efficient online store. Organic traffic is a significant source of revenue for eCommerce sites, driving around 33% of traffic. Successful SEO campaigns focus on:

• Keyword research
• On-page optimization
• Link building
• Other off-page tactics

Incorporating user-generated content like customer reviews and ratings can enhance an online store’s SEO efforts by providing unique and fresh content. SEO is a priority for any brand, and creating quality website content is becoming easier with AI writing tools, which can help with creating SEO-friendly articles.

Utilize Multiple Sales Channels

After setting up an efficient online store, the next move is to employ multiple sales channels. This can significantly expand your customer base and provide additional revenue streams, supplementing your primary website. This involves selling on social media platforms, leveraging online marketplaces, and creating strategic partnerships.

How to Sell on Social Media Platforms

Social media platforms offer a unique opportunity to reach a wide audience and drive conversions. Visible social media buttons can show your online store’s social presence and encourage visitors to share products on their social networks, multiplying the potential reach.

Utilizing platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest can streamline the purchase process directly from the platform, enhancing the user experience.

Importance of Strategic Partnerships

Forming strategic alliances serves as another potent method to escalate your sales. One such strategy is influencer marketing, which leverages influencers’ trust and credibility to promote your products and services. Partnering with influencers who have a following that aligns with your target market can lead to higher engagement and conversions.

Influencer marketing is not only more cost-effective than traditional advertising but also offers high measurability, allowing you to track campaign success and fine-tune your strategies.

Implementing Effective Marketing Strategies

With a persuasive sales pitch at hand, the next move is to put into action potent marketing strategies. This involves content marketing, email marketing, and a combination of paid advertising and SEO.

Content Marketing

Content marketing serves as a robust instrument that can cultivate trust with potential buyers by providing valuable content without anticipating any reciprocation. A successful content marketing strategy can include:

• Blogging
• Creating videos
• Recording podcasts
• Sending out newsletters

Buyer personas enable personalized marketing, which can significantly increase repeat customers and sales growth. Content marketing maximizes online sales by integrating valuable content across relevant channels, supporting customers at different stages of the buyer’s journey.

Email Marketing

Another productive marketing approach that can sustain direct communication with customers is email marketing. Regular communication through email campaigns can build customer enthusiasm and enhance brand loyalty by sharing new products, promotions, and company news. Effective email marketing strategies include segmenting audiences and personalizing messages, key practices that increase campaign effectiveness.

Services like MailChimp and ActiveCampaign facilitate email marketing by providing automation, customization, and a cost-effective approach for businesses of all sizes.

Paid Advertising and SEO

Paid advertising and SEO are two tactics that can work hand in hand to enhance a business’s visibility on search engine results pages. Paid advertising can significantly boost a business’s visibility, ensuring a stable presence amidst organic search results fluctuations. Paid search campaigns should be part of a comprehensive internet marketing strategy as they can enhance organic ranking efforts.

Leveraging both SEO and PPC strategies allows businesses to engage audiences at different stages of the buying process, thereby maximizing lead potential and enhancing consumer trust.

Continuously Improve Your Sales Process

The final stride on your path to becoming a master salesperson involves the continuous refinement of your sales process. This involves analyzing customer data, testing and optimizing sales tactics, and adapting to market trends.

Analyze Customer Data

Scrutinizing customer data forms a critical component of enhancing your sales process. This leads to a deeper understanding of customer behavior and preferences, which is essential in refining sales strategies. Insights from customer data analytics can permit a holistic marketing view, optimizing each team’s actions.

Customer retention is positively impacted by understanding behaviors through data analytics, thereby allowing businesses to focus on encouraging profitable customer actions.

Test & Optimizing Sales Tactics

Experimenting with and fine-tuning sales tactics constitute another vital facet of enhancing your sales process. Running a test Google Ads campaign with a sales page is an effective method to gauge customer interest and measure purchase likelihood.

A/B testing different sales tactics can reveal which approaches resonate best with specific customer segments, enabling more targeted sales strategies.

Optimization of the checkout process, such as streamlining steps and removing friction, can significantly uplift conversion rates.

Always Adapt to Market Trends

The concluding phase of enhancing your sales process calls for adapting to market trends. This is crucial as trends on social media and other marketing platforms rapidly change. Without a significant budget, businesses need to leverage innovative organic strategies to grow and direct their social media efforts.

Employing a consultant can provide new insights and assist companies in adapting to changing market trends.

Become A Master Salesperson

Making sales centers around having a conversation with the person that you are selling to, and one of the most important parts of that conversation is the questions that you ask.

Asking your customer questions (and actually listening to their answers) is valuable in a couple of different ways.

For one, it allows you to figure out more about the person you are selling to, their needs and desires, and what they are looking for in a product.

Just as importantly, though, asking questions is an effective sales technique because people enjoy talking about themselves.

This goes back to making the person you are selling to like you; when you show genuine interest in them and allow them to talk about their favorite topic – themselves – they’ll be much more likely to enjoy the conversation and therefore much more likely to buy something from you in the end.

How do you plan to double or triple your sales this year? Get my done-for-you sales presentation templates for free.

Whether that’s a service, a product, a customer experience, or a piece of valuable information — everyone has something they can sell.

But the only way a business succeeds is by earning new customers, keeping existing customers, and increasing sales from that service, product, or information.

You can’t just hope someone will stumble upon your product and purchase it, though.

An increase in sales doesn’t just happen, it’s the result of thoughtful sales and marketing strategies that are planned and executed.

To increase sales, especially your end-of-year sales, you have to increase the number of current customers you’re selling to, enhance what you’re selling, improve your messaging, or all of the above.

If you can improve every step of your sales process by even a little, you can increase sales by a lot. Here are 21 ways to boost sales and see better profits in your business.

Increase Sales by Increasing Leads

One powerful way to increase sales is to increase leads.

The more people who have access to your point of sales system or place of business means more people have the possibility of buying from you and increasing your profits.

Here are four ways to generate more leads to boost online sales and increase profits.

Clearly Define Your Customer

First, you need to know who you’re targeting. What do your current customers look like? Who is the person who would most likely buy your product and buy it immediately?

Create an avatar of that customer. Ask yourself specific questions about them:

• How old are they?
• Are they male or female?
• Do they have children?
• How much money do they make?
• What are they interested in?
• What are their priorities? 

Knowing the answers to these questions will help you create more accurate messaging around your product and target the right audience in your marketing efforts.

Identify the Problem You’re Trying to Solve

When you’re sure you have a clear understanding of your ideal customer, their pain points, and their desires, then you can understand how you can help.  This is commonly referred to as consultative selling, where you consult with the potential customer, and find out what they need.

What problem does your product or service solve? How does it address the pain point of your customer?

If you have identified your customer correctly, and know how your product helps solve their problem, they’ll buy it from you. If, however, the customer you have defined doesn’t have this problem, they won’t buy your product.

All great success and all great fortunes come from serving people with what they want and are willing to pay for better than someone else. By adopting a “help” rather than “sell” mindset, you can understand how to serve people better and provide incredible customer service.

Try the 100-Calls Method 

If fear of rejection is what’s keeping you from starting sales conversations, I have an exercise that will help you gain more confidence and generate more leads called the 100-call method. Reach out to 100 customers as fast as possible, either by phone call or personalized email.

The goal is to practice talking to people, not necessarily to see results — though that may happen!

When you do this, you’ll not only become fearless of picking up the phone but you’ll also learn how people respond to your pitch and become a better salesperson because of it. Just be sure not to sacrifice the quality of the call just to check it off your list.

You never know who could turn into a paying customer.

Utilize Ads

Sometimes it makes sense to spend money to make money, but it doesn’t have to take a lot. With the right ad, even a small budget can be effective and increase leads. You just have to know who your audience is, where you want to reach them, and for how long. Consider Google, Facebook, and Instagram ads, depending on where your customer is at.

When utilizing ads as part of your strategy to increase sales, it’s a good idea to run tests. Ad tests will help you learn the process of creating ads, help you better understand your audience, and ensure your budget is put to good use.

Increase Sales by Connecting with Your Customers

Establishing trust with your customers is key to ultimately persuading them to purchase what you’re selling. Even in an increasingly virtual world, there are many ways to connect with your customers, establish trust, and gain influence.

Here are three ways to improve sales by connecting with your customers.

Utilize Social Media

Social media is a free space where you can connect with your customers daily. If your customer is using social media platforms, you need to be using them to your advantage. This will keep you top of mind when they consider what they want or need to buy.

As you use social media posts, such as photos, videos, and captions, be sure to provide valuable information; avoid talking “at” your customers and instead try to teach them or explain something to them that is in line with what your product or service is all about.

You can also use various social media platforms as a space to show proof that your product or service works, such as before and after stats, photos, or testimonials as well as videos of the product or service at work.

Don’t forget to respond to comments and answer questions. This is an amazing way to boost customer loyalty and ultimately sell to new leads.

Remember to be friendly and conversational as you approach your customers and potential customers in this space. If you use it correctly, you can establish trust and increase your leads.

Promote “Insider Information”

Everyone loves a good deal, and when they feel like they have the inside scoop on an upcoming sale, or receive early access, your customers will develop greater trust in and loyalty to your business. They may even buy more because of it.

This doesn’t only go for sales and special offers. Keep current and repeat customers in the loop with upcoming launches and business news too, and soon, they’ll develop a vested interest in the business.

Maintain Relationships

“Once a customer, always a customer” — this should be your motto if you want to learn how to increase sales in business.

Once a customer has purchased your product, it should not be the end of your interaction with them.

Focus on maintaining a strong relationship with your customers by making them feel valued so that they stick around, and get others to become customers as well. A forever customer will do more for your business than 10 one-time customers.

Implement a Referral Program

Everyone wants to feel appreciated, and a great way to make your customers feel valued is to reward them for referring their friends and family members.

Use future discounts, rewards points, freebies, special access, etc. to incentivize current and prospective customers not to hold the flag for you.

Not only will this help maintain your relationship with your customers but it will also help you gain new leads who are more likely to purchase because they received a direct referral, all without any additional effort on your part.

Increase Sales by Providing Value

At the end of the day, you’re selling something that provides value to someone else in some way, shape, or form.

If your potential customers don’t know what that value is, they won’t buy from you. By highlighting why and how your product offers value, you can boost sales and also inspire confidence. This is how to sell a product.

Offer a Freebie

One way to help potential customers see the value your business provides is to give them something great — for free. Freebies are a great way to build trust with warm leads who aren’t quite ready to purchase your actual product. After they get a preview of what you offer, they will be much more likely to buy.

This freebie can be a taste of your actual product or service, or it can be something that supplements it. Whatever your freebie is, ensure it is valuable in and of itself; this is how you earn the trust of your leads, get them excited for what’s next, and drive an actual sale.

Sell the Benefit, Not the Product

People don’t buy products, they buy the results that the product will give. Remembering the “help” not “sell” mentality when marketing and selling your product or service will help you focus on its benefits.

When you seek to first help others, it comes across as more genuine rather than pushy and just looking to make a quick buck. Plus, it reminds your customers of the value your product or service provides.

Increase Sales by Presenting the Product Effectively

Presenting your product effectively will help you increase sales by increasing conversion rates, the rate at which you convert leads into paying customers.

Your conversion rate is the measure of the effectiveness of your sales efforts. To help drive conversion rates, you need to work on developing your pitch in a clear, effective way. Here’s how to do that.

Develop Your Competitive Advantage

The odds are good that you’re not the only one selling your specific product or service. So it’s critical to be able to explain the benefits or results your customers will receive from purchasing your product or service that they will not get when purchasing the product or service of your competitor.

To develop your competitive advantage, you need to know what else is out there.

What are your competitors’ claims? What are the benefits they’re selling? How is what you’re offering different?

You should be able to express why people should choose your product or service over others on the market if you want to be growing sales.

Pick The Right Price

The price you set for your product or service is important. Not only does it affect your profits, but it also affects the perceived value of what you’re offering.

Before you determine it, you need to fully understand the costs associated with producing the product and get a feel for what your ideal customer would be willing to pay for it. You also need to know what your competitors are charging for similar products or services.

One of the best sales strategies is to beat your competitor’s price, however, you also have to make money. If you can make your product seem superior to your competitors, you may be able to charge a higher price. Keep this in mind and use it to help you set the perfect price.

Make Sure Your Messaging is Clear

When it comes to learning how to market a product or service, clarity is critical. Pick one to two key benefits that your product offers and state them clearly in all the content that is part of your sales and marketing strategy.

This will ensure the story you’re telling about your product is aligned across all of your marketing channels and your customers know exactly what it is you’re selling.

Market Content on Multiple Channels

As part of your ongoing strategy to increase sales, you and your sales team should be continually seeking creative ways to improve your advertising and promotional efforts to reach new customers.

There are so many mediums out there including Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok, Youtube, email marketing, blogs, podcasts — even traditional print marketing materials, such as magazines and newspapers — that can get your message and product out to the right audience.

Increase The Number And Size Of Transactions

You already know that it is important to retain your customers and maintain your relationships with them, so once you have them, how do you get them to buy from you again?

This is an important question to ask yourself when developing a sales strategy or marketing plan.

If you can increase the frequency of purchase by ten percent, you can increase your sales and thus profits by the same percentage.

Here are four ways you can get your customers to buy from you more frequently, and buy more in general.

Stay Top of Mind

How did your customers find you in the first place? Do you have their email? Do they follow you on a social media platform? Did you meet face-to-face? However, it was they found you, continue to use that method of communication to stay top of mind.

Send out regular emails with offers, highlighted products, or helpful information. Continue to post consistent content on your social media accounts. Call them up to check in and see if there is anything else they need or how they’re enjoying their purchase.

You want to be the first business they think of when they need what you sell.

Apply Increasing Savings

To get loyal customers who will buy more, consider applying discounts to larger purchases, such as free shipping on orders over $100.

When promoting a sale, consider offering an increased amount off of larger purchases, i.e., 15% off orders of $250 or more and 25% off orders of $500 or more.

The more money they spend, the greater discount they receive.

Look for Opportunities to Upsell Customers 

You should be continually looking for ways to upsell customers so that they buy more each time.

What products or services will complement what they are already purchasing?

Once you prove your value and have loyal customers, they will likely say “yes” to you more and more.

Raise Your Prices

In some cases, raising your prices is a viable option that could help generate more sales, after trying many of the other sales tactics on this list. You should thoroughly analyze your costs, compare your prices to your competition, and understand the demand for your product or service first as well.

In many situations, though, you can raise your prices by 5 or 10 percent without experiencing any market resistance. If your products and services are of good quality and your people are friendly and helpful, a small increase in your overall prices will not drive your customers away.

Increase Sales By Investing In Yourself

Improving your ability to sell and convert interested prospects into paying customers is one of the most important things you can do to boost sales. There are many parts of the selling process and improving in even one of them can have a dramatic impact on your results.

Attend Sales Trainings

Some people are naturally good at selling; they can easily connect with a customer, find common ground, understand their desires, and persuade them to purchase their product. These skills don’t come easily to everyone, though.

In fact, the majority of salespeople have to learn, practice, and hone these skills over time to become successful. Even if you’ve worked hard to become the salesperson you are today, you’re never done learning.

Sales training can open your mind to new opportunities others have seen success with, allow you a chance to network with other creative salespeople, and even generate new leads or partnerships.

Learn How To Negotiate 

At some point in your sales journey, you’re going to run into someone who wants a lower price or additional benefit, or a situation where you’ll have to compromise.

Learning how to negotiate can not only help you improve your relationship with your customers but can also help you drive more sales. The best negotiators look out for their customer’s best interests and find a solution that works for both parties.

Develop A Prospecting Strategy

The best salespeople have a plan to develop the highest quality and quantity of new prospects that can and will buy within a reasonable period of time.

Prospecting is an essential part of successful sales strategies and something you need to prioritize if you want to increase sales.

If your sales strategy is lacking this critical component, or your prospecting tactics are falling short, I’ve created a sales assessment that will help you determine your biggest sales weakness so you can improve your skills and increase sales.

With these sales strategies, you will be well on your way to growing sales and increasing profits. Let me know what you think and what your best sales strategy is in the comments below.

Negotiation skills are essential to succeed in life, both personally and professionally.

Whether you’re trying to get a better price for a product, negotiating a salary with a prospective employer, or closing a business deal, knowing how to negotiate effectively can make all the difference.

In this post, I’ll share some key negotiation skills that can help you achieve better outcomes at the bargaining table for any selling situation.

Importance of Negotiation

Negotiating is a skill that enables you to achieve better outcomes, build stronger relationships, resolve conflicts, empower yourself, and enhance your communication.

By mastering your negotiation skills and approaching negotiations with a collaborative mindset, you can negotiate like a pro and succeed in all aspects of your personal and professional life.

Whether you’re negotiating a salary, a business deal, or a conflict resolution, negotiation is an essential tool that can help you get what you want and need.

When to Negotiate

Knowing when to negotiate is just as important as knowing how to negotiate. In general, it’s a good idea to negotiate when you feel that you’re not getting what you want or need.

If you’re negotiating a pay raise, a sale, or something else in your personal life, if you feel that the terms aren’t in your favor, it’s worth considering a negotiation.

However, it’s important to keep in mind that not every situation is negotiable, and there may be times when it’s not worth the effort to negotiate. Before deciding to negotiate, assess the situation and consider whether negotiation is likely to lead to a positive outcome.

By knowing when to negotiate, you can make the most of your negotiation skills and achieve better outcomes in your personal and professional life.

Successful Negotiation Skills

When it comes to negotiating a job offer, salary, or sale, having strong negotiation skills is crucial for success. Knowing how to negotiate can give you the bargaining power you need to get the salary, benefits, or profits you deserve.

But negotiating with a hiring manager, client, customer, or negotiating partner can be intimidating, especially if you’re not sure what your market value is or what negotiation strategies to use.

Here are some successful negotiation skills that can help you negotiate with confidence and get the best possible outcome for your job offer or salary negotiation.

Active Listening 

Effective negotiation requires active listening to the other party’s needs, concerns, and objections without interrupting or dismissing them. This can help you understand the other party’s perspective and identify areas of common ground.

Creative Problem Solving

Negotiations require creativity to find solutions that work for both parties. Being open to compromise and finding creative solutions can build trust and foster a sense of collaboration that can lead to better negotiation outcomes.

Emotional Intelligence

Negotiations can be emotionally charged, but it’s crucial to keep your emotions in check. This means avoiding being defensive or confrontational and staying focused on the issues at hand.

Assertiveness

Being assertive will help you get what you want while maintaining a positive relationship with the other party. Assertiveness means being clear on your goals and what you’re looking to achieve and asking for what you want.

Flexibility 

Being flexible is also important if you want to be willing to compromise and find creative solutions that work for both parties.

Patience 

Negotiations can take time, and having patience is essential to avoid rushing into a deal that’s not in your best interests. Taking the time to negotiate effectively can lead to better outcomes.

Confidence

Confidence is also crucial for your preparation and negotiation skills can help you feel in control and achieve better negotiation outcomes.

Analytical Thinking 

Analytical thinking skills are valuable to analyze information and make informed decisions. When you know how to understand data, recognize patterns, and identify opportunities, you will find success in your negotiations.

Persuasion

Knowing how to persuade others will allow you to influence the person you’re negotiating with and move toward a negotiated agreement. Using logic, presenting facts, and appealing to emotions will help you persuade them effectively and efficiently.

Negotiation Tactics & Techniques

To become a good negotiator, mastering a variety of negotiation strategies and techniques is key. By honing your negotiating skills and using effective tactics, you can achieve better outcomes and become more confident in your ability to negotiate.

Here are some of the most useful negotiation tactics and techniques, from active listening to the art of compromise.

1) How To Negotiate Price Using “The Flinch”

No matter what price the other person offers, flinch as if you just heard something very disappointing. Put a sad look on your face. Roll your eyes upward and back as though you were experiencing great pain.

Say something like, “Wow! That’s an awful lot of money!”

Surprisingly, sometimes just flinching will cause the other person to drop or increase the price immediately. And if the first flinch gets you a lower price when you are buying, or a higher offer if you are selling, be prepared to use the flinch again and again throughout the negotiation.

2) Asking Questions As A Negotiation Skill

Ask, “Is that the best you can do? Can’t you do any better than that?”

When you ask the price and the person tells you the price, you pause, look surprised, or even shocked, and say, “Is that the best you can do?”

And then remain perfectly silent. If there is any flexibility in the price, very often, the other person will drop the price immediately, or raise their offer immediately.

If they lower their price in response to, “Is that the best you can do,” you then say, “Is that the very best you can do?”

Ask, “Couldn’t you do any better than that?”

You can also ask, “What is the best you can do if I make a decision today?”

This adds an element of urgency and triggers the fear of losing the sale in the mind of the vendor.

3) How To Negotiate Price Using Assertion

Whatever price they give you for a particular item, you immediately reply, “I can get this cheaper somewhere else.”

Whenever you tell a person that you can get that item cheaper somewhere else, from one of their competitors, they immediately soften and begin to backpedal on the price. When you use this negotiation tactic to tell people you can get it cheaper somewhere else, they lose their confidence and become much more open to negotiating with you on a better price, rather than lose the sale altogether.

The assertion, “I can get this cheaper elsewhere,” often demolishes price resistance because they think that you will go somewhere else.

Remember to make it easy for a person to give you concessions. Don’t be adversarial or confrontational. Be a nice person. When you ask in a pleasant way, it’s much easier for the person to concede to you than if you are serious or aggressive.

4) Lowballing In Negotiations

When they ask you for $100, you lowball your answer and say, “I’ll give you $50 cash right now.”

Whenever you offer cash immediately, the price resistance of the other party diminishes dramatically. There are reasons why offering an all-cash deal causes people to be more open to doing business with you. The three most obvious ones are reduced inventory costs, no credit card merchant fees, and the feeling of “instant gratification.”

Sometimes, you will offer them $50 for a $100 item, and they will come back with an offer of $60. Very often you will find that even if you lowball at a price that seems ridiculous, they will sell it to you for far less than you ever thought you were ever going to have to pay.

5) Using “The Nibble” Negotiation Tactic

A nibble is an add-on.

You say something like, “Okay, I’ll agree to this price if you will throw in free delivery.”

If they hesitate about adding something else to the deal.

You can say in a pleasant way, “If you won’t include free delivery, then I don’t want the deal at all.”

Make it clear that you are willing to walk away if they are not willing to add something complementary to the deal.

Here is the key to how to negotiate the nibble. Agree on the purchase of the main item. Agree on the price and terms. Make it appear as if it is a done deal. The other person thinks they have sold the item, even a house, a car, or a boat, at a price that they are happy to receive. Then you add on additional requests.

Negotiation Tips To Negotiate Like A Pro

With the right mindset and negotiation tips, you can negotiate like a pro and achieve better outcomes for both you and the other party involved.

Here are some additional tips that can help you navigate the negotiation process with confidence and achieve success. From setting the right tone to knowing when to walk away, these will help you negotiate like a pro and get the best possible outcome for your situation.

Understand the negotiation process

Before you start negotiating, you need to understand the entire process. This includes knowing your walk-away point, or the point at which you’re willing to walk away from the deal if it’s not in your favor. 

It’s also crucial to understand the other party’s perspective and what they’re looking to get out of the negotiation. Knowing these things can help you craft a negotiation strategy that takes into account the interests of both parties.

Prepare well before the negotiation

One of the most critical negotiation skills to have is to prepare well in advance. This includes doing your research to understand the market value of the product or service you’re negotiating for. 

It’s also important to know your own value and what you bring to the table, whether you’re negotiating for a higher salary or a better deal. Being well-prepared can help you feel more confident and in control during the negotiation.

Know your walk-away point

As mentioned earlier, knowing your walk-away point is crucial in any negotiation. This means being clear on the minimum acceptable outcome you’re willing to accept. Knowing this point can help you avoid accepting a deal that’s not in your best interests.

Ask for what you want

To achieve better negotiation outcomes, it’s important to ask for what you want. This means being clear on your goals and what you’re looking to achieve. 

As mentioned, don’t be afraid to be assertive but not too aggressive in your approach. Asking for what you want can help you get a fair deal that meets your needs.

Aim for a win-win outcome

In any negotiation, it’s important to aim for a win-win outcome that benefits both parties. This means being open to compromise and looking for creative solutions that work for everyone. 

When you approach negotiations with a collaborative mindset, you’re more likely to achieve a positive outcome that meets everyone’s needs.

Start with a positive tone

The tone you set at the beginning of a negotiation can set the stage for the entire process. Starting with a positive tone, such as by expressing appreciation for the other party’s time or acknowledging their expertise, can help build rapport and foster a more productive negotiation.

Don’t make the first offer

In many negotiations, the person who makes the first offer sets the tone for the rest of the process. 

But you shouldn’t make the first offer and instead, ask the other party to make the initial proposal. This will give you more information to work with and help you craft a counteroffer that’s more likely to lead to a favorable outcome.

Use silence to your advantage

Silence can be a powerful negotiation tool. By staying silent after the other party makes an offer, you can signal that you’re considering their proposal and create a sense of discomfort that may lead them to make a better offer. Using silence strategically can give you an edge in negotiations.

Focus on the issues, not the people

Negotiations can become personal, but it’s important to stay focused on the issues at hand. Avoid attacking the other party or making personal comments, as this can derail the negotiation and make it more difficult to reach a positive outcome. 

Instead, keep the discussion focused on the issues and work to find solutions that benefit everyone.

Be prepared to walk away

As important as it is to aim for a win-win outcome, sometimes it’s simply not possible. In these cases, it’s important to be prepared to walk away from the negotiation if the outcome isn’t in your favor. Knowing your walk-away point can help you avoid making a deal that’s not in your best interests.

Start Negotiating to Make More Money

Negotiating can help you achieve better outcomes, build stronger relationships, and empower yourself in personal and professional situations. 

By mastering negotiation strategies and techniques, staying focused on the issues, and approaching negotiations with a collaborative mindset, you can become a good negotiator and achieve success in all aspects of your life.

Remember, negotiation is a process, and it takes practice to become an expert negotiator.

Once you’ve nailed down your negotiation process and are looking to crush your next sale, use my free 23 Closing Techniques guide to help you. With these techniques, you’ll be able to close deals with ease and achieve the best possible outcomes.

The highest-paid and most successful sales professionals are involved in consultative selling.

Today’s modern buyers don’t want to be sold to, they want sales professionals to know their needs and give them tangible, personalized solutions to their problems.

People involved in consultative sales position themselves as friends and consultants to their customers. With this guide, you’ll learn the benefits, skills, and steps of consultative selling so you can start developing strong customer relationships and converting more leads.

What is Consultative Selling?

Consultative sales focus on meeting the needs of customers by getting to know them and building a trusting relationship with them. 

A consultative salesperson acts as an expert consultant to their customer, asking questions to identify their needs and choosing the ideal solution that will benefit the customer the most.

Consultative selling requires the experience and insight to help customers with compelling solutions.

This sales strategy is also called “needs-based selling” since it focuses on meeting customer needs wherever they are in their buyer journey. Instead of pushing a product, sales reps use skills like active listening, asking questions, building trust, and finding solutions.

The consultative selling approach will help you move to the very top of your field. It is a valuable tool that is indispensable in dealing with complex sales and accounts where many factors are involved and competition is a key factor.

Consultative Selling vs. Transactional Selling

Transactional selling is the traditional type of selling process in which the buyer purchases a product or service because they already know what they want. Almost all one-time sales fall into this category, and many repeat sales do too.

An example of a transactional sale is a purchase at a grocery store, newspaper stand, or online clothing store. But it also involves sales professionals making a sales pitch and closing a sale.

In the transactional selling process, the sales rep often uses negotiation tactics to make a quick sale, such as limited-time offers, buy one get one free, and deep discounts. 

Instead of building a relationship, such as in the consultative sales approach, the focus is more on one-off purchases from potential customers.

In contrast, consultative sales professionals approach company decision-makers and have sales conversations with them to determine how their product or service can best suit the buyer’s needs.

Consultative Selling vs. Solution Selling

Consultative selling and solution selling are similar sales approaches but they have subtle differences. In fact, solution selling is a type of consultative selling.

Both approaches put the customer first and focus on finding solutions to their needs. However, whereas the main purpose of the solution-selling approach is to find solutions for the customer, consultative selling focuses on building long-term relationships with customers before offering solutions.

A solution seller will assume potential customers need to be educated about the solutions available, but a consultative seller finds out what the customer already knows and adds to their knowledge with information relevant to a prospect’s pain point or need.

Solution selling focuses on the benefits existing customers or potential customers will receive from using their solution. Whereas, consultative selling focuses on building trust and developing the best solution to meet the customer’s needs, even if that doesn’t involve making a purchase right now.

Benefits of Using a Consultative Sales Approach

Consultative selling creates lasting relationships with your customers, turning potential customers into long-term returning customers.

This sales approach builds trust between you and your customer and between your customer and your brand.

The consultative sales approach turns your sales team into problem solvers as you strive to give long-term solutions to your customers instead of focusing on immediate buying power. 

Today’s buyers do not want to be told what to buy. Instead, they want to work in collaboration with those who can provide solutions to their business needs and help them reach their goals.

Consultative sellers help business owners and other decision-makers gain new perspectives by educating them about things they do not already know but can benefit them.

A consultative seller is seen as a trusted advisor that customers return to on an ongoing basis. As a sales professional, you work hand in hand with the consumer, drawing on their knowledge and yours to create solutions that benefit customer needs. This creates loyalty, which often translates to more business for you.

This sales technique is best when you’re looking for long-term, ongoing future sales as opposed to quick, one-time purchases.

Essential Consultative Selling Skills and Techniques

There are certain skills you must possess when using a consultative sales approach. Consider the following consultative selling techniques you can use to get the best results for your customers.

Know Your Customer

In consultative selling, it’s important you know exactly who your customer is and how to identify their wants and needs. It requires you to think of yourself differently as a salesperson and position yourself as an advisor.

Your focus should be to get your customer’s financial results rather than the performance or price relationship. This is the difference between the perception of being a sales advisor vs a salesperson who is just trying to sell a product or service.

To gain a thorough understanding of your customer’s needs, you must conduct in-depth research. The most successful sales professionals spend at least six hours a week researching their prospective clients. 

Learn your prospect’s pain points, business challenges, mission statement, and company goals so you and your sales team can help them find the best solution to each issue.

One of the key variables in consultative sales is your knowledge of your customer’s business process. You must learn everything you can about the customer’s business before you even suggest a solution or course of action.

When selling to businesses, learn how sales are generated through conducting research. What are the primary products or services sold by the customer’s company? How much are they sold for? What is the total sales volume? What kind of sales results are they enjoying? How are the profits generated?

Be Customer-Centric

Once you know the customer—whether they’re a potential customer or an existing customer—one of the most important consultative selling skills is to have an intense focus on their needs, rather than your financial goals as a sales rep.

Understand that your customers want to save or gain time or money, and your consultative selling approach should look to solve these things. Modern buyers want to achieve this goal in a cost-effective way, which means your value propositions must be customer-focused by offering tailored solutions to their needs.

In consultative sales, when you demonstrate to a customer that your product will pay for itself quickly and dependably and then generate a net profit for a considerable time after it has paid for itself, the sale will almost take care of itself.

Remember that with the consultative selling approach, the relationship is the most important part of selling. It creates both customer loyalty and customer satisfaction.

Practice Questioning and Active Listening

Two vital consultative sales skills you need include asking questions and practicing active listening. This habit will always put you at a competitive advantage.

Sales calls and visits with consultative selling are far more interactive than traditional selling. When interacting with a client, top sales professionals spend 46% of their time talking and 54% listening. 

As you go through the consultative sales process, you provide insights to your prospects and customers as you actively listen to their answers to your questions.

You ask, “Have you ever thought of doing it this way?” or “What if we were to approach it from this point of view?” or “Did you realize that it’s now possible to achieve your goals using this method or this technology?”

In other words, you don’t tell people what to do, you provide insights to demonstrate your expertise and open the customer to the possibility that working with you can make a big difference.

Lead the Conversation

A consultant is a problem detective. What you’re doing is asking questions to find out if a potential customer has a problem or need that your special expertise can help solve.

Compare this to when you go to a doctor. The first thing a doctor does is conduct a complete examination and health inventory.

The doctor doesn’t recommend a prescription or a course of treatment when they first see you. Instead, they ask you a lot of questions and do a lot of tests. Only then do they come back with a diagnosis and say, “This is what I think your situation is, and these are the alternatives that we have to deal with your situation.”

Take the lead in every conversation you have with your client by asking open-ended questions. Not everyone will offer meaningful answers right away, but with the consultative approach, it is your job to keep the conversation going.

Draw on your research about the client and your knowledge about the prospect’s industry to know which targeted questions to ask. You will find your customer interactions result in essential information that can help you find solutions that lead to more deals.

Be Authentic

Foster a genuine interest in your clients.

One of the things that consultants do is think about their clients in terms of the long term. They see their clients as friends. They see their clients as people that they will work with for months and even years in order to help them improve their lives and work with their special qualifications.

I often have sales reps ask me how to overcome the fear of rejection when making cold calls or meeting with prospective clients. The consultative selling process eliminates the fear of rejection because your primary purpose is to build a genuine relationship, not to make an immediate sale.

Be authentic by constantly focusing on helping the client find solutions throughout the consultative sales process. Have genuine conversations and personalize prospect interactions by seeing things from their point of view.

You will also need to know your product or service thoroughly so you can naturally weave into the conversation ways you can help them, and then tweak your offerings to meet their unique needs.

Build Trust

Through these genuine, customer-centric conversations and interactions, consultative salespeople build trust, a key component of both relationship building and the sales process.

A consultative sales professional sees themself as a consultant, and a consultant has certain special qualities that make them different. One is consultants are professionals. They are people who are looking for people who have problems they can solve with their product or service.

If you suddenly swoop in and start making a hard sell or being aggressive in pushing your products, trust will diminish and you will lose clients.

Regardless of what part of the sales cycle your prospect is in, continue to focus on developing genuine long-lasting relationships that are mutually beneficial. You may not see immediate sales, but building trust often leads to future sales as well as referrals.

Focus on Solutions

Consultants provide customized solutions versus generic ones.

A customized solution in successful consultative selling is what we call a co-generated solution. The solution is generated in cooperation with a customer.

We don’t go in with a solution. Instead, once you understand the needs, problems, and difficulties of your client, you’ll be able to start making suggestions.

After a while, the solution that you and the client collaboratively come up with is completely privatized and completely personalized to that particular company.

Consultants are very focused on results, especially financial results.

When I built my network of professional training facilitators worldwide, I taught them that their job was profit improvement.

Their primary job was to go into a company and talk to the decision-makers and find out how they can use their service to help their company achieve or improve their financial results.

So we say you are a financial improvement specialist when you use the consultative approach.

Consultative Sales Process

Now that you know the consultative sales skills required to be a successful account executive in the needs-based selling arena, you are ready to learn the steps you must take in the consultative sales process. 

I will explain how to take your first steps in conducting initial research to having effective conversations, committing to sales, and following through with your contacts for long-lasting relationships.

1. Prepare & Do Your Research

In consultative sales, you must earn the trust of your customer by doing thorough preparation.

Consumers are more likely to buy from sales reps that understand their goals, yet most sales reps don’t bother to learn enough about their customer’s businesses. 

Study your prospect’s company in advance of your first meeting.

Take a bird’s eye view approach first, and then narrow your focus. Start by reviewing your potential customer’s website, from the About page to the products and services and blog articles to press releases and financial reports.

Continue by reading the company’s social media pages and paying attention to the frequency and types of posts and interactions they have with clients.

Discover who the leaders and decision-makers are, and read their LinkedIn profiles and social media accounts. Look for work history and personal blogs to get to know these leaders, which will help guide your future customer interaction.

The first meeting is your very best opportunity to demonstrate that you are the kind of person that your customer can have a relationship with.

2. Listen to Your Customer

Your customers expect you to understand their unique needs. Avoid falling into the common sales trap of not actively listening to your prospective clients.

Ask targeted questions and listen intently to your prospect’s answers. Instead of thinking of this as a sales conversation, focus on becoming a trusted friend that genuinely has the person’s best interest in mind.

Learn all you can about their needs by listening. Stay in tune with nonverbal cues as well. A client will let you know what their pain points are when their conversation becomes more exciting or frustrating.

Body language like leaning forward to speak more intently or using hand gestures to express themselves will cue you to what their most important needs are.

Your job as a consultative sales professional is to find solutions for your clients, and you can best do that by asking the right questions, actively listening, and developing solutions together.

3. Solve Their Biggest Problem

Through the listening process, you will understand the potential client’s needs and develop a sense of what their biggest problem is. Your goal is to solve that problem.

Successful sales leaders know their products and services well so they can offer effective solutions. A seller’s ability to match their offerings with a client’s needs results in more deals and greater customer loyalty.

Determine possible solutions and prepare to present them in quantifiable terms so your prospect can see the financial gains they can achieve. Consumers want to know how committing to a purchase will affect their bottom line and advance their business goals. Make it clear by calculating how much they might save or earn by committing to your suggested solution.

Never force a sale. If you cannot solve the client’s problems, continue your role as a trusted consultant. Genuine relationships foster referrals that can lead to additional sales success. Likewise, consultative selling is a continuous process that addresses new challenges your client may face in the future.

4. Present Them With Your Solution

When you know you can genuinely help the prospect meet their goals, educate them about your solution. Your role in this step of the consultative selling process is to be a teacher.

Use your industry knowledge to point out how similar solutions have worked for other companies or clients in the past. Draw on your experience with past or current clients to illustrate how your solution may be able to help them too.

Be sure to continue to present tailored solutions. Show the client how your solution can meet their specific needs and discuss the features and benefits of your solution that specifically apply to them.

5. Commit to the Sale

Once your reach this step in the consultative sales approach, sales conversation almost happens naturally.

Discuss the details of the solution and the timeline of costs, expected ROI, and net profit. Make sure you and your prospect are on the same page and then enter into a contract or agreement.

6. Follow Up & Nurture Your Relationship

Consultative sales is not a one-and-done approach to selling. Successful consultative sellers foster continuous, healthy relationships with clients, focusing on problem-solving and constantly keeping the client’s best interest in mind.

Follow up after each deal and ensure your client is satisfied. Discuss ongoing needs and new challenges that arise. Actively seek out your customer’s feedback and address concerns.

Likewise, the most successful sales organizations conduct ongoing discussions and sales training with their sales team to identify areas that need improvement in the sales process and foster aspects that are going well.

Consultative Selling Example

So how do you become a consultative salesperson?

Many years ago, I learned this from a consultative salesperson. He said the hardest part of becoming a consultant is having the courage to call yourself a consultant.

At the time, I was selling financial services investments, real estate, and other things. So after meeting him, I began to practice these words when I met with a client:

“Mr. Prospect, please relax, I’m not here to sell you anything. I see myself more as a consultant than as a salesperson, and all I would like to do today is ask you some questions and see if we can’t help you achieve your goals in a cost-effective way. Would that be okay?”

What I always found is people accept you at your own evaluation of yourself. If you tell the person you’re a consultant, they accept you as a consultant and then they wait to see if you perform as a consultant.

When you start to ask questions, take notes, ask follow-up questions, and give the client lots of opportunities to talk about their problems and difficulties as they relate to your services, they see you as a consultant and become wide open to accepting your advice.

Master the Consultative Sales Approach

You are now well on your way to mastering the consultative sales approach. As you apply the skills and steps of this sales process, you will be amazed at the success you will have and the satisfaction relationship-building sales bring to your career.

To further help you succeed, download my free Ultimate Sales Presentation Template. It provides you with the simple software solutions you need to create compelling sales presentations that win over your prospects.

Most sales reps will tell you that cold calling can be difficult. But it can also be a very successful way to gain more leads and increase sales. Especially if you are aware of the best practices and strategies to use.

I’ve called many prospects and I’m going to show you some cold calling tips that make this process much easier.

What Is Cold Calling?

Cold calling is making contact with a prospective customer or client with who you have had no previous interaction before. While we generally think of cold calling as making a phone call, it can also apply to making a contact in person.

While cold calling can be challenging, it has advantages. For one, it lets you make a personal connection with someone, unlike making a contact by email or social media. You also get immediate feedback and can use the call to make a follow-up visit or call without waiting for someone to answer an email — which can easily get ignored.

It is true that cold calling can be intimidating. You are asking someone who has never expressed interest in your product or service to listen to your pitch — or at least take time out of their schedule to talk with you.

However, with the right approach and mindset, you can find success in cold calling.

What Is the Success Rate of Cold Calling?

Cold calling has been used in business for decades. Despite its difficulty, it is one of the most effective techniques for gaining leads — and making eventual sales.

As many as 82% of buyers say they are willing to meet with a salesperson who contacts them with a cold call. In fact, 62% of buyers are hoping to hear from product or service representatives when they are actively looking for a solution to a problem.

Many cold calls lead to a meeting with the potential client. Of people contacted with a cold call, 75% end up scheduling a meeting or attending an event because of the unsolicited call.

Your success rate on cold calling depends largely on your persistence and ability to connect with your potential customer.

21 Cold Calling Tips to Increase Your Success Rate

Preparing yourself with the right information and using the right strategies can make cold calling one of your favorite approaches. Here are 21 cold calling tips I recommend for driving more sales on the phone.

1. Know Your Prospect Well Before You Pick Up the Phone

Researching your prospect is the most important thing you can do before making a cold call. Knowing some information about them will give you insight into questions to ask and topics to talk about.

Ultimately, your goal is to understand how you can meet their needs with your product or service.

Visit your potential client or customer’s website and social media pages, including LinkedIn. Read their About Us page for information on their company story, mission statement, and leadership. Determine the specific person in a decision-making role that you will call.

Search for press releases, news, and read customer reviews. If they have a brick and mortar establishment, visit it if appropriate.

As you research your client, determine what their pain points are. Assess what is important to them, form an understanding of their business and potential needs. Make note of your common interests.

Proper research will allow you to personalize and offer value to your cold call, and the prospect will appreciate that you are in tune with their needs instead of making a generic call with a stale cold calling script.

2. Understand How You Can Benefit Your Potential Customer

Your research will give you clues about how you can make your prospect’s life better. Your first call will give you additional insight.

With each customer, there is a key benefit that will trigger buying desire and cause the customer to purchase your product or service.

At the same time, there is a key fear or doubt that will hold the customer back from buying. Your initial job in your first cold call with your prospect, and the key to qualifying them, is to find out exactly what benefit will cause this customer to buy from you, and exactly what fear or doubt might hold this customer back from buying from you.

When you make your cold call, keep it about your prospect, not about you. The goal of your initial contact is not to sell anything or convince them to buy. It is to make a genuine connection that will lead to further interaction with you. Make the connection by focusing on what they need and what you can do to benefit your prospect.

3. Interact With Your Prospect Ahead of Time

Consider interacting on social media with potential customers or clients before making cold calls. Connect with them on LinkedIn, follow their Facebook Page, subscribe to their YouTube channel, or follow them on Twitter. Check their website for links to these and other social media platforms where they have a presence.

You can also react to their posts and make comments as well. This will give you several touchpoints with your potential client, and they may remember your name and profile picture when you place your cold call. Make sure any interaction you have is genuine.

For instance, do not “like” a post simply to be noticed. React to and share posts that you find relevant, useful, or interesting. The best business relationships are built on authenticity and mutual trust.

Interacting on social media also gives you another avenue to get to know your prospect’s pain points and priorities before calling them. It provides you with talking points you can use to make a personal connection with your prospect as well.

4. Be Very Patient and Persistent

To succeed at cold calling, you must have patience.

It takes an average of 18 calls to make a connection with a buyer. You may be sent to voicemail countless times or asked to leave a message. If you give up too soon, you may miss a golden opportunity.

Ninety-two percent of people in sales give up on a prospect after four “no’s.” However, 80% of prospects say “no” four times before they say “yes.”

Being persistent and patient is an essential component of cold calling. Do not expect quick answers or results.

Potential clients or customers will not automatically trust someone who is calling them out of the blue. You must earn their trust — just as in building any meaningful relationship — which usually takes time, consistency, and a genuine focus on meeting their needs with the product or service you have to offer. If you determine that you cannot meet their needs, move on rather than forcing a mismatched fit.

5. Don’t Attempt to Sell On Your First Cold Call

On your first call, you should never attempt to sell.

Focus on information gathering. Unless you are selling something inexpensive that requires little thought, you want to interview the prospect by asking questions. Take notes and tell them you will come back to them.

Focus on building the relationship and coming across as friendly, genial, and non-threatening.

Determine the goal of your call ahead of time. Often that is setting up a time to meet or talk more in-depth. Work toward that goal efficiently, and don’t waste your prospect’s time.

6. Use Rejection to Your Advantage

In the sales profession, you must be willing to accept rejection. The best sales reps receive rejection; it is the nature of the business. The same principle applies to cold calling.

Expect rejection and do not take it personally.

Instead, analyze why the prospect may have said no and use this to improve your pitch, product, research techniques, and approach.

Perhaps you needed to have more information before placing the call. Maybe your product is not a good match for them after all, or it may be out of their budget.

If your approach needs improvement, use the experience to fine-tune your cold calling techniques. Did you try to sell too soon, or did you talk more about your product or service than you did about the prospect?

Use rejection to your advantage by being introspective. Remember to remain patient and persistent and follow these cold calling tips, and you will have more and more successful cold calls.

7. Outline What You Want to Say In Advance

It is vital to be prepared with what you want to say and ask before placing cold calls. This will help calm your nerves and guide the conversation so you stay focused on the goal of the call.

Make sure your talking points are personalized to each prospect and you don’t come across as reading from a cold call script. You might comment on a social media post that you found interesting and ask the prospect to elaborate. You could mention that you noticed on their website or in a press release they are expanding into a new niche market and you have some ideas of how to make the transition smoother for them.

Being prepared in this way immediately shows the prospect you have done your homework and seem to have a genuine interest in them that goes beyond simply making an unsolicited sales pitch.

8. Do Not Read From a Cold Calling Script

While writing out what you want to say is one of the cold calling tips I recommend, you should not read directly from your cold calling script. You will sound robotic and impersonal if you do, and your prospective client or customer will pick up on that and tune out. your interaction with a prospect should never feel scripted to them

Personalize each call, which goes back to the importance of conducting research.

Always remember that cold calling and sales, in general, should be very personal. You should focus on your customer’s needs as an individual on a case-by-case business.

This is how you build relationships with your customers and have long sales relationships to come. Using cold calling scripts verbatim can make the call feel less personal, and this is something you want to avoid.

9. Zero In on Your Target Customer

Instead of casting a wide net and trying to contact everyone, know who your target audience is and focus your efforts on them.

Do your research to find your target audience. Avoid wasting your valuable time — or theirs — by calling the wrong people. Do your due diligence to identify potential clients or customers that are likely to benefit from and be interested in what you have to offer. Then reach out.

10. Know the Best Time to Call

The best time to make cold calls will depend on your industry and the individual prospect’s routine.

However, weekday afternoons tend to be consistently more successful than early morning calls. Many people use the first few hours of the workday for deep thinking, settling into the workday, and getting high-priority tasks done. An unsolicited call may feel like a major, unwanted interruption.

In the afternoons, especially, many people are winding down from the day and hesitating to start a new task due to lack of time. A cold call at this time can then become the perfect way to fill that space of time. Between the hours of 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. tend to consistently have a higher rate of answered calls.

Research your prospect’s regular business hours and plan the time you will call. Try different days and times of day when you are having trouble getting through.

You can also use trigger events to determine the best time to call. Use publicly available information and services like Google Alerts to keep track of when a prospect is expanding, has merged with a company you already sell to, has received recent funding, or has had a new executive hire — who may be more open to new ideas.

11. Use the Right Opener

The first sentence you say to your prospect can be the key to getting your foot in the door or having it close on you.

Opening with a simple, “How are you?” or some version of it has 3.4x more chances of booking a follow-up meeting. “How have you been?” increases your success rate by 6.6x. This is likely because the phrase is personalized, which engages your prospect.

Stating the reason you are calling is also an effective opening, increasing your chances of getting a meeting by 2.1x.

Personalize your openers for more success. Use the information you’ve gathered through your research to open with a compliment or recognition or hit a pain point.

12. Don’t Overwhelm Your Prospect During Your First Meeting

When you are “cold meeting” a prospect for the first time, keep it simple.

What this means is that, at the most, you carry a simple folder rather than a briefcase full of brochures or samples.

If the prospect is interested and wants a presentation and more information, you can always go back to your car to get what you need and bring it in. But, when you go in without a briefcase you lower the stress of initial sales resistance and cause the prospect to relax and open up to you sooner.

13. Create a Conversation

Make sure your call or visit is not a monologue of you speaking most of the time. Create a back and forth conversation instead.

Ask relevant questions, and listen to their answers. Key in on what they are saying that can help you determine what their needs are.

Aim to make your prospect feel comfortable with you. Be genuine and build trust.

14. Keep Your Prospects Relaxed

The longer your prospect remains relaxed, and the more they open up to you, the more likely it is you will make the sale in the long run.

Keep your phone call short, unless they are clearly showing an interest in engaging in deeper conversation with you. Be conscious of not wasting your prospect’s time.

Refraining from trying to make a sale and personalizing your approach will help you keep your prospects relaxed.

15. Leverage the Right Words

Words are powerful, and some words tend to either raise or lower your close rates.

Avoid the words “discount” and “contract” during your cold calls as they lower your likelihood of getting another chance to meet with the prospect.

The phrase “we provide” when used four or more times in a call lowers your close rate by 22%.

More successful words are “will” instead of “try,” “I will find out” instead of “I am not sure,” “challenge” instead of “problem,” and “help you” instead of “sell you.”

16. Save Your Pitch for Later

Remember that the purpose of a cold call is to set up a meeting or second call at a later date, not to make a pitch.

Save your sales information for when you meet later, and focus on developing a rapport on your initial cold call.

17. Practice

Go over your outline several times before making cold calls so that you are familiar with the prospect, have the goal of the call front of mind, and avoid sounding like you are reading from cold calling scripts.

Practice mock cold calls with a manager, friend, or fellow sales reps. Ask them to play various roles, such as a prospect who is not interested, one that is combative, and one that opens up to you quickly.

Engaging in these scenarios will help you be more prepared to have a successful cold call, despite any objections or challenges.

You will become more confident and less nervous, making cold calling easier for you.

18. Ask Open-Ended Questions

Questions that require a simple “yes,” “no,” or one-word answer do not facilitate a conversation. Using too many of these questions makes the cold call a dry question and answer session and is likely to lose the interest of your prospect.

Asking open-ended questions engages your prospect and encourages them to talk more. You will also be able to gain more insight into their needs and ability to buy with open-ended questions.

The technique allows you to get to know them better so you can empathize with them so you can see how you can provide a benefit or solve a problem.

Open-ended questions often begin with “what,” “why,” or “how.” Some examples of good open-ended questions for cold calling are:

• What are the top priorities for your company right now?
• How would you describe the problem you’d like to solve?
• What does the ideal solution look like for you?
• What other questions can I answer for you today?
• Why isn’t your particular process working for you?
• What is your timeline for making a purchase?

19. Avoid Settling for an Email

Most people are very busy and may prefer you to send information in an email. It is an easy way to end the phone call without being impolite.

However, such an email has a low potential for getting read, and your potential for setting up a follow-up meeting drops.

To handle this common situation, agree to send the email but ask more questions that will help you set up a meeting.

Ask your prospect what they are looking for in the information you will send them. This will hopefully get them talking about what their needs and pain points are, which helps you personalize the information you will send them.

You might also suggest scheduling a live demo instead or just an email, pointing out that it will save the prospect time and effort.

If you do send an email, ask to schedule a meeting time or follow-up call when you can discuss the contents of the email with them.

20. Leave Effective Voicemails and Follow Up

Most cold calls lead to voicemails, so you need to develop strategies for leaving effective emails.

Like your cold calls, voicemails should be personalized. Use techniques that will pique your prospect’s interest.

Decide on just one takeaway message you want to leave with your prospect so you will avoid dumping too much information on them or rambling. Keep your message under 20 seconds.

You might say you are aware of the challenges their company is facing and you believe you can help. If you have been recommended by someone they trust, this can be your message.

Use an upbeat and friendly tone of voice, and be sure to address your prospect by name as well as give your name and contact information.

Then follow up. Keep track of the content of the voicemails you leave so you can refer back to them and build on the content if you have to leave more voicemails. Practice persistence and keep calling back.

21. Overcome Sales Objections

Understand common objections and plan how you will respond.

For a prospect who tells you they do not have time to talk to you, tell them you understand and ask when they might have five minutes to spare so you can help them manage the things that are taking their time or causing stress.

If they say they need to discuss the matter with their team, offer to set up a group meeting or Zoom call that involves everyone.

For potential customers or clients that say they already use a competitor, offer to give them a case study of how you helped another company similar to theirs reach a goal or solve a problem. You could also say you’d love to share with them how other customers have found success with you overusing a competitor.

If they say what you are offering is too expensive, let them know you do not expect them to buy right now and try to find out their needs by asking if they can give you more information on why your solution seems too expensive.

Convert Your Cold Calls Into Warm Calls

Cold calling is one of the most long-standing approaches to gaining leads and increasing sales. It allows you to build relationships with potential customers or clients. Although it can be difficult, using these cold calling tips will give you the confidence and strategies to succeed.

For more cold calling tips, to help you increase your rate of successful cold calls, and to learn how to qualify the best leads, download my free sales prospecting checklist. Your goal is to turn cold calling leads into warm leads, which means on your second contact with your prospect, they will already be familiar with you and are more likely to continue engaging with you.

What are you waiting for? Try some of these cold calling tips today and remember, the more cold calling you do, the better you will get at it, and you will see your bottom line increase.

As technology and societal changes continue to drive rapid evolution in the world’s job market, working remotely is something that is dramatically growing in popularity. 

Both companies and employees are discovering the advantages of working from home, and this trend is only expected to continue to grow. 

One of the top five types of remote jobs growing in popularity is remote sales jobs. Remote sales teams can work just as efficiently as in-office teams and are just as — or more successful — and satisfied with their jobs.

Whether you’re looking for a remote sales representative job, remote sales manager job, or even a part-time remote sales job, there’s never been a better time than now.

Use the following resources to learn everything there is to know about finding a remote sales job to fit your skill set so you can make a living doing what you love from anywhere in the world.

Benefits of Remote Sales Jobs

Sales is an integral part of the success of any company and organization.

Because of their importance, sales jobs are highly sought after.

Both businesses that offer remote jobs and remote employees experience shared key benefits.

Greater Efficiency

One of the reasons sales jobs are one of the best remote jobs is because a lot of the work can be done anywhere over the phone, email, or video communication, like Zoom.

The time saved in traveling to in-person meetings with clients and co-workers is then spent on perfecting sales pitches, qualifying leads, and nurturing prospects. 

Wider Reach

Larger organizations looking to do business in regions outside of their headquarters make remote sales employees who live in those regions even more attractive.

Additionally, opening jobs up to those in other regions allow companies to open themselves up to a broader talent pool to draw from. This means as a salesperson, you have more job opportunities to pursue.

Remote sales work also expands the number of potential clients you’re able to reach since you’re not tethered to a geographical location.

More Flexibility

Another perk of remote sales jobs, in particular, is being available when your customers or leads are available.

Working remotely creates a more flexible schedule where you can take calls when needed without having to worry about things like commuting to an office or competing with office noise.

Better Work-Life Balance

The main reason most people choose remote work is that it helps them strike a better work-life balance. 

While it takes some effort at first to organize personal time vs work time and unplug after work, many people find they can focus more in the comfort of an environment they can completely control.

The time saved from commuting to and from work is instead spent productively on sales calls and follow-up work as well as valuable time with family or improving physical and mental health.  

Qualities to Have for Remote Sales Jobs

Like any job, a remote sales job does require a certain level of training and preparedness. 

With the right skills, you can succeed as a remote salesperson.

Here are some common qualities to consider achieving, if you haven’t already when looking for full-time or part-time remote jobs.

Remote Work Skills

First and foremost, working remotely requires skills that are not typically needed in an office environment. In many ways, you will be your own boss as you manage your time and workflow efficiency.

This means setting a schedule for yourself and sticking to it. You will be much more productive if you decide on a reasonable time to start working, take breaks, and stop working at the end of the day. 

As you close each workday, write down and prioritize your list of tasks you will complete the next day to minimize distractions and maximize productivity.

Create a dedicated workspace that is separate from your home life as much as possible, just as you would have your own desk and privacy to make calls at the office. 

Become proficient in technology as well. 

Video calls require learning how to make eye contact with your customers or potential clients through a camera, which some find difficult to do since you’re not actually face to face. Get comfortable with making virtual product demonstrations instead of in person. 

Learn how to write emails and messages that are conversational and engaging so you convey the right message to your prospects instead of sounding dry, distant, or detached. One of the keys to being effective in remote sales is to follow up often and develop genuine relationships with your clients.

Education and Certifications

Depending on the specific remote sales job you’re going for, you could get away with needing only a high school diploma or GED equivalent. Examples include remote customer services representatives, virtual assistants, entry-level inside sales reps, and remote software sales jobs.

But you could also need a bachelor’s or master’s degree, or even an MBA if you’re looking for a remote sales job higher up the ladder and don’t have a lot of experience already.

For example, if you’re looking for a job as a sales engineer or director of sales, you’ll likely need a higher degree of education and training compared to a sales development representative. 

Other forms of education like certifications could also help you land a remote sales job. 

Common certifications to look into could be: 

• Certified Inside Sales Professional (CISP): Considered the industry standard for inside sales reps and leaders to maintain the most up-to-date skills and techniques 
• Certified Sales Executive (CSE): Trains sales managers in the processes, tools, and interpersonal skills needed to effectively lead teams 
• Certified Sales Leadership Professional (CSLP): For presidents and VPs of sales, sales managers, directors of sales, and those looking to advance into leadership roles

Soft Skills

In addition to having the technical and educational skills needed of a salesperson, remote or otherwise, there are also soft skills to help you land the remote sales job of your dreams.

Soft skills are your people skills. They are character traits and interpersonal skills that help you get along with people, communicate effectively, work as a team and build trust with clients and coworkers.

Soft skills are especially important with remote sales positions since you don’t have the opportunity as often to use nonverbal cues and facial expressions to communicate.

Common soft skills to develop for remote sales jobs include: 

• Communication and listening
• Time management 
• Persistence
• Relationship building 
• Organization
• Collaboration
• Self-motivation
• Flexibility
• Decision making

How to Find a Remote Sales Job

Gone are the days of luckily being in the right place at the right time for the job of your dreams. 

But now, it’s even easier to find your dream job.

There are so many avenues you can search to find a remote sales job that’s right for you. Sales jobs working from home are readily available and, as mentioned earlier in this blog, increasing in number.

Here are a few recommendations to help you find your next remote sales job.

Remote Job Titles to Look For

When searching for your next job, it’s important that you have a general idea of the title you’d be applying for.

In many cases, if the job can be done remotely, you’ll see the word, “remote” in the job title, location, or job description. Sometimes you can also search for “at-home” sales jobs or “work from anywhere” sales positions.

Sales job titles that work well for remote sales jobs include:

• Remote Inside Sales Manager
• Sales Development Representative (remote)
• Remote Sales Assistant
• Remote Sales Account Executive/Manager

Best Job Opening Websites

One of the first places to look when searching for your next remote sales job is online job boards

Here are some of the most popular websites and apps to search for full-time and part-time remote jobs:

Indeed

The Indeed website and app let you upload your resume to the site, so applying for a job happens in a matter of seconds once your find one you are interested in.

Search by job title, company, or keywords and type “remote” into the location search feature. Save your search criteria and have notifications of new job openings sent to you to save time and effort.

Glassdoor

Glassdoor gives you an inside look at companies before you apply for positions. Employees and people looking for jobs post company reviews, salary information, and interview questions on the website and app. This helps you narrow down the job prospects that are most suited for you.

ZipRecruiter

ZipRecruiter has over 900,000 remote jobs on its website and app. Find them by putting “remote” in the search bar and then filtering by date posted, salary range, type of employment, job title, or company. 

NoDesk

The NoDesk app and website are dedicated solely to remote jobs. Companies that value remote work post on this site, so you will find businesses accustomed to onboarding and working with remote salespersons. Startups through established remote companies from around the globe post remote jobs on NoDesk.  

Google for Jobs

Use the regular Google search bar to find your remote sales job by typing the position you are looking for, such as “remote inside sales jobs.” Google pulls job postings from across the internet into your search results.

Filter your results by job title, date posted, requirements, type of job, company type, and company name to narrow your results.

SimplyHired

Type “work from home sales” or “remote sales” into the search bar of this website to see several thousand potential jobs.

To help you narrow your choices, SimplyHired provides an estimate of the potential salary offered for each job. When you create a profile on the site, you can quickly apply to some job postings or you may be redirected to apply directly to the employer.

Social Media

Many companies are now turning to social media to share job openings. 

LinkedIn has its own jobs tab, where you can specifically filter jobs by if they’re remote or not.

On Twitter, follow the companies you are interested in working for to be notified of their tweets about job postings. 

Facebook also has a job search feature. Search by your desired job title or keyword and include the word “remote” in your search. An advanced search lets you enter your desired salary range, industry, and type of work, such as full-time, part-time, or contract.

Your network of social media friends may also be posting about open jobs at their companies.

In addition to looking for jobs online, having your own online presence is becoming ever more important. It’s a way for you to connect and let your future employer know how well you can communicate and get the job done remotely. 

Online website builders also make it easy to create a free or paid website to post your resume, portfolio, projects, photos, and any other information that would be valuable to potential employers.

Find Your Next Remote Sales Job and Live Your Dream

Part-time and full-time remote jobs are easier than ever to find with continuing advanced technology and today’s cultural shifts. Remote sales jobs are especially prevalent.

The advantages of remote work to both employers and employees include greater efficiency, wider reach, more flexibility, and a better work-life balance.

Prepare for your next dream job by getting the education or certifications you need to be competitive. Make sure to also identify the soft skills and remote working skills you need and work to improve them. 

Once you’re ready, use online job boards and apps as well as social media to find the best remote sales positions.

As a salesperson working remotely, you will also benefit from identifying your strengths to market to potential employers and weaknesses to work on.

By identifying your weakest skill, you’ll be able to ignite your sales game and be on your way to becoming a top-earning salesperson in your next remote job.

The trend of companies offering remote work to employees has consistently grown by nearly 50% over the last five years. More recently, we have seen the number of people working from home skyrocket in the era of ‘social distancing’ – which makes it more important than ever to strive for success as a remote salesperson. 

Working from home has a lot of benefits, but it also requires a lot of self-discipline and focus.

If you are new to working from home, you may have realized that motivating yourself to work efficiently when you are surrounded by all of the comforts and distractions in your own home can be a real challenge.

To make sure that you’re able to remain productive, even when you take your work away from the office, here are a few useful tips for achieving success as a remote salesperson.

How to Succeed as a Remote Salesperson

There are many factors that contribute to a remote salesperson’s success. With a growing number of remote workers, I put together this list to ensure you can excel in this field.

1. Keep a Daily Routine in Place

   Routines and productivity go hand-in-hand. If you want to keep a daily routine, my greatest suggestion is to master the art of creating lists.

   Your ability to make lists and organize them, and then find the discipline to follow them is the key to success. All successful people make lists, so if success is your end goal this is a great place to start.

2. Create an Organized Sales Follow-up Process

   Don’t let any leads slip through the cracks. Once you talk to a customer, ensure you have a follow-up process in place. Recap what you discussed and follow up immediately.

3. Leverage Phone Calls

   One of the many benefits of working remotely is your quiet home allows for an uninterrupted 1-on-1 conversation with prospects. When you talk to customers, pay very close attention to their words and make sure to deliver on your promises.

4. Utilize video messaging and live demonstrations

   Use tools like Zoom to connect beyond the keyboard. Your future, income, and quality of life will depend on your ability to adequately utilize video messaging and live demonstrations. We are so lucky in the age of technology, that even though we are socially distant, we can feel like we are communicated face to face through video messaging. 

5. Focus on results, not time

   Measure your effectiveness by how much you have achieved, not how many hours you have worked. One of the most important things you will learn in any field of work is the outcome or your results. You want to focus on the sales you’ve generated not necessarily how long it took you to reach that goal.

6. Practice effective virtual communication

   If this is a new concept for you, start reading everything you can on virtual communication. There is a learning curve to this, but once you have it down you will be on the road to success. Practicing effective virtual communication is important for speaking with your prospects and co-workers.

7. Discover Client Communication Preferences

   Find out the best way to communicate with your clients. Everyone navigates virtual communication in their own way. If you make the client’s life easier, they will be more likely to buy what you are selling.

How to Get Results as a Remote Salesperson

Success for a salesperson is measured by results. You can implement all of the above techniques, but will not truly be successful if you can not close the deal. Dramatically increase your likelihood of closing deals with my Closing Techniques Battlecard.

International selling isn’t easy, but the rewards of your efforts can be well worth the work you put in. Go-getters all speak the same language regardless of where they happen to be born. They understand drive, determination, and focus immediately without anything getting lost in translation.

Entrepreneurs who want to take their mission to a global level may need a little more than just an unbreakable spirit. There’s an art to handling people from other cultures and identifying priorities that may be wildly different from your own.

Follow these tips for success when selling internationally.

1. Recognize the Potential

Even though it might be scary to venture into new markets, the opportunity is undeniably there.

Experts advise companies to put their top talent into expansion, rather than saving it for those at the lower levels.

New ideas, products, and brands are seeing incredible success as values and expectations shift around the world.

In fact, most countries have so many opportunities that the real problem is finding which one to concentrate on.

Those who can adapt their service or product to fit with different people all over the world may soon find themselves drowning in increased business and sales.

And with the advent of the internet and online sales, there are now even more ways to test the waters before diving in.

2. Understand the Culture

One of the more difficult things an entrepreneur can do is get a handle on how different cultures function in the real world.

Even more frustrating, they may find the culture is wildly different in two different sections of the same country.

If they can’t adapt their strategy, they may find themselves struggling to gain any traction in the beginning. This may be perfectly fine for brands with deep pockets, but not everyone has the capital to sustain a loss leader for very long.

Understanding a culture’s wants and needs will help to increase customer satisfaction and establish customers for life.

3. Change It Up

When Best Buy opened up overseas, they thought their business model would appeal in much the same way it did to Americans. But not everyone enjoys navigating a store that’s big enough to build airplanes in.

If the decision-makers at Best Buy had known this before pulling the trigger on their international campaigns, they may have been able to tailor their marketing to address this problem…

Or even to change the format of their stores.

When even major conglomerates with all their resources fail to see the main problem with their strategies, it’s especially useful for smaller entrepreneurs to be flexible enough to speak to what the people are really looking for.

4. Do Whatever It Takes

When figuring out the specifics of how to conduct yourself in the country, you should do at least a little bit of research before getting started. Many expats will post their own experiences about the minutiae of setting up shop there.

This way, you know not to advertise the fact that you work 20 hours of the day in a family-oriented culture.

But even with online advice, the best way to absorb a different culture is through trial and error.

Expat entrepreneurs in many countries can expand their network just because they’re doing something unusual, but they need to be careful about how they conduct themselves.

For example, you may need to adjust your hours so that you can cater to your business partners, or change your etiquette to ensure everyone feels comfortable.

5. Research Taxes and Regulations

The taxes and regulations are different for every country, with some being far more welcoming than others.

Some countries have incredibly low corporate taxes and minimum wages, such that a business could do what they do now for just pennies on the dollar. Others will make their fees and rules so strict that it can make any company want to throw the towel in before they get started.

The payroll may be difficult to establish, the taxes may be complicated to file, and the registration rigamarole may border on ridiculous.

While it’s true that practically every country out there can be a potential target for the devoted entrepreneur, some are simply easier to do business with than others.

6. Be Realistic

Entrepreneurs also need to be aware of how they’re seen within the country apart from the official rules and regulations.

Some countries are notorious for being rather lax when it comes to both the formal laws and the enforcement of those laws. But if you upset or disrespect the wrong authority, you may find yourself in a world of legal trouble.

These types of complicated dealings can be the death of hopeful entrepreneurs everywhere.

Let’s say you’ve submitted all of the materials you need to set up your company, but you’re not getting any response from the powers that be.

They may need a polite but forceful push from you to make things happen — but how would you know that until you’ve taken the time to understand the culture?

The kind of sales that was commonplace decades ago doesn’t really exist in the same form today. It’s quite incredible how sales have changed…

I can attest to this fact, personally, as I built my business up from the days of the door-to-door salesman forced to do cold call sales to what it is now, a data-focused technologically driven business.

To make sure you don’t get left behind in today’s digital age of sales, read over the following ways strategies have changed over the years.

Ideally, you can take a bit of the past, in terms of a sales approach, including being good with people, and use it to enhance the sales theories of today, which typically involve technology and data.

1. Have an Online Presence

With most people doing their research via a smartphone or laptop, a business’s online presence is more important than ever.

Sure, word-of-mouth is still a thing. However, even with word-of-mouth, a well-designed business website can give potential customers a “first impression” of your business they simply can’t get from a phone number and address.

You might ask yourself whether or not you can still compete without a website or mobile app. Well, technically yes, you can still do business, but you are handicapping yourself and why would you do that?

Fun Fact: Over half of all “near me” searches will result in an eventual store visit.

Therefore, it’s important to have a website or mobile app at the end of a “near me” search. This is what is called a “click-to-brick” conversion and a great way to increase sales.

2. Offer Your Product Online

Perfected by giants like Amazon and other online retailers, today’s sales often take place outside of brick-and-mortar stores altogether.

This movement towards the convenience online purchasing offers means you need to give your customers the option of purchasing online in order to keep pace with your competitors.

Consider the following scenario, you and another company both offer roughly the same product for the around the same cost.

What will set your product apart?

Sure, it might be your marketing.

Of course, it could also be the fact that you offer your product for purchase online, without requiring your customers to get in their car and drive across town to make their transaction.

Providing them the option of checking out and paying for their product, all from the comfort of their home can give your business the boost it needs to compete against another business.

It also allows you to make a sale without ever meeting them face-to-face.

3. Handle Customer Reviews Professionally

Potential customers are now a quick click away from finding out all kinds of information about your products and business in the form of reviews.

Sometimes, these reviews are unfair.

Thankfully, even a negative buzz around your business gives you an opportunity to respond with good customer service, and if you handle even unfair criticism professionally, your reputation will remain intact and will likely even improve.

4. Target Specific Customers

With the many avenues available to businesses today for tracking customer’s searches and the like, it is possible to specifically target individuals who are more likely to buy a certain product.

This takes place all the time, even to you.

Just think about how many times you have searched for a product or service and then see an ad for that or something similar pop up on your Facebook feed.

It’s a bit freaky, to be honest, but it works.

Specific online advertising geared towards a specific customer is now possible and it’s a tool you should be using.

According to Brian Halligan the CEO of Hubspot, “People shop and learn in a whole new way compared to just a few years ago, so marketers need to adapt or risk extinction.”

You as a modern sales professional, whether you have a large or small customer base, need to embrace the changes listed above or risk getting left behind.

The following are actionable ways to bring your sales into today’s digital age…

5. Create an Online Presence

If you don’t already have one, get a website today! Then, keep up with it, adding interesting, engaging content.

Follow up on your business’s online presence as well, by answering reviews, etc.

6. Invest in a Digital Marketing Strategy

Whether you utilize social media ads, email campaigns or employ tools that track potential customers’ purchasing habits, getting your business into the digital marketing world is a must.

How has your sales process changed over time? Are you adapting to these changes?

Have you ever wondered why you keep losing sales that you thought you had?

Most salespeople blame their prospects for them losing the sale by saying things like, “they weren’t qualified for my product or service,” or “they just don’t see the need” or “they didn’t have the money” or “they just weren’t that serious about solving their problems” and the list of excuses goes on and on… when in reality, the reasons why the salesperson loses the sale 9 out of 10 times is because of the way they are communicating with their potential customers.

Here are the Top 3 Shocking Reasons Why You Keep Losing So Many Sales:

Reason #1:  You’re Viewed as Just ‘Another Salesperson’ By Your Potential Customers

Have you ever stopped and wondered how your potential customer actually views you?

What sets you apart from every other salesperson trying to sell your potential customer something?  Selling has changed dramatically changed even in the last 5-7 years.

Now with the power of technology, social media and the ease of the Internet, we live in a completely different era.  The consumer knows all about your company: your products and services, your pricing, your competitors, how long you have been in business, they know everything about you by doing a simple Google search on their phone or computer.  Because of this technology your potential customer will no longer be manipulated or pressured by a salesperson since they know they have many other choices to choose the exact product or service you sell.

Realize your potential customer and all of us, as a matter of fact, now live in a 24/7, 300+ channels, and everyone is always connected to the online world.  The huge effect of this is countless companies and salespeople are trying to sell YOUR potential customer something all of the time and everyone competes for their attention and their money.  However, once you realize the solution, you will keep not only their intention but also their business!

So, if you’re still using the same old traditional selling techniques of posturing your prospects, assuming the sale, and being pushy then most of your prospective customers will look at you as just another salesperson trying to stuff your solution down their throat.  They treat you like every other salesperson by being defensive towards you, throwing out objections and rejecting what you’re offering.

So, what’s the solution?

Learn how to ask skilled questions that will take you deeper into your conversations with your potential customers.  Ask them in a calm, relaxed, conversational way and then sit back and listen to their answers.  Then ask more questions to probe deeper. When you learn to do this effectively, your potential customer will WANT to stay engaged with you, communicate with you and do business with you.

When you focus on your potential customer’s world and what they’re looking for rather than focusing on your world, your agenda of trying to make the sale, you will notice your prospects will become very open to you and treat you with respect.  They will start to view you as the ‘Trusted Authority’ in your industry rather than just another salesperson trying to sell them something.

Reason #2: You’re A Product Pusher Instead of Being A Problem Finder and Solver

99% of Salespeople are what I call, “Product Pushers.”  It’s not their fault per se, as they have been taught by their companies and the ‘old sales gurus’ they need to ask a few questions to find the needs of the prospect, and then go into their sales pitch, then present all the features and benefits of how their product is the best and how much it’s going to help them etc., etc.,

But, whose opinions are these? Well, they are yours of course and who do you think your potential customer cares more about? Your opinions and your agenda of making the sale, or are they more concerned about themselves and what they are looking for?

So, what’s the solution?

Remember, as sales professionals, we are in fact Problem FINDERS and Problem SOLVERS.  It is not enough in the “Post Trust Era” we live in today to be excellent at just solving problems.   You must now be even better at Problem Finding. Meaning, uncovering challenges they may not know they have. Without helping them uncover their own problems it’s impossible to be a problem solver.

We have always been told that great salespeople are excellent at problem-solving.  They can assess their potential customer needs, and then deliver their solution. And this ability to solve your potential customer’s problems matters to your success.  But today, when information is abundant and accessible rather than limited and hard to find, it matters relatively less.

After all, if your prospect knows precisely what their problem is – whether they are hoping to buy a new computer or take a 5-day cruise… they can find that information to make a decision without you.

The services offered by salespeople are far more valuable when your potential customers are mistaken, confused or clueless about their true problems.  In those situations, the ability to persuade others hinges less on problem-solving than on problem finding.

Remember only a short time ago buyers faced several challenges to solving their problems on their own.  They had to rely on salespeople because the salesperson had access to information that the buyer did not have access too.

But today, with the power of the internet and social media, that information is at the buyer’s fingertips.  This technology has completely reshaped the sales process in the new world of selling. The just “trust me” line is no longer relevant in the “New Economy”.

To be in the top 1% of salespeople you have to be an expert “Problem Finder.”

Reason #3: Your ‘Outward’ Enthusiasm is Causing Your Potential Customer To Run Away From You.

Here’s the myth: be enthusiastic about your product or service, and when the customer sees you excited, they will be excited too! I almost have to laugh at this one. You can never ever assume that because you are excited and enthusiastic about your product or service that they are going to be as well.

In fact, in the “New Economy,” we live in today, your potential customers do quite the opposite. They are to use to every salesperson having a big smile on their face, eagerly waiting to pitch and sell them their product or service. So your potential customer has built defensive walls to protect themselves from enthusiastic salespeople.

When they feel your outward enthusiasm from you, they will do one of two things:

1. They will withdraw from you because you have overwhelmed them and they disappear from you, by not returning your calls, your emails or texts, OR…
2. They will get defensive, throw out objections, and flat out reject you and what you’re selling.

So, what’s the solution?

Instead, switch your enthusiasm inward and be excited about what you sell but keep it to yourself. Be calm and relaxed when communicating with your prospective customers. Be conversational like your talking to a family member or friend, and notice how your prospects will start to open up to you and treat you like an adviser rather than the dreaded salesperson whose trying to stuff his or her solution down their potential client’s throat.

What are your thoughts about these reasons why you keep losing so many sales? Once you begin to implement these solutions you will begin to see a huge shift in closing more sales.