How to Sell More in 2009

Here comes 2009. I’m ready, are you? The end of the year is a time to reflect on the past year and plan for the New Year. The economy has made things a little rougher for all of us, but as I have said before, commerce is still happening in America. America is still open for business. As we look forward I would like to point out that the difference between winning and losing in 2009 is a matter of doing things just a little bit better than your competition.

A slight edge matters.

I played a lot of softball over the years. It was my preferred form of recreation. Some people golf, others bowl, I played softball. One measure of success in softball is a 300 foot fence around the perimeter of the playing field. A softball hit over the fence is a home run. A fly ball that lands short of the fence is generally caught for a fly out. No kidding…hit the ball 295 feet and you are out, and probably discouraged. But hit the ball 305 feet and you hit a home run, score a run, possibly win the game and feel pretty darn good. The difference between victory and defeat is 10 feet or less on a 300 foot field, or plus or minus 3%. I would say that the player who hits the softball 305 feet only has a slight edge over the ones who fell short.

This lesson plays well when applied to the selling profession. What can we do to improve our chances of beating our competition and winning more sales? There are a whole lot of things to do that can help you win more often by establishing a sight competitive edge.

Here are a few things to do…

Upgrade your image. This means clothing, grooming…the works.
Upgrade your attitude. Always be positive, always be pleasant.
Upgrade your listening skills. Ask probing questions and then listen. Buyers will tell you what you need to know to make the sale.
Upgrade your product knowledge. Devote regular time to establishing and maintaining expert status on your product or service and your industry.
Keep your sales skills honed with books, tapes and seminars.
Hang out with top producers, winners. Learn how they do things.
Upgrade your sales tools. Software, prospect lists, website, new lead generating methods.
Prioritize your work. Know what is most important and what is less important.
Observe prime selling hours. Don’t waste any prime time. Do other non-selling things during non-prime hours.
Always ask for the order. That’s why you have a job.
Don’t give up if prospects say no. No means non-yes. Keep trying.
Always ask for a referral. If you are good customers will be happy to help you.

These are a handful of ways to be a better salesperson than your competition. There are more, but following my advice will be a great start to separate you from the competition and will give you the edge you need to win in 2009.