Archive for August, 2009

How often do you read a book or article on selling and say to yourself, hey I can make all those changes.  It is easy to tell yourself that you can make this change and that change and oh this other one and that other one.  But how effective can you be if you try to make all those changes at once?  The answer is simply you can’t do or make all the changes at one time. 

The strategy to making simple selling techniques work.

Step 1: Practice only one new behavior at a time

Many selling skills are simple in nature.  They all sound easy to do and not a big problem; after all you’ve been doing this for years right!  To successfully learn a new skill you most do so in isolation of learning others. Focus on one at a time to make sure you get it right.  Imagine learning to ride a bike and tie your shoes at the same time.  Crash and burn!

Step 2: Try the new behavior more then 3 times

When learning almost anything doing it more then 3 times allows the brain to form connections for what you’re learning.  Make sure you try your new selling skills on a number of people in order to become natural in what you’re doing.

Step 3: Repeat, repeat and repeat again.  Focus on quantity not quality

Too often we try to perfect the behavior before we even start.  Do you remember what is was like to learn how to ride a bicycle?  Well if you were like most of us you feel and crashed many times before you could ride down city streets.  The more you practice the better you will become, naturally, at what you’re trying to learn.

Step 4: Practice on the right audience, a safe one

When learning a new skill don’t pick your largest account or largest (potential) order.  Pick someone that represents the lowest risk.  Choose either a new account that has a low potential or low sales value.  If you have a long term relationship with a client that knows you well try the new behavior with them.  They won’t judge you as hard if you fail and will be more understanding if you get in to hot water.  The key is to test on people that won’t impact your bottom line negatively.

The key to any good sales pitch is knowing it well. When you come across a new sales technique or sales presentation that you spend the time to figure out how you’re going to learn it.  It is only when you have learned this skill well enough to become natural at it that you will see the benefits of it.

Learning is as critical as finding a new sales pitch.

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