Success in Sales is 80% Mentality

Posted on: December 18th, 2018 by Emily Novotny | No Comments

Enthusiasm is contagious.

 

It spreads to others by the way you speak, the way you hold your body, and how you act each and every day.

 

And when you have something to sell that you’re truly passionate about, that enthusiasm pervades everything you say and do, which will draw people in so that they, too, will acquire your same passion.

 

 

But, in an age where information is literally at our fingertips, customers are able to skip the smooth sales person and directly interact with brands more than ever before. Online conversations, reviews, and recommendations are greatly impacting our ability as sales people to convert a prospect.

 

Furthermore, customers are becoming increasingly guarded of those sales people who hide behind a mask of good techniques versus those who have the customer’s best interests at heart and have trustworthy products and offerings.

 

Therefore, a successful client-business relationship starts with your personal and authentic passion. In fact, success in sales is 80 percent mentality and only about 20 percent skill.

 

Converting a Prospect

Walking up to a potential client’s doorstep prepared with industry specific messaging and background knowledge of their business will get you through the door. But what will get you a place at the table is being able to

 

  • Convey true enthusiasm. This is only possible when you believe in what you sell. In order to do this, learn as much as you can about your offerings. Don’t just settle for the product or service descriptions. Dig deeper to understand the true value your product or offering provides.

 

For example, in the industrial laundry industry, we don’t just rent and wash uniforms. We save clients time, improve employee morale, and keep employees safe and compliant. These are just a few of the reasons why I believe in CITY’s service.

 

  • Understand their biggest pain points and express sincere concern. Remember that your clients are people, too. They have real problems that need not only a solution but also empathetic recognition. Listen attentively to everything they have to say, even if it’s just briefly mentioned.

 

  • Keep the client’s best interests at heart. Address the client openly and honestly with service offerings that will help their business, even if that means selling less.

 

Transferring the Relationship

Once you are able to convey authenticity and genuine passion to represent your offering as the best choice, the prospect will begin to believe in not only your product or service but also you as a representative of your company. Your relationship with the client develops into a partnership and you become their advocate.

 

In the business-to-business sales realm, particularly in the industrial laundry industry, the next step is to hand the baton to the service team. During this time, you advocate for your client’s needs so that the service team understands everything that you promised.

 

Making the transition to service may seem daunting after developing such a great rapport with your client, but if you have confidence in your service, your team, and your company, it’s really an exciting transition.

 

Maintaining the Relationship

Now that the prospect is a client, the positive attitude and enthusiasm doesn’t end once the sale is made. Those feelings must continue to be present so that your client maintains confidence in you.

 

 

However, even with that confidence, mistakes do happen, but it’s the way you handle them that matters.

 

  • Be accountable. No one is perfect so don’t sell perfection. Mistakes are inevitable, no matter how much you believe in your company’s abilities. What really matters is how quickly you can resolve an issue and the steps that you take to prevent the issue from happening again.

 

  • Recognize your client as an individual. Rightly so, mistakes can create frustration. Recognizing your client as a real person who has emotions will help you empathize and understand what they’re going through.

 

  • Promote and act with transparency. Honesty speaks volumes and allows your client to trust and rely on you. Being transparent shows you are authentic and not just a gimmick.

 

At the end of the day, you have to believe in what you do. True enthusiasm is a by-product of that belief, and it allows you to spread your belief to everyone else. And that’s how you build true client relationship that last generations.


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