Successful sales
Successful selling needs a ‘Sales Machine’
Selling is a bit like making products on a production line. If you ensure that the right components are fed in, at the right time, at the right place and the right actions are carried out - to the right quality - then products come off the end of the line in the volume you need. It is the same with selling – but the ‘components’ are sales leads and the ‘products’ are sales orders.
To assess your sales effectiveness ask yourself the following questions?
Can my sales people routinely answer these questions? All prospects need these answers – but they may not ask directly:
• Why do I really need this product - what compelling reason is there to buy it?
• Will it justify the investment?
• Why do I need it now – rather than next month or next year?
• Why should I buy it from you – rather than your competitors?
AND
• Do you have a board member with direct responsibility for sales?
• Do you have a formal, effective sales process?
• Is the sales process really used as it should be?
• Do you invest in sales training to maximise performance?
• Do sales people have clear territories and performance targets?
• Do you have sufficient tools and resource so that sales people spend their time selling (as opposed to sorting out customer problems)?
• If you do not have full-time sales people do you have a system that ensures enough time is spent on selling?
• Do you have a commission scheme that motivates sales people to deliver results that match your business plan?
• Do you measure individual sales people's performance and take remedial action with under-performers?
• Do you have a clear plan to increase sales to existing customers?
• Do you have a formal sales forecast methodology?
For more information please contact Paul Chapman on 0207 100 1233 orpaul.chapman@azurepartners.co.uk