Sales is rocket science. And just as rocket science is built from a foundation of physical and mathematical laws and principles, sales can be distilled to its very simple laws and principles.
While branded selling "systems" and "approaches" serve several purposes (they help differentiate sales books and training material in order to sell them better as well as assist in articulating a message so it’s easily learned and/ or implemented) the simple laws and principles underlying them all have remained relatively unchanged since the beginning of time.
Here’s the bottom line for your records – fluff removed. Depending on what you sell, parts of the process may not be needed and some parts might need repeating.
Use it as a guide for the in-house sales development of your team or for your personal sales skill development (you do work on your most valuable asset, don’t you?) Focus on one area each week or month. Print it out. Send it out. Build from it.
____________________
The sales process
Assuming you’ve identified the features & benefits of your product/ service – and you’ve identified and defined your target market – the sales process begins…
- Prospect
- Interview
- Analyze needs
- Present
- Negotiate
- Close
- Service & follow-up
Throughout the sales process, the salesperson should be continually…
- positively expectant
- enthusiastic
- asking questions
- listening
- qualifying the opportunity (for both parties)
- discovering hot buttons (what’s in it for them)
- building rapport
- establishing trust
- developing credibility
- developing a valuable relationship
- addressing objections
- planning next action steps
- confirming understanding
- asking for referrals
- seeking additional opportunities to serve & sell
- evaluating responses & results (positive/ negative)
- affirming decisions (minimizing buyer’s remorse)
Now go sell something.~>
If you like this, you might also like the author’s message on commitment called Cross The Line. Use this link to watch the quick little video.
__________
Copyright © 1998 – 2011 by Give More Media Inc. This was written by Sam Parker. If you’d like to tell people about it somewhere (e.g., blog, newsletter, Facebook, social media), please reference Sam Parker of JustSell.com as the author and link directly to the article. Excerpts are great but please don’t publish the article in its entirety without advanced written permission (email Sam using the address at the bottom of this page).
bhashkar says:
selling is the process in which you sell yourself ,so important is how you are.
15 January 2012
Matt Taormina says:
The elimination of no’s 10 prospects / 9 no’s /1 yes.
commission $100.00 for every no you make
$10.00
23 December 2011
Andy says:
salesmen are like soilders in a war, they get their commands from their captain,the captain gets his commands from the major general therefore the best sales process
is one that has marketing driven concepts marketing and sales they are one
20 December 2011
Better Sales for ACN Products | Liquid Selling says:
[...] really is. Having answers on-hand to most of the basic questions can not only speed up the sales process, it can also instill confidence in prospective buyers that the salesman knows what he’s [...]
6 December 2011
Salespeople: Ignore Your Prospecting Results « Johnny Business says:
[...] I mean is that “IF” you have a sales process and “IF” you work your sales process you aren’t controlled by the minor ups and [...]
18 November 2011
Matt Taormina says:
Plan your work work your plan
22 October 2011
Jim says:
Sales is a numbers game. Period. Know your closing ratio. How many prospects, appointments and closes does it take to meet your goals?
6 September 2011
Jane says:
I will start my sale job on next week, and i really greatful for all comments in this site, their are really help interm of preparation.
Thank all and i wish all of you will be successful in the sale career.
5 July 2011
The Skill Of Selling – Part 2 | SmallCompany.biz says:
[...] Sales Process Defined – Just Sell [...]
26 February 2011
Dan Herrmann says:
Don’t think too much. Ask questions and really listen and the answer and prospect real needs will come to surface. It may be hidden in the subtext of what the prospect is saying but if you really listen and watch the body language you’ll get to the need.
19 February 2011
Business marketing shift 2: Products aren’t sold. They’re bought. - Mobium says:
[...] b-to-b thought and so called “best practices” continue to be overwhelmingly driven by viewing this issue from the wrong angle. That of the company and its never ending Jones for total control. You’ve got your five steps [...]
18 January 2011
matt taormina says:
Qualify the decision maker, demonstrate a solution to their problem.
Encourage their agreement with you, ask for the sale.
24 November 2010
matt taormina says:
Most important, stay positive getting a no does’nt mean failure. Your closer
to a YES,and if time is one thing we dont get back, be grateful it’s not being
wasted by another time bandit.
24 November 2010
Sam Parker says:
Thanks, John.
2 November 2010
John Boyd says:
Thank you for “breaking it down”. Keep up the good work!
John Boyd
2 November 2010
cameron says:
There are many methodologies (sales processes) out there which are followed by people and organisations. The sales process can be different for every group out there and can be the difference in winning or losing business.
Standardising the routines and having the right steps allows you to have some certainty to the outcomes – but you do need good sales people not order takers!
29 October 2010
Kevin Singarayar (BurningBoats.com) says:
If I could contribute by simplifying the sales process into just 4 distinct steps:
1) Identifying the prospect
2) Getting the prospects to believe in what you’re selling
3) Providing answers to prospects’ problems
4) Closing the deal
These 4 steps are really all you will ever need to sell. It’s how you apply these 4 steps that can make or break a deal.
5 September 2010
sakura says:
i didnt understand about this…
3 September 2010
shashwat khare says:
smart points for selling.it will help a lot to me and others who are in the profession.thankyou
28 August 2010
Sonia Trevor says:
Sales is one of the important factors for every business. Well to have a good sales there must be a good marketing approach on what
product you are selling. Internet and direct selling is on of the good ways nowadays to start your market and produce sales but the
real key to have a good big break for sales is to have good commitment and great deals for those possible buyers. When it comes to
internet, do a good website and market it well. Patience is the key for sales remember that.
Sonia Trevor
Consultant of Naples web design
6 July 2010
Sonia Trevor says:
Sales is one of the important factors for every business. Well to have a good sales there must be a good marketing approach on what product you are selling. Internet and direct selling is on of the good ways nowadays to start your market and produce sales but the real key to have a good big break for sales is to have good commitment and great deals for those possible buyers. When it comes to internet, do a good website and market it well. Patience is the key for sales remember that.
Sonia Trevor
Consultant of Naples web design
6 July 2010
Raed Abu Issa says:
I’m in sales for 15 Years ,,
My Say In Sales : The Sales Weapon is the Knowledge
So,, If You have enough knowledge with Good Relation you will win your deal ,,
This is Applicable in Direct Sales Only ” Not Other Channels Of Sales ”
R.A.I
16 June 2010
nasar says:
relation is the main fact of sales if we make more relation with customer we can get more sale
15 June 2010
Kenny Bloxham says:
The most important part of the Sales Process is the start. If you clearly do not set out expectations at the start of the process (signpost) and establish what the customer is looking to achieve, you can neither take the customer through their logicial thought buying process (customer transition) or handle the real objections at the end of the sale.
Signposting at the start of the process is critical to success
I am just completing a step by step sales manual around the ‘sales process’ and how we match the ‘customers buying transition’ to ensure we maximise on the sale. Let me know if anyone is inteterested and I can send through the intro.
6 June 2010
How do you analyze your prospects and customers needs? | Deborah Shane Toolbox says:
[...] out The Sales Process Defined from [...]
14 May 2010
sofia says:
g,, you made it sound so smooth and sweet
11 April 2010
Ben says:
Looking for a great sales book anyone got any tips???
6 April 2010
C Schutte says:
On questions: How can sales managers keep reps accountable on this process?
We’ve buiilt a system around the process where people are kept accountable. I’ll mail you the essence if you like: cjhs71@yahoo.com
Our sales process was useless until I read E-Myth revisited, and now that we’ve built as system around it, it just works.
1 April 2010
EcSELL Institute says:
How can sales managers keep reps accountable on this process?
17 March 2010
The Skill Of Selling – Part 2 | BigFishMLM.net says:
[...] Sales Process Defined – Just Sell [...]
2 February 2010
chicago web design says:
great article, although I dont agree about sales being rocket science, but hey, to each their own. Thanks poster
20 January 2010
Alen Majer says:
The secret of being successful in selling is the ability to transmit your energy and your enthusiasm about your product or service. If you fail to do that, you will not sell.
29 December 2009
Matt says:
The key to making all of this work is “listening”. No matter how great your process, presentation, or relationships, if you listen well and know your product/solution well, you should always be able to make a business case, or just as important recognize when there isn’t one and move on to the next opportunity.
19 November 2009
Jorge Gomez says:
The most important part of the sale process is the closing. It defines whether or not the customer is really into buying your product/service. whenever you do a close on a customer, you will either get an “ok, let’s do it”, or another objection/buying sign.
12 November 2009
Michael Elam says:
The most important part of the sales link is empathy. If you cannot make the cogent case by emulating empathy from the customer this will not work consistently.
6 August 2009
Marion Mariatu Joe says:
I want to be getting more tips on the sales process, as I’m a sales person. I appreciate this tips, but I want to get more and more so as my company will get more revenue.Thanks
5 August 2009
Keith Deal says:
Wow, this really breaks it down to bare bones! When you said”no fluff”, you weren’t kidding!Great job on making the sales process so easy to dissect. I have come to expect nothing less than the best from your website. Thanks for helping me load my tool belt with these simple yet effective tools.
1 August 2009