I was talking to a former client yesterday and she shared how her business was booming, which is always music to my ears. She was booked for several months in advance, something she was not used to in her line of work. She was also wrapping up her best year ever, as far as growth and revenue. I’ve experienced the same thing; as my business revenue is up almost 40% in 2014, which was almost doubled what I did in 2013.
I’ve witnessed it over and over. The opportunities are out there and the flood gates are open for growth. Are you getting in on the action? To win in the sales game, you must understand that the new reality is that buying behaviors have changed in the past five years. And the winning attributes of the sales reps who have succeeded, when many have struggled since 2009, are probably not what you think.
I recently reviewed some research that indicated that innovation cannot be the basis for business success. While great products and services keep you in the game, that is not what will get customers to buy from you. In other words, you can pour lots of time and dollars into brand, products and service seeking growth and that really only gives you the chance to suit up. It doesn’t actually get you any points on the board.
It appears that how we sell has become more important than what we sell. In fact, according to the survey findings from over 6,000 companies, the way to have the biggest impact on growing your sales is not to tout your company’s reputation, your brand, your product, your service delivery or even your value-to-price ratio. By far, the biggest driver for success is the sales experience, specifically what the salesperson brings to the table at the point of contact.
In fact, 53% of the buying decision can be boiled down to the ability of the salesperson to engage and create the experience in the “right” way, which is not the way that most salespeople have been taught to engage. Despite the common perception that sales is all about the relationship; it is NOT the strong relationship-builder who wins the deal. Let that one sink in for a bit.
That’s not to say that relationships are not important, but it’s not the primary driver for sales success according to the latest research. If you think about it, it makes total sense. No prospect has a meeting with a salesperson with the intent of developing a relationship.
In the research, customers were painfully blunt when they shared that they were not interested in a sales rep “robbing” them of an hour of their life to share how their new and improved Product XYZ (or Service XYZ) could save them money and time. Who really cares?
Instead, a customer is interested in investing an hour – or much more – with a salesperson who provides information and insights that are so interesting and valuable that it causes them to see things in a new and clearer light. It’s the salesperson who provides added value relevant to improving the customer’s condition, who challenges the customer to have an “ah ha” moment, and who then leverages that opportunity who is going to be the winner. More importantly, how we sell, not what we sell, is responsible for ongoing customer loyalty (not just making the initial sale).
Of course, being a compelling, value-enhancing, trustworthy, non-pushy salesperson is easier said than done (because most folks stumble on one or more of these attributes). In addition to the attributes above, you also must do the following to grow your sales:
- Identify your unique benefits that relate and are relevant to your bull’s eye market (your “perfect-fit” client)
- Develop customer-centric insights that challenges your customer’s status quo and provides real value (I call this your “unparalleled value” because it’s going beyond what your competitors are willing or able to do)
- Communicate your insights (and credibility) in a compelling story (using S.O.A.R.)
- Create a deeper dialogue and forge an emotional connection based on the values, wants and desires of your customer
- Leverage the opportunity created in a way that is a long-term win-win for you and your customer
It is clear that the “right” sales team equipped to sell the “right” way is a more sustainable competitive advantage than a great offering. So if you want to make 2015 your best year ever, you know where to focus your efforts – on developing yourself and your sales team!
