Sales Laundry

Archive for the ‘Obtaining Product Knowledge’ Category

In twelve minutes, John Nese, owner of Galco’s Soda Pop Stop, is going to make you want a bottle of soda pop.  John is also going to teach you something that will change the way you look at soda pop from this day forward, and make you want to buy that bottle of soda from him.

A business focused on a niche makes for focused sales people.  Focused sales people become niche experts and niche experts, in many cases, sell circles around sales generalists without really trying that hard.

I like the way John said it better.

Ready for that soda pop?  Head on over to the Soda Pop Stop and say hello to John for me.

Every sales representative needs to have the ability to wade into an unknown situation with some confidence when all the facts and details are not available to take advantage of opportunities that develop out of no where.

 In short everyone in sales should have some skill at winging it.

 Let me clarify that by “winging it” I am not talking about creatively lying on the fly or just flat out making things up.  That would destroy your credibility and sooner or later, your career.

 I am, however, talking about two important factors that in my humble opinion give you the best opportunity to wing it when you have to.

1. Knowledge.  You can’t wing what you don’t know.  You need to develop a complete understanding of your products features, capabilities, AND be able to apply those to real life problems your prospects face.  I as a customer could care less that your product is 20% faster this year unless you can explain to me how my business is going to be appreciably better with your new whiz bang super speedy device.
2. The ability to Speak on Your Feet.  You have got to be comfortable being able to communicate with any one any where at any time.  If you are fearful, or caught up in the mechanics of how to speak, you will not have enough brain power left to figure out what to say.  If you acquire the ability to speak confidently then you will not have to focus on how to’s of speaking but instead focus on what you are going to say.

 Research I have read suggests that the fear of public speaking, or Glossophobia, is the number one global fear.

 Some try hypnosis, some try beta blockers though I have no idea why, some try self help books.  My recommendation would be to just practice speaking.  Join Toastmasters in your area or a community group that will force you to speak.

 While some of these methods may work very well, I have a hard time believing that you will get better at speaking without, you know, actually speaking!  Even if it is only to yourself in the mirror.

 But I digress.  The ability to recognize an opportunity for your product or offering and just wade in throwing caution to the wind and “wing-it” will serve you well in a sales career and from my experience, serve you well in almost every other aspect of your life when it is time to speak up.