5 Sales Secrets You Need to Close More Sales

5 Sales Secrets You Need to Close More Sales
Lark Dean Galley.com

I was sitting at my desk with the phone still in my hand from the 10^th prospect turning me down for a meeting. My hand was shaking as I slowly hung up the receiver. I had just started a new job in sales and didn’t have a clue what I was doing! I felt sick to my stomach to think that I had left a secure government job for the uncertainty of sales. What was I thinking?! I had no idea what I was doing or how to get someone to meet with me. And if I didn’t make some changes fast, I would be out of a job with no way to pay my mortgage!

Fast forward 20 years to my receiving an award as the #1 Global Senior Sales Rep for a Fortune 500 Company and earning $250,000!  Man, was I grateful that I had stayed in the game and hadn’t quit for more security or an easier way of life. A career in sales was tough, but that’s why it pays the big bucks!

The Secret Sauce!

So how did I do it? How did I go from being the low level rookie to the #1 spot? I did it because I had an internal desire to win -- to be better than I was before. That meant a lot of practice to find out what did and did not work, and most of that practice was failing! I would get off a phone call or leave a sales meeting and think, “Well, I won’t do THAT again!”

Over time I learned how to set up an initial meeting such that my ratio for success went from 20% to 95%. I learned the trick to having your clients WANT to meet with you. And I learned the key to cutting the sales cycle in half!

Learn From My Mistakes!

Wouldn’t you like to skip all the bruises and black eyes a career in sales can give you? How would you like to cut your learning curve to jump start your sales career today? Well, I am happy to teach you the techniques and systems I used to climb to the top of my field – techniques that you can start implementing today to see big changes in your closing ratio and bottom line!

5 Strategies to Close More Sales

In my Sales Success Systems course, I teach my students the importance of doing these 5 techniques first and foremost. I promise if you implement these strategies, you will see dramatic results in your ability to close sales.

The One Goal. When you initiate contact with your prospect have one goal which is to get them to the next step. For me, that meant getting a face to face meeting. I knew that if I got in front of my prospect, I could close them 80% of the time. Many prospects will try to get you to give them the information over the phone. Don’t do it! If you do, they will have no reason to move to the next step.  Simply explain that you need to find out more about their needs through some in-depth discussion and continue to press for the meeting. Do this in a firm but pleasant manner. If they won’t meet with you after you give them a basic introduction and request to discuss whatever it is you’re selling, they won’t do it after receiving your overload of information over the phone. 

Ensure the Appointment. How do you ensure your prospects and clients will meet with you? You do this by bringing valuable information that affects them or their industry every time you meet. Don’t set up an appointment just because you need to fill your numbers then talk about meaningless topics. Respect your client’s time. If they know from experience that your meetings are valuable, they will always be willing to meet with you because they know they will benefit from the interaction.

The Two Year Plan. Every week my company would put out sales rankings.  You knew exactly where you stood against the other 200 reps.  Sales people are generally competitive, so I can think of no better way to drive the intensity of the group. One time as I was studying the rankings, I noticed something very interesting. All 20 of the top reps had been in their territory for at least two years.  I then recalled how my first two years seemed the most difficult but then suddenly, as if by magic, my numbers started to increase dramatically. Well, I can tell you the only magic was hard work and consistency. Know that you’re in it for at least two years. Your biggest focus should be on meeting as many prospects as possible and then staying in contact on a regular basis. Most prospects of any size are not going to make big buying decisions over night. They need to get to know you and your company. Additionally, they might have contracts in place that do not allow them to switch easily. Consistent and meaningful contact will position you to be the one they call when seemingly overnight they need to make a change.

The Friday Secret. Most sales people want to knock off early on Friday telling themselves they’ll hit it hard on Monday. Unless you already have a majority of your appointments in place, you are making a huge mistake that could eventually cost you your job. There is nothing worse than coming in on Monday knowing that you have only 2 of the 15 appointments required to meet your quota. The internal pressure you’ll feel to set up those appointments will actually repel the very prospects you’re trying to reach. My rule was I had to have at least half of my required appointments set before the end of business on Friday. And if I could get almost all of them set up, even better. Coming in on Monday knowing I had a good structure in place allowed me to approach prospects with a confident and relaxed manner which I am certain came across when talking with them.

The Magic of the Target Board. As with most sales organizations, my company required us to keep a target board as a way for management to ensure we were actually out working. Over time I learned the number of targets I could meaningfully manage in this environment was 20. Any more than that and I couldn’t move them along in the sales funnel in a timely manner. Any fewer than 20 and I was not closing consistently. Find the number of prospects you can actively engage with and keep it fluid. If one of them isn’t moving forward to the next stage in the sales process, take them off for a while and add in someone who does want to engage with you. Remember, if the client isn’t actually participating in the sales process, you’re not going to be successful in getting them to buy. Next, put your target board where you can see it and refer to it weekly. As I would set up my appointments, I would review each prospect on my target board and ask myself, “What is one thing I can do to move them forward?” If you consistently focus on your target board, you will be successful at moving your prospects through the sales funnel.

If you apply these tips, I guarantee you will see a massive improvement in your ability to close business.  Additionally,I have several systems that teach you how to ensure consistent sales, reach your highest productivity, and help you overcome the number one block that holds most people back from being successful in sales. And if you’re like me, you’ll see the transformation impact both your bottom line and your personal relationships!

For more information about my SALES SUCCESS SYSTEMS and other programs, visit my website at https://www.larkdeangalley.com.