The Sales Bible

Why did I choose this resource?

I chose this resource to learn the basic rules and principles of selling.

What did you learn from it?

I learned that practice and preparation are the keys to becoming a great salesperson.

Key Knowledge

• New Rules for Selling
  • Sell the client what they want, not what you have.
  • Know your client; research them and their company.
  • Develop a friend relationship; no one likes salespeople.
  • Fight for strong relationships.
  • Become familiar with your client; find things you have in common.
  • Gain the clients trust.
  • Have a sense of humor and a great time.
  • Never appear to be selling.
• Humor: Rules and Techniques
  • Begin the conversation with humor.
  • Never speak negatively about anyone.
  • If there needs to be a butt for a joke, make yourself the butt.
  • Test out jokes before telling them to a client; don’t be discouraged if a client is dull.
  • Leave ethnicity, religion, and such out of your jokes.
  • Listen to the client to determine their taste in jokes.
  • Tell a personal, first-person story.
  • Telling jokes the client has heard before will hurt you.
  • Timing is everything!
  • Have a rolodex of jokes.
  • Know your audience and be weary of offbeat jokes.
  • Turn your client’s doubtful questions into a chance to make a sale with humor.
  • Cold calls are your friend; laugh in the face of fear.
• Cold Calls – basic professional skill
  • Think of them as fun.
    • Have a positive attitude.
    • Smile, it is projected in your voice.
  • Ignore “no soliciting” signs
  • Personal introduction; quick, to the point.
    • Who you are.
    • What you and your company do.
  • Ask questions
    • Qualify the prospect and find out who makes the decisions.
      • Ask questions in multiple ways until you find out the name of the person who makes the decisions.
    • Make the prospect think.
    • Guide the conversation to obtain information about the prospect.
  • Listen and learn.
    • All are valuable, even if a sale is not made.
  • Creating a connection is
  • Don’t apologize or make excuses.
  • Words and phrases to avoid.
    • frankly
    • quite frankly
    • honestly
    • and I mean that
    • are you prepared to order today
    • how are you doing
    • can I help you with something
  • Objections and Closing
    • Objections are potential signs a prospect is highly.
    • Be prepared; collaborate with you Sales team.
      • Identify the most common objections.
      • Draft a script to combat each one.
    • Always ask the closing question (e.g. “Would you like the Premium or Business Package?”) and then close your mouth!
  • Conclusion
    • Selling takes character, determination, resilience, and courage.
    • Always be
      • awake and alert;
      • creating a better you;
      • networking;
      • building relationships;
      • closing!

Additional Knowledge

• Principles of Successful Sales – Practice EVERY day!
  • Protect your clients from competitors.
  • Strive for the better client relationship rather than price.
  • Training is necessary.
  • Networking is key.
  • Be known in your community.
  • Provide you clients with valuable information they cannot get anywhere else.
    • Not just about your product and services.
  • Create and maintain a first-class reputation
  • Use your eyes to decide on next actions, not your quota.
  • People always buy! Find a solution, don’t moan about it.
  • Read every day; study attitude. “Read Dr. Seuss’s Green Eggs and Ham.”
  • Continuously invest in yourself. Develop a good attitude, make reputation boosting appearances, and network.
  • Make yourself unique. Be remarkable and unforgettable.
  • Advance your presence on the Web and Internet
  • Creativity is extremely important; practice, research, and nurture it.
  • Ascertain knowledge from negative responses. Perform more cold calls and learn how to handle a “no.” Eventually you will be able to turn that “no” into “yes.”
  • Wake up early, stay up late. Work while others sleep.
  • Be a morning person; sharper thoughts and a clearer mind.
  • Use “free” time to improve yourself.
  • Review and focus on your goals daily; say them out loud, twice.
  • Create a plan to accomplish big goals; small steps that can be executed daily.
  • Support yourself with your money and time; bet on yourself.
  • Positive attitude is a must.
  • It is up to you to make a difference, not your company.
  • Be childish; children don’t easily take no for an answer.
• Rules for Successful Selling
  • Be positive and self-confident.
  • Set and plan out your goals.
  • Learn and practice selling.
  • Know and understand your client.
  • Sell to help, not to make money.
  • Create long-term relationships.
  • Trust in your company and product.
  • Be prepared.
  • Be truthful and build trust.
  • Keep your promises.
  • Know who to sell to.
  • Lighten the mood; make them laugh.
  • Be an expert on your products and/or services.
  • Sell how your products and/or services help, not what they are.
  • Don’t speak badly about competitors. If you have nothing nice to say, you should say nothing at all.
  • Get and share positive reviews from satisfied customers.
  • Pay attentions to when the client is ready to buy.
  • Be ready to combat objections of all types.
  • Objections are products of mistrust; build trust.
  • Ask and you shall receive; the sale.
  • Be aware of times to keep your mouth shut.
  • If you don’t close the sale, make another appointment to come back before you leave.
  • Follow up; again and again and again for as long as it takes.
  • Rejections are directed at offers, not the salesperson.
  • Be flexible and prepared to change.
  • Abide by the rules.
  • Go along to get along.
  • Luck is created by work.
  • Be accountable.
  • Keep on, carry on, and don’t give up.
  • It’s all a numbers game. Determine what yours are.
  • Be passionate.
  • Make a solid, positive, memorable impression on people.
  • Have an amazing time!
  • Never forget: attitude + humor + action = success

How are you using what you learned?

I am using what I learned to assist in developing a better sales team and become a better salesperson.

Key Changes / Key Actions

• Create a plan to improve my sales skills with small steps to execute daily.
• Work with the sales team to create scripts to tackle objections.

Source

• Name : The Sales Bible
• Author : Jeffrey Gitomer
• getAbstract.com: Link to Book