The way buyers buy has changed dramatically. Prospects no longer need to speak to a single human being in order to make an intelligent purchasing decision. So where do you fit in? According to Forrester Research, salespeople who can’t adapt to these changes in buyer behavior will become obsolete by 2020.
These quotes from sales experts shed light on what needs to change and how you can be a better salesperson to build trust, become your prospects’ consultant of choice, and close more deals.
1) “Stop selling. Start helping.” - Zig Ziglar, bestselling author, salesman, and motivational speaker
It’s timeless advice that applies now more than ever. Pushy salespeople who focus only on selling, not helping their prospects buy, will lose deals. The helpful rep shall inherit the earth.
Action Step:
Sign up for the Inbound Sales Certification which walks you through how to execute a consultative sales process.
2) "The single biggest reason salespeople don't do enough business is: They don't speak to enough people. They don't speak to enough people because they fear rejection. They fear rejection because they don't know how much rejection they need. And they don't know how much rejection they need, because they don't know what they personally need: they have no goals, plans or direction for their lives or careers." - Warren Greshes, serial entrepreneur and bestselling author
With over 25 years of experience as an entrepreneur, Greshes understands the pain of rejection. However, if you want to succeed in sales, you can’t let rejection deter you.
3) “Internalize the Golden Rule of sales that says: All things being equal, people will do business with, and refer business to, those people they know, like and trust.” - Bob Burg, bestselling author of The Go-Giver and Endless Referrals
Buyers can find all the information they need online. As a salesperson, your goal is to build trust and rapport and help them find the solution that best fits their needs.
Action Step:
Save your seat for Inbound Sales Day to learn tactics to build trust with your prospects, just like how doctors build trust with their patients.
4) “Selling breaks rapport, educating builds it. Stop selling and start educating!” -Chet Holmes, founder and former CEO of Chet Holmes International
5) “The world has had enough of pushy sales tactics. When you come from a place of service with your prospect’s best interest in mind, your whole business improves. Your customers become raving fans, they walk around like billboards bringing you business, and they stick with you forever. Ultimately it’s about serving, not selling." -Amanda Holmes, CEO of Chet Holmes International
6) "To become a great sales professional, I had to first change my daily routine. I stopped checking emails in the morning, which were other people's priorities, and started being customer-centric. Start your day by thinking strategically on how you can help one customer better navigate their buying journey - what can you teach them today that they didn't understand yesterday?" -Jamie Shanks, CEO of Sales For Life
7) "Sales is really as simple as getting your leads to ask questions and focusing on answering them, while leading them to the best solution that you are currently aware of; even if that is not with your company." -Josh Harcus, author of A Closing Culture
Action Step:
What challenges do your prospects or customers have that your product can’t help with? How can you educate them to help solve those challenges? What solutions exist that you can provide them? Provide prospects with the best recommendation for their needs, even if it isn’t your product. Educate and build trust.
8) “The best thing salespeople can do to get better is second-level research. Second-level research is researching the industry of their prospects, including the issues, challenges, players, regulations, its evolution, origins, end users, etc. We're not expert enough in the industries we sell to, so it makes it hard to be seen as credible. Less focus in, more focus out.” - Keenan, CEO of A Sales Guy, Inc.
9) "With all the free data that's available to us, salespeople are expected to do their due diligence about a prospect and have some familiarity before they ever starting writing an email or picking up the phone. The salespeople who can do this effectively will be the most successful. The lazy ones will become obsolete." -Max Altschuler, CEO of Sales Hacker
Action Step:
Get the tools and tactics Altschuler uses to effectively research prospects. Save your seat for Inbound Sales Day to learn from Max.
Inspired by these quotes? Hear these entrepreneurs and many more at Inbound Sales Day. Claim your seat today and get a full day of exclusive material on the selling tactics that built multi-million dollar companies.
