1) Lead Generation
New Business sales professionals know that it is their responsibility to forage for and find new business opportunities.
They rarely, if ever, leave their success to the random probability that a 'Bluebird will fly through the window'.
Lead generation is the initiation of interest or an enquiry into products or services of a business. Lead generation activities could/should/would include:
- Calling Identified Target Prospects
- Networking
- Direct Mail
- Referrals
- Business Introductions
- Developing Partner Relationships
If your business is new business then you want to get good at foraging for new opportunities.
2) First Contact
New Business sales professionals know that it is their responsibility to create First Contact opportunities with new businesses to their business.
The number of First Contact opportunities you create is essential to your success in the business of new business.
You cannot create First Contact opportunities if you aren't invested in consistent lead generation activity.
If you get good at foraging for new opportunities then First Contact opportunities will present themselves consistently.
3) Qualifying|Disqualifying 'Opportunities'
New Business sales professionals know that it is their responsibility to effectively qualify in and qualify out opportunities with new businesses to their business.
Do you have a strict set of criteria that defines a qualified opportunity for you and your business?
Do you have a strict set of criteria that defines an unqualified opportunity for you and your business?
Most Salespeople operate with 'Happy Ears' on. The merest sniff of an opportunity is enough for them to invest significant time, resources, and company money in pursuing 'dead ducks'.
New Business Sales Professionals operate with the level of professional curiosity that the most famous TV Detectives would be proud of.
They have a system which is constantly, confidently, deployed.
They hold themselves and their prospective customers in high esteem. They want both parties to have an efficient, effective, experience in the buying/selling process.
They know they have mutual business stature when working with a buyer to a positive conclusion of a buying/selling process.
Ambiguity is forged into facts.
Assumptions are challenged, addressed and understood
They leave no question unasked, unanswered.
4) Sales Funnel Management
New Business sales professionals know that it is their role and therefore the responsibility of a new business sales professional to move opportunities from 'found' through to 'concluded'.
The path from Suspect to Possible to Prospect to Probable to Customer is guided by the professional sales person.
They know at every step when it makes sense to move to the next phase of the sales process, to bring the sale to a conclusion.
.....And when to stop and end the sales process.
They rarely, if ever, wait for the Buyer has to call it off.
They know that time kills deals.
If water sits in a pipe for too long it will become stagnant and start to stink.
The same could be said to be true of 'old', 'dead', 'deals' that are clogging up your pipeline.
5) Close the Sale or Close the File
New Business sales professionals welcome a weekly review of the proposals they have out in the field.
They actively seek feedback, the more brutal the better, in pursuing those opportunities they have selected as qualified.
They script. They learn their lines. They create 'dress-rehearsals' opportunities.
They roleplay every possible outcome. They prepare thoroughly to guide the buyer to the buying outcomes that serves both parties best interest.
When the big moments in the buying process occur they give of their best.
They know when to Close the Sale.
They also know when to Close the File and move on
Bonus: Continuous Education
New Business sales professionals have an almost unquenchable thirst for knowledge.
They are constantly updating their product, market, prospect, customer, selling, competitor knowledge bases.
Learn why top-performing salespeople and managers are turning to Sandler Training for education and learning: https://www.thamesvalley.sandler.com/sell
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