Sales is a challenging career path, which is precisely why many sales professionals love what they do. From time to time, however, even the most motivated and passionate salesperson can benefit from the advice and inspiration of the sales greats.
Here’s some of the top sales advice from luminaries in the field:
Expand Your Clout
Every good salesperson can sell to one person. Great salespeople can create a sales pitch that sells to many at once.
That’s the advice of David Ogilvy, founder of Ogilvy & Mather and known as the “Father of Advertising.” Frustrated by the slow pace of selling cooking stoves door to door, Ogilvy created a sales pitch manual that allowed all his team members to use the most effective methods for closing deals. The manual also laid the groundwork for Ogilvy’s later contributions to the work of sales.
Find the “Can” Behind the “Can’t”
They say you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink it. Joy Baldridge says you can – if you salt the horse’s hay. Salty hay will make the horse thirsty, encouraging him to take that drink.
A keynote speaker, trainer, and author of The Joy in Business – Innovative Ideas to Find Positivity and Profit in Your Daily Work Life, Baldridge encourages salespeople to think creatively and keep examining a situation until they find the approach that turns “sorry, I can’t” into “wait, yes I can.”
Fight Your Bias
Everyone has biases, many of which are unconscious. Bias is how the brain sorts information quickly. Yet it can also lay a trap, especially for sales professionals.
Instead of allowing your bias to steer you away from certain prospects because they don’t appear like the “right” kind, lean into those relationships, recommends auto sales giant Bob Golomb. You’ll be moving toward the prospects most salespeople move away from – leaving you free to nurture a relationship instead of competing with other pitches.
Looking to Take Your Sales Career To New Heights?
Looking for the job and career path that will turn you into one of the sales greats? Look no further than SMR Group. We specialize in helping sales and marketing professionals grow their careers in the biotech, medical device, and pharmaceutical industries. To learn more, reach out to us today.
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