Strategy in the Sales Industry

As we all know, this weekend is Super Bowl weekend. The top teams in the nation are coming head to head to prove who has earned the highest award in the NFL. How did they get there? They have had the execution and the drive to get there, but what we don’t see (except on Madden), is the playbook. Having a great strategy is the backbone to game winning team, and every successful sales presentation.

The preparation and planning should have the majority of time given to your presentation. Know your product until it comes to you like second-nature. Once you have this and your target market, take all the features of your product or service and find ways to apply them to all types of customers. Practice is imperative for victory. What is your response when they bring up price? What do you say when the customer asks why they should choose you over your competitor? At this point, it’s not about getting ready, you have to stay ready.

If it helps, write out your playbook. When put in situations, know what you’re going to say, and when to say it. When a possible client is hemming and hawing over going through with the sale, find out what’s holding them back. Simply asking them questions is oftentimes the best way to get through to the root of the issue. No one wants to march all the way down the field, try for a game-winning kick that gets blocked.

In your playbook, prepare for an audible. Being able to adapt on the fly is an excellent skill, and is a sign of a good quarterback (which is you, in this case). We encounter different situations daily. We can’t prepare for these, as we don’t know what they are, but be able to recognize similarities and switch the game a little bit to fit your needs as well as the customers. Don’t be afraid to shake things up if you can tell it won’t work out in the direction you’re heading. This way you don’t find yourself backed up on 4th and 20 and throw a Hail Mary downfield.

With the Certified Professional Sales Person course, you set goals, and really think about what is best for you. You set goals on improvement that really inspire a better career. Possibly educating colleagues who aren’t pulling as great of numbers, or whatever it may be.
Know what works for you. Know your strengths and develop your playbook around that. Stay on the positive. If you’re really good at questions, focus on that. In practice, you might need to work on your close. But when Game Day comes around, put your best work out there. With a well-developed playbook, that you find works for you and your talents, you’ll end up in the end zone. Touchdown!