Lack in focus + low activity = Less business

Sales is often not so hard. Most successful sales reps. knows the importance of keeping a high activity level. They make many calls and have many meetings with customers and know how important it is to focus on clear deliverables and outputs of the meetings.

In the sales profession it circulates many myths. There are many ways and theories about how to become successful.

Many sales reps also have a strong believe in the power of knowledge and relations.

Even though these of course matter there is one other thing that tops all things when it comes to put yourself at the top of the sales team competition.

A thing so simple that anyone can do it, yet, so few seem to be prepared to accept it.

Thats activity.

All things equal a higher activity level will always produce better results than a lower. Being on once toes, being alert, responsive and applying a high activity level is utterly the most important ingredient in your victory sauce if you work with sales.

A story from a friend

Here is a real story told by a friend a few years ago. Its about how he came to realise the importance of a high activity level to reach or even beat ones sales target.

“I know from extensive trial and error that this is really the truth.

In my early days I didn’t know where to find my customers, or how to relate to a sales process. My knowledge of our product was poor and I didn’t have a clue about how to close a deal.

Right then and there I took a vow, to be the best I could ever be..

At sales staff meetings I was frightened by how our top manager shouted at us for not delivering results. I won’t utter the words that was literally yelled to our faces although I can tell you this much, this manager was the real deal and I literally feared for loosing my job.

Right then and there I took a vow, to be the best I could ever be. So instead of giving up I paid my dues! I made 60+ phone calls per day for an entire month. That eventually made it possible for me to close 148 new customers to our company. Even so the amazing results, still, the biggest eye-opener was that I realised how activity is the magic sauce to great sales results.

I had originally imagined that knowledge was the real key to success, I was wrong.”

It doesn’t matter how good you are at rhetoric, presenting, writing, or even how good your offer is. If you are not out there, telling the world about your product, no one will ever know about it, and you’ll leave the field open for the competitors.

It is too common among sales people to sit behind the desk waiting for the customer to act for them. With all due respect however, that’s what clerks do.

Focus give results

If you as a sales rep is low on business opportunities or your pipeline even echoes empty, the first thing you should ask yourself is “What have I really going on?” So many authors have written books about keeping focus and why doing just that is an important fact for being successful in any field.

It is easy to fill a day with activities however being “busy” have never made anyone successful.

I recommend that you continuously ask yourself the question, “The thing I am doing right now, will it bring me closer to my target?” If the answer is no, stop doing what your doing. No one can blame you for prioritizing your goal. No one shouldn’t, anyway.

PERSONAL FOCUS & CONTROL INCREASE YOUR CHANCES

If you remove everything that stands in your way of reaching your target and you still have plenty of time left in your calendar, fill it with activities that will bring you way past your target. Thats what I call focusing on the target.

One more thing...

Another critical issue is the acknowledgement of customers’ true needs. Too often are too much emphasis laid on the offer, the solution, the service, the product, the goods; basically everything but the needs of the customer.

One can only meet expectations when expectations are known. So find out what they need and focus on over-delivering on their expectations.

Now remember, not all people are truly aware of their own needs, and as an expert in your field you’re the one to help them realise what they really needs.

A rule of thumb is to ask “why” at least 5 times, to get to the real reason behind a given statement. Try it out next time you’re trying to figure out what needs your customer really have, you’ll be surprised how well it works.

5 critical keys to find out a customers true needs:

1) product knowledge

2) responsiveness

3) creativity

4) perseverance and

5) ask “why” at least 5 times…

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