Being in sales in the past decade with Hilsoft has been great! I’ve seen and observed customer problems vividly.
But I figured it is not enough. Salespeople have to show a unique impression with a customer. They have to have an obvious authentic presence.
Let’s explore more options and innovative ideas I can think of to boost sales in your organization.
1. Hire a specific personality. A good recruitment process in general is essential in choosing the right person. If you’re a startup, generating revenue is the first priority hence hiring a good salesperson other than yourself is a must.
But how does one hire the best candidate? You have to define a specific personality who will represent sales.
In our case, since we are selling our own software solutions, the candidate must possess a strong background in software development and business process. A young executive, enthusiastic about technology and innovation. Or it can probably be a typical geek like myself who can answer any technical question the customer can throw.
2. Implement Pareto (80/20). First step is to group prospects in the pipeline. In our case, we group them depending on the percentage of chance to close the deal. We define the percentage with the ff criteria sample:
a. Have they seen the product?
b. Do they need it asap?
c. Is the owner or the top decision maker involved?
d. Do they have a copy of the proposal/contract?
e. Total project cost.
Based on the above, 80% of our efforts are focused on 20% of the highest business potential, immediate and highest chance to close.
2. Focus on Closing Techniques. There are a lot of closing techniques in sales but I would recommend the ff:
a. Push for a “price” meeting. We normally set a mtg with the decision maker to discuss the proposal. We tell them that we will bring a laptop so we can modify the proposal during the meeting and sign on it.
b. Push for a “comparative” meeting. Suggest to meet them to discuss competitive advantages over other vendors.
c. Offer a promo/discount with deadline. Promo can be 50% discount with other products, trip abroad for two, free hotel accommodation with breakfast and lunch buffet.
3. Brand recall. Don’t leave a meeting without a leave-behind item. It can be a penholder, a paper weight or anything that they will use on top of their workstations.
Another way is to always add the business card emails to your company’s product newsletters.
4. Referral Program. Implement a referral program. In our case, we offer customers incentives if they give a referral.
5. Treat the vendor selection team. There are some decision makers who are loyal to their subordinates. Treating them for lunch will definitely give positive impact with the deal.