Traditional selling principles may no longer be effective in today’s business climate, which demands creativity and change.
The pursuit of something new and different may mean going against the grain and applying unique ideas to sell products and services.
You may not be able to achieve selling excellence by applying the same old formulas that can discourage original thinking. Winning salespeople understand that growth depends on taking chances and learning from their mistakes.
Strategic is fluid
Strategy is not a formula. It is fluid and dependent on what works and doesn’t work in a particular situation. Strategy can no longer be predetermined in a rehearsed presentation – it is a response to changing conditions.
Here are eight tips that may help you understand the new attitude about strategy:
- Focus on beating the competition rather than worrying about meeting your sales quota.
- Gauge your performance against your competitors instead of against predetermined goals or past efforts.
- Remain open to changing your approach to meet changing needs.
- Understand that you don’t sell products or services – you sell solutions unique to each customer.
- Be extremely attentive to each customer’s problems and try to anticipate evolving needs.
- Constantly display initiative to seek new opportunities.
- Build trust to guide customers overwhelmed with possibilities.
- Distinguish yourself by helping customers do their jobs better.
Adapted from: Uncommon Sense, Common Nonsense, by Jules Goddard and Tony Eccles. Goddard is a fellow of the London Business School’s Center for Management Development. Eccles is a professor of strategic management at Cass Business School.
