Practice Closes Sales
by Tim Healy
Practice Closes Sales
Practice Closes Sales. While you have no doubt heard practice makes perfect – perfection doesn’t close deals. Sales is one of the few professions where your performance is measured every day on every deal. So wouldn’t it make sense to practice?
The idea of practicing came from an unlikely source. My son’s basketball league put out an email with a desperate request for coaches. Since I never coached basketball before I politely ignored the 1st request. Then came the 2nd request and I figured I would offer to help.
This was my 1st ever endeavor into coaching a sports team. So being a new coach I did what all dads with no experience would do. I went to YouTube to look up drills for youth basketball. Then after our 2nd practice I realized how important drills and repetition are in learning and mastering a skill. While practice is certainly not a new idea, a light went off.
Sales Pros Just Don’t Practice
As a sales trainer and coach I know that many sales professionals DON’T take the time to practice their craft. Unfortunately I know that many experienced sales professionals, rarely read a book on sales no mind practice a skill.
If you can practice dribbling, passing and rebounding in basketball what could you be practicing in sales to up your close rate?
Now if you are a selling professional and you have been selling for at least 3 or more years you should take this opportunity to reflect on your skills. Which ones you ask? That’s easy – where do you need to get better? Not getting enough meetings – well perhaps it is how you are prospecting and networking. Wasting time with the wrong leads? That could be qualifying. I think you get the idea.
For more ideas I came across a great blog article at Sales Hacker. The article which you can find here was titled: The 31 Sales Skills You Must Develop to Become an Unstoppable Rep.
The list included everything you could think of from relationship building and product knowledge, to prospecting and social selling all the way to closing.
I know what you are thinking? Practice – I don’t need no stinking practice. Well if you are batting 1000 I guess you are right. For the rest of us – sharpening one or more skills in 2019 just might mean the difference between hitting goal and falling short.
Here is a challenge. Take a critical look at the last five deals you lost. Ask yourself WHY? The key is to be honest and not blame the prospect. Take yourself back to step one.
If YOU are looking for an objective point of view I can help. Send me a message TODAY to set up YOUR Free Sales System Assessment. Let’s create Amazing Sales Success in 2019!
Sales managers looking for other great content for your next sales meeting VISIT MY BLOG right here.
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