Expert Advice from 7 Top B2B Sales Pros
Ask any CEO what keeps her awake at night and you can be sure that increasing sales is top of the list. If you want to take your company to the next level, you have to zero in on the strategies that will make a real impact.
And who better to ask than people who have mastered the game? Here are seven pieces of advice from highly successful sales professionals.
1. Hire great sales reps
Scaling sales results starts with scaling the process of predictably making great hires with a four-step process: (1) Hire the same successful sales person every time. (2) Train new hires in a consistent, measurable way. (3) Provide our sales people with the same quality and quantity of leads each month. (4) Work those leads with the same process every time.
– Mark Roberge, author of The Sales Acceleration Formula, former Chief Revenue Officer, Hubspot
2. Do your homework
51% of consumers and 75% of business buyers expect companies to anticipate their needs and make relevant suggestions before they contact them by 2020.
– Tiffani Bova, Global, Customer Growth and Innovation Evangelist, Salesforce
3. Break through the status quo barrier
Context creates urgency. You need to be willing to change the context your customer is living in. Show them the changes in their context and use your messaging and storytelling to help them realize there’s some urgency to change.
– Tim Riesterer, Chief Strategy and Research Officer, Corporate Visions
4. Go for “no”
Though it may be difficult, refuse to attach a negative meaning to the word ‘no.’ View it as feedback. ‘No’ tells you to change your approach, create more value, or try again later. ‘No’ is not a failure. It is information.
– Anthony Iannarino, Sales Kickoff Speaker, author of several books including Sales EQ: How Ultra High Performers Leverage Sales-Specific Emotional Intelligence to Close the Complex Deal
5. Go for big
Never be afraid to ask for too much when selling or offer too little when buying.
– Warren Buffett, CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, Investor and Philanthropist
6. Understand that price is NOT the issue
The great closer is convinced that price is never THE reason people will not buy, no matter how many times their buyer says so. Price is a myth and it’s proven out every day by consumers, families, managers, and governments that are over budget. Everyone complains about price and then spends more than they want.
– Grant Cardone, CEO of Cardone Training Technologies and author of several books including The 10X Rule
7. Just follow-up
Follow-up makes the difference between mediocrity and greatness.
– Chet Holmes, former CEO of Chet Holmes International, and author of The Ultimate Sales Machine
Keep these in mind and you’ll be on your way to accelerating pipeline and revenue.
It’s your turn. What was the single most useful piece of advice you’ve ever received to boost sales? Or which are you most likely to take action on? Share your thoughts in the comments section.
