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Suit Up for Sales - It's a Battle out There!

Surviving Cut-Throat Sales Strategies and Discovering the Best Customer Relationship Management Practices for Your Organization

 

By Beverly Floyd

 

The competitive world of sales can be a battlefield!  Corporations fight to employ the fiercest sales strategists like brave soldiers armed with products, services, and cutthroat sales tactics so they can ambush their competitors and seize the customer.  Companies left unarmed and defenseless will end up prisoners of war – hoping to be rescued by the next market trend.  Will your sales force stand out proud and tall in the midst of the aggressive combatant crowd?

The Battle Plan

The objective of your sales force should be to gain loyal customers, whom you can faithfully serve throughout the life of your client-partner relationship.  Suiting up for Sales is designed to help you stand firm against cutthroat sales antics – whereas doing anything and everything to close the deal is an acceptable business practice – and to help your front line ambassadors build fruitful relationships with the people they serve. 

Front Line Ambassadors

Your salespeople are the front line ambassadors for your company.  What they do – their protocol out in the field – marks the principles and values of your organization.  If you say you care about your people and your customers, then your salesmanship – your code of conduct – should be congruent to that message.  If your sales force is willing to do anything and everything to close the deal, then your company will be known as a corporate tyrant; a desperate, cutthroat conglomerate motivated by the unit of sale and not concerned with fulfillment and conscientious delivery.  History has shown that these types of regiments are eventually overthrown, and often by its own people.  If you want to be recognized as a respectful super power in your industry, you must secure your ranks with these six, hearted principles to help your Ambassadors suit up, toe the line, and fight the good fight of sales.

Suiting Up

1.  Your Belt of Truth.  Start with the end in mind.  The belt is one of the last accessories you put on - but it should be the first thing you consider as you Suit-Up for Sales.  Often overlooked, the belt is strategically positioned around the midsection and serves as your "gut check" alerting you of situations that feel "right" or "wrong".  If your belt is on too tight you feel suffocated, if it's too loose it fails to serve its purpose, but when your belt is buckled securely at its post you are free to maneuver confidently.  The relationships with your customers are this way.  If it is too tight or too loose you are not able to service their needs to the best of your ability.  Your customers should be a "good fit" with your products, services, principles and values.  Listen to your gut and avoid tainting your reputation by wasting a customer's time and money.

2.  Your Bullet Proof Blazer.  Protect the heart of your client-partner relationships.  A nicely tailored jacket is never out of style.  It looks great with a pair of slacks as well as faded jeans.  But what happens when you lose a button from your jacket?  It completely diminishes the integrity of the coat.  It is worthless and you cannot wear it again until the button is replaced.  You may try to put it on from time to time, but your reflection reveals that it only cheapens the entire outfit.  This is what happens when you lose heart with your customer.  You lose credibility and your jacket no longer looks great with everything else in your wardrobe.  Always serve your customer from the wellsprings of your heart, protecting their best interests like body armor.  As a result, your relationships will strengthen and become impenetrable.

3.  Souls on Your Feet.  Be fully prepared to walk in their shoes.  They say that shoes can make or break an outfit!  What type of shoes are you wearing?  The combination of style and comfort will determine where you are going and how long you are willing to walk to get there.  However, if you are too comfortable standing in your own shoes then you will never be able to feel the discomfort of your customer.  You must walk a mile or two in their loafers so you can feel their pain and be fully prepared to address their concerns with care.  When the feet are in pain, the whole body feels it and the mind can’t focus on anything but the aching feet!  Recognize that what customers really want to buy is the peace of mind that comes from wearing a comfortable pair of shoes.  Be ready to deliver the good news that you have practical solutions to ease their bunions and allow them to walk, not limp, in style.

4.  Your Briefcase and Portfolio.  Your answers to their objections are in the bag.  In today’s day of high-tech gadgets, you will seldom see a businessperson carrying a briefcase.  But there’s no better way to defend against the fiery arrows of objections than to block the shot with your attaché case!  With a million cutthroat salespeople amassed at the door, it is only natural for your potential customer to be leery, frustrated, doubtful, and have preconceived objections that your competitors were not able to overcome.  You must know, in advance, what those objections are and how your company speaks to these concerns.  You should be confidently armed with knowledge regarding your company’s value, its product and services, and how it will complement – not clash with – their business goals.

5.  Your Team Cap.  Keep your head in the game.  The logo on your ball cap proudly identifies whose team you represent.  However, with multiple clients to manage, it's easy to get distracted thinking about issues with one while your servicing another.  Wear the right cap to the right game by providing yourself ample time to clear your thoughts between client interactions.  Focus on each customer individually, giving them your undivided attention. 

6.  Your Breath Mints.  Always honor your word by delivering what you agreed.  No matter how fabulous your gift for gab, people can detect dragon breath from a mile away.  Keep your statements truthful, simple and fresh, and never compromise your agreement, whether written or spoken.  Fulfill your word even when it becomes uncomfortable for you.  Communicate promptly and honestly when/if service is delayed.  Remain in touch with your customer after the sale.  Stay alert to the changes of their environment so you will be ready to continue to support their needs.  Your message should be a breath of fresh air to your customers.

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