It was Henry Ford who first stated 'nothing happens until a sale is made'. How true, and how often it is that the sale is left in the hands of an untrained person.

Mr Ford may well have had the manufacturing capability to produce cars at a phenomenal rate, but if they did not get sold, production capability was of no value at all. Contrary to popular belief, sales methods and techniques can be learnt just like any other subject.

Large companies spend fortunes on advertising their products, fortunes on lavish shops to attract the customer and fortunes on window and in-store displays, only to lose valuable sales through a lack of ongoing product sales training.

Broadly speaking, a salesperson must have the following skills and attributes:

l. Job satisfaction.

2. Product knowledge.

3. Enthusiasm.

4. Formal and up-to-date sales technique training.

5. The ability to ascertain the customer's needs.

6. The ability to fit the product to the customer.

7. The ability to recognise the customer's problems, e.g. shortage of money, shortage of time, or just plain boredom.

8. The ability to recognise the time to close the sale.

9. A likeable and friendly manner

10. Last, but by no means least, a clean and smart appearance.

Before we go any further let me hit you with a few 'don'ts':

l. Don't be aggressive, avoid the hard sell.

2. Don't talk about yourself, it holds no interest for the customer.

3. Don't approach the customer smelling of alcohol, cigarettes or anything that the customer may find the slightest bit offensive.

4. Don't ever argue with the customer, simply ask questions.

5. If you get a positive buying signal from the customer, cease your sales presentation - to continue can lose you the sale.

6. Don't criticise others.

7. Don't criticise other manufacturers' products.

AIDA - Attention Interest Desire Action

AIDA is a logical sequence through which the salesperson and the customer must travel to reach a successful sale.

A is for Attention

Give the customer your attention. Allow enough time for the customer to show interest in a particular product group, but remember that allowing too much time can lead to the customer leaving the shop through lack of salesperson attention. Verbally highlight a sales feature.

I is for Interest

Show interest in the customer's needs. Verbally list the sales features and at the same time begin to establish the customer's needs by questioning. For example:

- What type of vacuum cleaner do you use, is it an upright type or a cylinder type?
- Do you have a large or small house?
- Do you have any pets in your house?

This type of questioning helps the salesperson to ensure the customer will go home with the right product to suit their requirements, thus cutting down the risk of losing the sale or having the product returned at a later date.

D is for Desire

The desire for the customer to own the product builds as the salesperson marries the product sales features to the needs of the customer. For example:
- You mentioned you had two dogs - the selection of tools provided with the machine will make light work of the hair they leave on your carpet.
- As your home is on three levels the comparatively low weight of this product makes it a good choice for you.
- The rechargeable option is certainly a big plus when you travel on holiday in your caravan.

A is for Action

It's crunch time, the point at which you have to ask the customer to purchase the product, the point of no return and the pinnacle of all the work, time, effort and money that is now at risk. A simple mistake can ruin the sale, so what do you do? How do you bring the sale to a successful conclusion? There are three main methods used to close a sale:

l. Dual positive suggestion

Children are blessed with the ability to close a sale without their even knowing it, simply by asking a dual positive question, that is to say asking two questions that both have a positive answer. For example, little Robert says, 'Mum shall we go to the movies today or will tomorrow suit you better?' Either answer gets Robert to the movies.

Here are a few examples of dual positive suggestions that can help you close the sale:

- Would you like us to deliver, or did you want to take it with you?
- Will you be paying cash, or can I show you our credit terms?
- Do you prefer the pink or the white one?
- Would you like to purchase it with tools or without at a reduced price?

2. The concession method

Suggesting a larger quantity, knowing the customer will settle for a little less, will often close the sale.

3. The silent method

Having reached the end of the sales presentation, the skilful salesperson will go silent and remain that way, and the customer will feel obliged to speak and will order. (Only the experienced salesperson should attempt to use this method, as it can backfire.)

1. Focus on clear targets, objectives and rewards to deliver more than the competition. One of the biggest reasons for the success my own company enjoys is that we deliver more than our competition per capita head. We've got a very small sales team, but we focus on that team going out to the market under a specific plan of attack with a specific strategy.

We know at the start of the year exactly what we want to achieve and how we're going to achieve it.

Every month staff are set very clear objectives which they're rewarded upon delivering. Because we're so focused, we can deliver far more than if we instructed our salesforce to sell 'as much as they can', or if we gave them a basic commission plan.

Our staff-incentive plans are based on financial targets, goal objectives and group-wide results, not just focused on profit and sales.

2. Prepare your sales team. Take the gladiator approach. Gladiators were successful because they were well trained, well honed and were given the right tools and strategies for the job in hand. When a gladiator stepped into the ring, they delivered 99 times out of 100. Make your sales team the gladiators. Give them clear objectives, the tools to deliver the job and the training that's required to be more effective than your competition. Match that with a portfolio of products and solutions, and a clear understanding of the strategy behind the business, and your sales staff will maximise sales and reach target.

3. Encourage communication between the sales team and your customers. People buy frompeople they like and respect.

4. Get feedback. Use positive feedback to generate repeat business. Also use it as costumer testimonials on your sales literature. Ask for referals from happy customers. Use less positive feedback to fine-tune your offering.

5. Deliver on your promise to customers. Go the extra mile where necessary.

By Peter Jones

FACT: 86% of Salespeople Ask the Wrong Questions

Q: Why is this?

The Question is the number one tool the salesperson has for managing sales calls. It's surprising how many salespeople are poor performers when it comes to asking the right questions. The Best Questions actually "Open" the sale. And you can't close a sale unless you've opened it.

- Poor Questioning leads to resistance in the form of Objections
- Poor Questioning doesn't allow product or company differentiation
- Poor Questioning leads to poor sales strategy

By Kevin Davis

Is your sales team performing far below potential?

Mine was. In my first sales manager's job almost 20 years ago, I inherited a 10-person sales team that was ranked dead last out of 64 offices. Our only producer was an 18-year veteran with the company. None of the other nine salespeople had more than one year of sales experience. Obviously, they/we were performing far below standards. The attitude in the office was pitiful.

I heard a lot of excuses for poor performance like "lousy territory," and "our prices are too high." But what salespeople really lacked was a success role model.

Eighteen months later the office had moved up to number five, having posted the biggest increase in sales of any office in the company. Perhaps a few of the strategies I used will help you improve the performance of your sales team.

* STEP ONE: DO NOTHING When you first arrive on the scene of a sales office in distress, don't do anything. Take the time to understand your organization's situation, gather information about the people involved, and...

* STEP TWO: ANALYZE YOUR PROBLEM(S) My main problem was my salespeople didn't believe in themselves. They hadn't yet experienced success, and there was no role model, a salesperson of whom others could say, "there's somebody like me who's successful."

You may be thinking, "Hey, isn't it my role as a sales manager to set a leadership example?" And, of course, the answer is "yes." But the example you set for your people is not enough, because many salespeople emulate the actions of their peers. Since many salespeople play "follow the leader," you've got to ask yourself which salespeople do your less experienced salespeople look up to? And, what kind of example are these "leaders" setting?

You can get peak performance out of average producers if you can get average producers to emulate the success habits demonstrated by a leading salesperson. Clearly, I needed to find a leader. Fast.

* STEP THREE: FIND YOUR SUCCESS ROLE MODEL In sports, when a player assumes a leadership role on a team, it's called "stepping up." Hopefully, you already have a few players capable of stepping up. If so, talk to them. Help them see the importance of their success example, and ask them to share more of their knowledge and experience with less experienced salespeople.

Unfortunately, I had to recruit a new salesperson to be my success model because nobody else on my team was capable of leadership. I knew that my next hire could play an important role in reversing the downward performance trend.

I had my new leader when I hired Bill Zeeb. I told Bill, "if you stick with me, do exactly as I teach you to do, you will succeed." Bill knew that I was counting on him, and he didn't let me down. In his fourth month, he produced 200 percent of quota.

Overnight, the attitude in the office changed, from one of making excuses for poor performance to "What's that Bill Zeeb doing?" Bill's performance forced others to take a hard look in the mirror. That's the day when they finally accepted responsibility for their own poor performance.

* STEP FOUR: DON'T TOLERATE MEDIOCRE SALES PERFORMANCE Far too often, poorly performing salespeople are allowed to continue their lackluster ways. A manager may not want to face the hassle of recruiting a replacement, or may want to avoid confrontation. This is a big mistake.

A successful sales manager doesn't tie the ship to a poor performer's anchor. Instead, successful managers take a "hands- on" role by providing the coaching and training the poor performer needs to improve.

Your objective is to bring those that are lagging behind to "the intersection of choice." By that, I mean poor performers must make a decision themselves to either a) recommit themselves to perform the necessary behaviors and activities, or b) leave the company immediately.

As my manager once told me, "There's only one thing worse than somebody who quits and leaves - and that's somebody who quits and stays." The key question is this: If you knew then what you know now, is there anybody on your team you would not have hired? If so, get "hands-on" and escort that individual to his or her intersection of choice.

* STEP FIVE: INSTALL PERFORMANCE STANDARDS You've got to communicate your expectations. So raise the BAR on everybody with standards that consist of Behavior, Activity and Results.

A behavior standard, for example, could be to arrive in the office every morning before 8 a.m.. An activity standard could be to make a minimum of 25 telephone prospecting calls every day. A result standard could be that a sales rep with seven to nine months sales experience must sell a minimum of $50,000 per month.

On results standards, I recommend you set two standards. One, a lower "keep your job" standard. Salespeople who fall below the minimum standard for a three-month period are placed on probation. If sales don't pick up in the next quarter, that person must be "de-hired." Another standard performance is, of course, a higher sales quota.

* STEP SIX: DE-HIRE THOSE BELOW MINIMUM STANDARDS Your salespeople will be wondering, "Do you really mean it?" The first person you de-hire will send a loud and clear message - performance standards will be enforced. If you don't enforce them, your standards are meaningless.

* STEP SEVEN: COACH, COACH AND COACH SOME MORE Don't be a "desk jockey." Get out and work with your salespeople. It's the only way to grow your people and your business.

* STEP EIGHT: CULTIVATE A BETTER "QUALITY OF LIFE" Have more fun. We instituted a series of contests that got everybody focused on a team goal. For example, if we hit our office goal, salespeople who achieved their individual standards earned a round of golf with the others.

Then there were sales blitzes, where everyone would pair up and make a bunch of cold calls. The salespeople who received the resulting leads had to repay the group with a comedic skit. Some of these skits were really creative!

* STEP NINE: KNOW WHAT EACH SALESPERSON WANTS Every person has his or her own personal motivators. Your job is to find out what they are and help the salesperson toward achievement.

Sit down with each salesperson one on one. Try to learn something about each of them: what are their goals with your company and beyond? What is their past like? How can you help them be, have and do more?

For example, one of my salespeople wanted to buy a house, while another wanted to play the top 10 golf courses in the world. Two very different goals, but both could be achieved faster by the salesperson exceeding quota.

The results we experienced from all these steps: average sales per salesperson doubled, and turnover was reduced by 45 percent.

Good selling!

About the author:

Kevin Davis is president of Kevin Davis Selling Systems and the author of the book "Getting Into Your Customer's Head." For more information, visit www.customershead.com.

Here are 5 key concepts and techniques you can begin using today to take your sales to the next level:

1) Be Prepared with Scripts: Isn’t it true that 90% of the time you get the same brush offs, put offs, and objections when you’re dealing with prospects and clients? 80% of your competition is still ad-libbing their way through their presentations and they sound like it. The Top 20%, though, are completely prepared with proven scripts, rebuttals, and techniques that get them past gatekeepers, past smokescreen objections and to the sale. 

The next time your prospect tells you to “Send some information” ask them,

“Sure, and if you like what you see, when will you place an order?”

3) Use Assumptive Questions:

80% of your competition actually create smokescreen objections by asking closed ended questions during the first call. Instead of asking, “Are you the decision maker on this?” you should use the Top 20% technique of:

“Besides yourself, who else is involved in making the decision on this?” This eliminates the “Well, I’ve got to show this to…” objection that will come later because you’ll know in advance who’s involved in the decision process.

4) Isolate Objections, Don’t Answer Them: The Top 20% wouldn’t think of wasting their time chasing after smokescreens and so question and isolate objections instead. The next time someone objects to your price, say:
“I understand __, and let me ask you: if the price on (your product) was right where you wanted to spend (or within your budget), but if price weren’t an issue on this, do you feel this is the solution you’d go with – would you go ahead and place an order with me today?” Any answer other than yes and this isn’t the objection!

5) Practice Perfection: Practice doesn’t make perfect, it makes permanent! Only practice of perfection makes perfect. That’s why the Top 20% invest in, learn and use the most effective sales techniques.