Help! Inside Sales Needs a Stimulus Plan Too
Inside sales organizations are under scrutiny. It's no longer a question of how viable they are, but about how efficient and profitable they are. The investment in tools and talent has been made. Now it's time to see the ROI.
Inside sales talent is where the true ROI can be found — and that's you. But the skills that got you here may not be the skills that will keep you here. This personal sales stimulus plan will equip you with the 10 essential skills you need to survive and thrive in today's sales 2.0 landscape:
- Time Management: Momentum Control You can't just walk in and wing it anymore— there's way too much at stake. You must build a robust territory plan that includes daily activities, and then stick to the plan! Part of your plan should include learning new tools that you can make work for you every day.
- Introducing: Sell in Sound Bytes Are you in sales or are you in marketing? Give up? The answer is: Both! When it comes to lead development, your marketing efforts rule. Prepare to touch prospects 7 to 9 times — with a new and different message each time. Track open rates on your marketing blasts, and write short sentences with killer subject lines to hold up your message. Learn to twitter fast!
- Navigating: Avoid the No-Po's Get out of the No-Po Zone fast! Don't waste your time on people with no power, no potential, and no purchase order. Don't let these friendly time-wasters clog up your forecast. If you've aligned with a No-Po, learn to let go and move on.
- Questioning: Build Trust, One Question at a Time Aren't you tired of asking the same old B.A.N.T. (Budget, Authority, Needs and Timeline) questions? Just imagine how your prospects must feel listening to them! Get real. Ask questions that go deeper, and then listen hard for their pain.
- Listening: Let Go of Assumptions Hope is not a strategy! Take off your “happy ears” and drop your optimistic assumptions. Yes, it's quite possible that your prospects are lying to you (and maybe themselves) about their intentions. The only way to find out is to really listen to what they are telling you. Step up your documentation and put the puzzle together.
- Linking: Sell to Power Buyers There's money out there, but only the power buyers have access to it. These corporate renegades are in demand. Once you snag one, step up to their level and don't be afraid to speak their language. These are the only people who can make things happen!
- Presenting: It's Showtime Everyone wants to make online demos these days — ever since T&E expenses have been reduced. But your prospects will die a slow death if you bore them with too many slides. Ask for just 15 minutes of their time and then stick to the 8-slide rule.
- Handling Objections: Bring 'em On! Stop letting your prospects' doom and gloom economic forecasts stop you from selling. Come right back with Obama confidence and change your prospects' minds about what's possible.
- Closing: The Complex Road to Gaining Commitment Build ginormous funnels each month so you don't get surprised or blind-sided. Follow your sales process through each stage and guess what? Your close will come easier and be more predictable.
- Partnering: Conscious Collaboration Make social networking part of your daily prospecting plans. Make yourself heard and become part of a community. Remember: when someone is considering your solution, they check you out through blogs, podcasts, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. So show up!
These skills are part of my forthcoming book Smart Selling on the Phone and Online, on bookshelves Fall 2009 from AMACOM. This is the only skills sourcebook written specifically for inside sales warriors, and it's written from where you sit: inside the cubicle. While you're waiting for it to come out, download our Inside Sales Trends 2009 white paper.
Need sales? Get training! If you are considering vendors to deliver training to your inside sales teams, opt in for the one that's spent time in the trenches. For more than 15 years, TeleSmart has been delivering relevant and timely training. Get your teams certified on the TeleSmart 10 — the only methodology targeted directly at inside sales.
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