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Business is changing – as I’m sure you’ve read countless times. It’s near impossible to keep up with every new tip and trick aimed at sales success. And, with customers undergoing 57% of the purchase process before they interact with you, your ability to create rapport, understand their drivers and capitalise on their interest has never been more critical. As a salesperson myself I’ve read most of those tips and I’d like to share with you the ones I think are right on the money. I can’t promise you success off the back of my picks. But, I can promise to point you in what I believe to be the right direction on your journey to becoming a master salesperson.

Tip: #1 - ‘Do your research and be genuinely curious. Ask compelling questions that the prospect wants to answer, and then you earn the right to ask the questions you want answered.’

We all fall into the trap of loving the sound of our own voice, which can impact our ability to sell the product or service we provide in some meetings. When engaging a prospective customer, aim to understand whom they are, what they want to achieve, and how you can help them – whether that be through your own solutions or by other means. Being genuinely interested in your customer is the key to them opening up to questions they would otherwise refrain from answering.

“You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you” -- Dale Carnegie

Tip: #2 - ‘If you don’t ask, the answer will always be no. So don’t hold back even if you think you won’t get the answer you want.’

As a salesperson, you can become very complacent, believing you know what the prospective customer wants often without asking. The preconceived idea of how a person is likely to react is often detrimental to success. Let’s say you’re speaking with a customer, and they run a small business with eight staff, and an annual revenue turnover of $1.2 million. You might launch into a pitch on a solution specific to their business size and be less inclined to discuss a big business solution, or expensive add-ons. This degree of shortsightedness limits your ability to have a holistic conversation about your customer’s needs. Never assume you know what your customer wants – just ask.

Tip: #3 - Create your own 30-second elevator pitch for each solution in your toolkit. This is mostly for your understanding, because if you cannot explain something simply, you do not have a good understanding of it.’

In 2016 the customer has more information at their fingertips than ever before. This means you must understand your products/services deeply, and be able to articulate them at the drop of a hat. With markets becoming more and more competitive, customers are in the driver’s seat, and don’t have the time to listen to a salesperson unable to explain their value. To overcome this roadblock, become the expert in your solutions, and know them inside and out. Ensure you are ready to give your customers a clear and simple thirty-second elevator pitch – ideally, personalised through having a thorough knowledge of their business.

Tip: #4 - The administrative assistant as an asset, not a gatekeeper. Assistants know where the bodies are buried, they know their boss’s objectives, and they’re motivated to help their bosses be more successful. Plus they’re far easier to access, speak with, and influence.

The administrative assistant (AA), or executive assistant (EA) has the potential to be your number one asset, helping you to gain a good understanding of your target business, executive, their direction, and how to go about securing that initial meeting. They are often very motivated and a driver in the success of the business, so don’t mistake their role for a receptionist, or general assistant. The executive will often look to the EA or AA for their opinion on a salesperson long before you schedule your first meeting - first impression is vital. Gain their trust, and you earn the right to continue on your journey with the organisation.

Tip: #5 - Make friends with your marketing team. Work with them to establish the definition of a qualified lead. This will ensure that you only get assigned genuine, workable prospects.’

The marketing team works hard to provide quality leads. It understands the target audience and strives to provide quality content that will inspire them into a relationship with you. As a salesperson, understanding why and how leads arrive in your hands, and how to best to build upon the journey started by Marketing, can be the key to a successful sale. The divide between Marketing and Sales can be a result of lack of understanding of each other’s role in the sales cycle – leading to a broken sales cycle. Sales success hinges on the strength of the relationship between the marketer and the salesperson.

These are just five of one hundred tips to better sales success. Which ones would work best for your business? Download your free copy of the 100 Sales Tips E-Book.