Sales books or courses

paddylonglegs

Hi guys,

I will need to focus more on sales, meeting people and knocking on doors etc. While I have dealt with clients in the past and get on with people, its from more of a project management end. However I don't have any knowledge on how to lead or persuade a customer to close the deal. So, no basic training. I know its a case of either you have the skill or you don't, but any suggestions on courses or books would be great. I'm based in Kildare but can access Dublin or surrounding

Panic Stations

Hey OP,

I'd recommend reading up some articles online about how to prospect first and build up a data base of leads. Once you do this you should obviously then zone in on building up your sales skills.

Sales skills can differ greatly depending on what your selling. Would you be able to specify on what it is you're looking to sell?

I'd recommend reading;

- The Challenger Sale - Brent Adamson
- How to win friends and influence people - Dale Carnegie

These are two great books on different sales techniques on how to control the buyers journey in your favor. Selling is all about offering a solution to a problem that a lead doesn't know they have until you make them identify it.

Never Sell, offer a solution to a problem!

paddylonglegs

Panic Stations wrote: »

Hey OP,

I'd recommend reading up some articles online about how to prospect first and build up a data base of leads. Once you do this you should obviously then zone in on building up your sales skills.

Sales skills can differ greatly depending on what your selling. Would you be able to specify on what it is you're looking to sell?

I'd recommend reading;

- The Challenger Sale - Brent Adamson
- How to win friends and influence people - Dale Carnegie

These are two great books on different sales techniques on how to control the buyers journey in your favor. Selling is all about offering a solution to a problem that a lead doesn't know they have until you make them identify it.

Never Sell, offer a solution to a problem!

Thanks for the advice panic stations, it’s great.

I design and produce signage, so generally people have mostly identified that they need a new sign or their signage updated. But if I was prospecting and wanted to show people that there was a problem with their brand or signage, I I wouldn’t know the method to get a sale

Panic Stations

When prospecting state the features of your work and why they will be of benefit to upgrade their sign.

Never talk about a feature of your product without explaining what benefit it will bring to the customer and how it will value their business.

If you have a website in place I'd recommend implementing and inbound marketing strategy to drive more leads through Google and paid ads. Also use linkedin to connect with potential leads and show off your work on that as well.

medias

If you get a lead could you ask them to send you a photo of their business or vehicles or whatever. Then Photoshop you sign in place and show them the value of what they could get. Harder for anyone not to go with you given your efforts. Just an idea

If your more at the leads generarion stage, as opposed to managing sales try fanatical prospecting, well worth a read.

Read up on sales funnels too and make sure you have one written down (excel or crm) and know who is at each stage ..