Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–94), Scottish novelist said,
""Everyone lives by selling something, whatever be his right to it"
If you are looking for a job, you have to show a sort of salesmanship
to get the job you want to get. An author has to do a sort of selling to
convince a publisher to publish his work. So salesmanship is not
confined
to actual selling of products.
Selling is an art that you can learn if you make serious efforts. Work
at it and
salesmanship will work for you. It will make your customers to like you,
trust
you and give preference to you in all their dealings. You just keep on
trying
and learning the art of selling irrespective of the results. There is no
such thing
as a born salesman. You can learn salesmanship by training, observing,
practicing and studying.
What is common in salesmanship and swimming?
If you do not know swimming and try to cross a deep river by swimming,
you will
drown. So is the case with selling. Many people fail because they expect
to succeed
in sales without learning.
It is a part of the game of the salesmanship to hear and digest 'NO'
with a smile.
A salesman must get rid of the fear of rejection. The best way to do it
to expect more
or less 900 to 950 people out of 1000 to say NO and you won't be hurt.
You just keep
on liking all your prospects even those who say NO. But from every
contact you learn
something new if you keep your eyes and ears open. You hurt yourself
only by your own
feeling of remorse and regret. Even the best of the salesmen average
success rate of hardly
10% of the people contacted.
Selecting and finding people whom you can sell is called Prospecting.
The success or
failure in sales depends a lot the way you do your prospecting.
Maintaining a diary,
seeking appointment and obtaining introductions or referrals must a part
of daily routine.
Integrity of the salesman and his willingness to provide after sales
service and to work out
a solution best suited to his client and his interests are among the
common denominators of
highly successful sales and marketing executives and other personnel.
Planning and setting goals & targets are stepping stones for the sales
work
'In sales your goals must be out of reach but not of out of sight.' Ben
Feldman
the greatest life insurance salesman who made millions just by selling
life insurance
stated this. He pursued the goals that were not achievable without extra
ordinary
efforts. But he never set the goals that were foolishly high. He kept on
reviewing
his progress and goals. He believed that that you goals must not only
for your
business, but also for family as well as social and cultural life.
It is said that in sales your Altitude depends on your Attitude. This is
quite
correct. Somebody coined a phrase "KASH FORMULA for success in selling a
nd defined it as follows:
1. K for knowledge of the product and familiarity with the basic
principles of
selling and marketing techniques.
2. A for attitude. Perseverance and positive approach.
3. S for skills. Mastering presentation techniques, polishing up sales
talk and using
psychological appeal.
4. H for habits. Punctuality and prospecting, obtaining leads and
references
Here’s the rule for bargains: "Do other men, for they would do you."
That’s the true
business precept. Charles Dickens (1812–70),
English novelist.
About the Author
Shah N. Khan has over 20 years experience in marketing and supervising
life insurance sales force besides underwriting and advertising. He is now editing a
weekly ezine Fraternity Briefs Online http://www.yahoogroups/group/fraternity2
He also works as Internet Marketing Consultants and helps his two sons
in their web designing business. http://www.shah.khan.as