Wouldn’t it be amazing if there was a magic selling pill? Just pop your pill and start selling like an unstoppable train.

 Isn’t it incredible how people are always looking for the easy solution to everything? Plastic surgery instead of going on a diet, ready meals instead of cooking, holiday planners, and so forth. Well in the world of sales it’s not much different and there are lots of sales professionals out there who would benefit greatly from a quick reality check in this area. One of the most common problems I encounter in sales coaching is getting sellers to accept responsibility for their failings. It’s always somebody else’s fault. Of course mistakes can occur in the marketing process, sales managers get things wrong from time to time and our sales colleagues will occasionally get all the best customers and leads. The important thing is to maintain focus and to not let these little things get to you.

Here are six quick fix solutions when sales just aren’t happening:

1. You know what they say, “If it’s not broken, why fix it?” However, if the opposite is happening don’t make the mistake of going round in circles. Change your methods and try something completely new. It will often be the small changes that can trigger change. Why not introduce yourself differently; add some new words that you wouldn’t normally use. It’s a method that has really helped me in the past and I’m sure it can work for you.

    

   2. “Don’t take no for an answer!” When the chips are down we tend to give in far too quickly. The first negative response is only a taster. Make sure you create a fight back plan of action. Have a prepared set of answers for objections. This works really well when you need that extra boost. Statistics say that most people buy after two objections.

       

      3. “Acknowledge, acknowledge, acknowledge.” Repeat back what the customer tells you, especially when they are expressing their opinions. This is important for two reasons, firstly it buys you time when you need to prepare a response, and secondly, it makes the customer feel that their voice is being heard.

          

         4. “Reward yourself for a job well done!” We often don’t give ourselves enough credit for a job well done. We just hope to get recognition from others but that often doesn’t come as much as it should. So treat yourself to something nice when you win over a difficult customer. Reward yourself for all your efforts, even if you haven’t hit your daily target. Hard work doesn’t always result in sales but they will come in time if you persist with calm and patience.

             

            5.  “Focus on your greatest strength.” If you need a booster, do what you do well! So simple yet so true. It’s easy to fall into the trap where you think about what you can’t do well. This is another vicious circle that has to be broken. One good way of doing this is by concentrating on past conquests that were a direct result of personal selling strengths.

                

               6. “Search for inspiration.” One great way to pick yourself up off the ground in sales is by listening to the experts. It’s becoming more and more common to listen to audio files instead of reading books. One of the reasons for this is our lack of time. We can’t always afford the luxury of sitting down for an hour to read a good book on selling techniques. So why not do the equivalent when you’re stuck in traffic. The great thing about audio books is that they condense information in a way that conveys the same message in less time.

                   

                  I hope these techniques can provide with a boost when sales aren’t going according to your plans. Okay maybe there isn’t a magic pill for sales professionals but there are lots of others remedies if you’re willing to look for them.

                   

                  This article was written by David Lynch, author of “Making The Seller” for more FREE sales tips and techniques you can visit www.makingtheseller.com

                

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