7 Proven Steps to Increase Sales: A Guide for Sales Leaders

Does your company need more sales? In my experience, the answer is always a resounding “Yes!” So, ask yourself: when did you last schedule and spend an hour prospecting for your business? With the mountain of things to get done each day and the number of people looking for time on your calendar, it seems impossible to fit it all in. As a sales leader, maybe you don’t prospect, but instead leave this to your sales team.

Big mistake! And here is why: as the leader, you cast the shadow. You must be the lead prospector with a focus on increasing sales so that your team understands that prospecting and bringing in new business is the number one job for everyone.

Step into your salesperson’s shoes for a moment and consider the following.

Change Your Attitude Toward Prospecting

Your attitude about prospecting will determine how successful your sales career will be. If you feel that prospecting is an “obligation,” then you will view it as drudgery. You will resist it. You will find things to do other than prospect. You will not improve this skill. Therefore, your performance and success in increasing sales will suffer.

The key is to change your attitude. Learn to embrace prospecting. Understand that prospecting is the job. You get paid a lot of money because you are willing to do what others won’t: prospect and increase sales. The operative word is WILLING!

Is your daily leadership communicating a strong and positive attitude about networking, connecting, getting out and making calls? Are you setting the standard for performance on increasing sales? Are you congratulating those salespeople who are consistently making phone calls and setting appointments? Are you holding them up for all to emulate? Are you encouraging their use of you as a resource to help get in the door? Are you sharing your company’s unique selling approach numerous times a day? Are you holding daily and weekly sales huddles? Are these huddles focused on what is in the pipeline, what is going to close, what is coming out, and how to refill the pipeline?

The Real Job of Successful Salespeople

The people who are most successful in sales are not making big money because they are brighter or have better presentations, or because their product is better than others. They are making big money because they have figured out that the real job is getting in front of people or businesses that need, want and can pay for the product and services they provide.

In analyzing the salespeople who are successful year after year, we find significant consistencies in behavior and practice management. Managers, listen up: these are the behaviors and activities that you must be expecting and inspecting to increase sales.

7 Keys to Increase Sales

1. Don’t let anything interfere with consistent prospecting. You don’t have to like prospecting; you just have to do it. But if you learn to like prospecting, you will do more of it. Adopt the following mantra: “My only A priority is prospecting.”

2. Don’t look, act or sound like every other salesperson. Create a unique approach. Don’t just say that you are different. Develop a niche you serve better than anyone. Put yourself in your prospect’s place. Would you take your phone call and be responsive?

3. Don’t see just anyone who will see you. Successful prospectors understand that the purpose of a call is to set an appointment with a qualified candidate. Make sure the prospect qualifies to do business with you.

4. Identify on the phone if your prospect has a problem that you can solve. Ask questions about why the problem they identify is a problem and how much that problem is costing them. The quality of the phone call determines the quality of the appointment.

5. “Drill down” past the pain or problem indicators (symptoms). The following is a list of questions or prompts to get past the initial problems verbalized by a prospect and engage the prospect in meaningful dialogue:

   • Tell me more about that…

   • How long has this been a problem?

   • What have you done to fix…?

   • What has your current provider done to make this problem go away?

   • What happens if you don’t fix…?

   • How much is it costing…?

   • Is that a problem?

   • Do you want to fix it?

6. Get introductions. Your first and most successful way to increase sales is to ask your best advocates, your current best clients, to introduce you to others.

7. Track your activity and look for ways to improve your techniques. You may be great at getting first meetings but not great at uncovering real opportunities. If you track your activities, then you can improve your choke points.

Salespeople, the moment you realize that prospecting is the #1 job, you are on the way to growing record sales for your company. Sales leaders, it is your job to demonstrate and lead that focus and effort as your team will follow the Shadow of the Leader.

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