In this blog post, we discuss the idea of using older (yet effective) techniques to find success in the chaos of today's selling landscape. Let's face it; with the influx of social media, apps, and online distractions, it is actually harder to reach a prospect than ever before.
However, we are here to help you stand out in the market and avoid sounding like every other salesperson. It is important to strike a balance between both new and old school sales techniques when selling in today's world.
I’ve heard it said before,
“Never throw out your clothes, just wait 10 years and they will be back in style”.
In some ways, the same thing can be said about how people should think about selling.
Like many things, technology can be used for good or bad. The good, specifically on the topic of sales; is that it's a great way to increase your opportunity to reach potential clients. With a few clicks or keystrokes, my message can be transported along the information super highway to its intended recipient via e-mail.
Using Twitter, I can, in 280 characters or less, tweet or retweet, something I read, attach an article, share my own content, send it to my followers, and more. Through the use of blogging, I can assimilate my thoughts, write (and edit) them online, and make them available to whoever has access to the Internet.
All of these methods are fabulous and can be a great way to get your message out to a target audience or to the general public.
However, technology can be used as a crutch, or, even worse, it can lump you in with everyone else.
One of the keys to being a successful sales professional is your ability to differentiate yourself from the competition. One of the ways to be different is to actually be different. What do I mean by this?
In this age of new technology, there is an older (sometimes forgotten or ignored) device that can help you stand out in the market: the good old-fashioned telephone. It’s not pretty, it’s not cutting edge, but it is still available and can be useful when used properly. Let’s face it, nine times out of ten when you call someone, you will get their voicemail.
Here is another way to set yourself apart—try not to sound like a typical salesperson.
Avoid saying,
“Hi, my name is Jack Kasel and I represent my company calling about my product . . . blah, blah, blah."
No one wants to hear it.
Stop! Be different! Leave a compelling message that doesn’t sound like everyone else and then follow up and when I say follow up, I mean follow up until you get a response. Statistics prove it will take between 13-15 calls before you get a response. It was never supposed to be easy. Don't give up!
Don’t discard the new, but don’t forget the old. Try using an old sales tool, in a new way to be, act, and sound different than your competition.
Additional Resources
Finally, if you haven’t read this post from Dave Kurlan, I suggest you take seven minutes to do so. It's a great read on the next game changer for salespeople.
http://www.omghub.com/salesdevelopmentblog/the-next-cant-miss-game-changer-for-salespeople
