10 Practical Strategies to Get Your Foot in the Door

Everything starts with a sale.  A sales career that is well-executed is rewarding and demands perseverance, diligence, and commitment. Persuading strangers to invest in a product or service is not always the easiest thing to do. Making a sale requires access to decision makers, socialization, and transfer of emotion. It all starts with maximizing opportunities and obtaining a meeting with a decision maker. That sounds a lot easier than it is. 

Successful salespeople understand problem solving and relationship building. A common trait among salespeople is that they are competitive and therefore naturally motivated to close as many deals as they can.  

Below are strategies that are used by super successful salespeople that may also help you reach a new level of sales success. 

10 Practical Strategies:

• Be prepared. You need to learn about your prospect and the nature of their business. Understand and be ready to personify how you differentiate from your competition. Be part of the solution. Create the ultimate elevator pitch that focuses on value versus parity. Always expect the answer to be “no” but be ready for “yes.”
• Network relentlessly. Become a person, not a vendor. Find the prospect’s comfort zone and make yourself known, not in an obnoxious way. You need to be prepared to interact with others to exchange information and develop professional or social contacts. Be authentic, be yourself, and practice active listening. 
• Find the straight line. Develop your rapport quickly. Gather intelligence on your prospects ability to close the sale. Control the interaction by attaching yourself to the outcome of the interaction with your prospect, which is typically closing the sale. 
• If all else fails, cold call. Some salespersons spent a lot of their time making cold calls on perfect strangers. Make a phone call. Stop by in person. Become a known entity. Cold calling is still a valid technique in sales strategy. 
• Plan and pursue your pipeline. Know the numbers you need to achieve success. Eliminate any preconceptions you may have, stick with the facts. Find your cadence and use your sixth sense to avoid being a nuisance. 
• Have a readiness checklist. Use your readiness checklist to make sure you are as effective as possible. Be prepared with your objective. Talk with everyone. Retain control through questions. Introduce unconsidered needs. Gain information and then deliver insights. 
• No sale…yet. Keep your mindset and the door open. Provide a “no purchase required” value by sharing industry tips and trends. Amplify your skills training. Utilize your community network. Stop selling and start helping. Highlight your personal experience. Always follow up. 
• Sell something small. You don’t have to boil the ocean on your first sale. Earn yourself the opportunity to sell big by selling something reliable and small. 
• Is there somewhere better I can be? Understand the value of your time and know when to walk away. Realize it may be in your best interests to place your efforts elsewhere. 
• Persistence pays off. The longer you stay committed to your goals, the more likely something good will come of it. Don’t give up easily. 

Always learn what you can from every interaction you have with your prospects. It will help you to build an understanding of what motivates them to buy, or not to buy. Be proud of your career decision, work hard and make your own success.