Be better than your competitor? This is how you go about it!
You and your competitor are both selling a valuable service. You both work for an excellent organization. Your prices and conditions are also comparable. So what makes the difference? In many situations that is you, the sales professional. To win against your competitor you have to be better than the other. Sounds simple, but it is not easy. 'Just good' is not good enough today; you make a difference by being better than good. If you want to be better than your competition, there are a number of ways you can achieve that. In this article I share five pieces of advice that you can benefit from.
1. Read about your profession.
Furthermore, sales professionals are generally not avid readers. That is good news, because it means that reading about the sales profession is a simple way to build a knowledge advantage. And believe me, it’s fun too! There is so much interesting, engaging, and surprising material to read about sales, communication, leadership, influence, behavior, marketing, et cetera. To make it somewhat manageable yet effective, I advise you to read at least one book every three months and, in addition, subscribe to a number of interesting blogs or newsletters. If you then extract one valuable insight from each book and do the same monthly with the information from blogs or newsletters, it will quickly result in 16 new sales ideas per year!
2. Exercise.
It is a cliché, but still relevant: the training-practice ratio for top athletes is approximately 90-10. For sales professionals, that ratio is often reversed. Or even lower. The time spent on good, effective training pales in comparison to the hours spent in practice. That is a shame, because if you invest more time in practice-oriented training, you get a higher return from your sales practice. This does not necessarily mean that you have to spend more hours in a training room. Moreover, by practicing online, whether alone or with a colleague, or by sparring with your sales manager or partner, you can strengthen your skills.
3. Learn from the top performers in your organization or industry.
Furthermore, what is safer and more educational than learning from a colleague who performs remarkably well? He or she works for the same company, with the same offering, under the same circumstances. Most top performers enjoy sharing knowledge, skills, and insights, but you do have to ask for them. Do you work as a freelancer and have no colleagues from whom you can learn? Then focus on top performers in your industry and invite them for lunch. Next, clearly state why and what you want to learn from them and ask if they are willing to help you. Of course, it is not wise to approach your biggest competitor for this, but believe me: there are plenty of fellow freelancers who enjoy sparring about sales.
4. Don't ask if you already know something, but how good you are at it.
One of the most common remarks in training sessions or when reading an article or book about sales is: 'Obvious! I've known this for ages, heard it so many times.' Great. But if you want to develop in the sales profession, this is irrelevant. In fact, it is one of the most effective conversation stoppers for sales professionals who simply do not want to improve at their craft. Furthermore, coming up with good sales questions? A compelling value proposition? Gaining commitment? Of course, you know these are important skills in sales! But be honest: how good are you at them? And in what ways can you become even better? And how would that help you in your profession? These questions about the application of skills are guaranteed to yield much more than statements about 'already knowing' them. Sales is about doing. Therefore, ask yourself the right questions about skills.
5. Evaluate yourself. A very effective improvement technique, but only for professionals who dare to set the bar high: honest self-evaluation. After each (sales) meeting you answer three questions in a simple note-taking app or notebook.
• What did I do well?
• What did I do wrong or what did I forget?
• What did I learn from this conversation and what will I do differently next time?
In short, the time investment for this self-reflection amounts to just a few minutes. The return? Many useful insights and learning moments that allow you to improve time and again.
You are responsible for your own professional development. Those who are always just a little bit better than their competitors are the ones who go the extra mile. A step in time, energy or money. If you make the right choices, this is a valuable investment in your development, your job satisfaction and your results. What step do you take to be better than good?
By the way, author
Marcel Hoefman
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06 - 54764840