The quest for sales techniques drives many amateur and experienced salespeople alike to seek a silver bullet, simple, no-frills, guaranteed, 100%, solution that magically lifts credit cards from customers’ wallets and puts commission checks in theirs. Every time.
Sorry. It doesn’t exist. But there is some good news…
Sales is a science that, with time (and proper practice), becomes an art.
We even wrote a book called “Sales Techniques,” but High IMPACT Salespeople understand that principles trump techniques every time.
- A principle is a universal truth that can be applied in any situation.
- A technique, on the other hand, is a way to carry out some particular task.
Salespeople who implement principles are able to adapt them to unique situations. Salespeople who focus on techniques risk robotic behavior in every situation. The selling environment is a dynamic and changing one. Learning techniques only gets you so far.
We hear a lot of talk about sales scripts. The problem with sales scripts is that your prospects and customers don’t have their lines. What happens if you’re operating off of a script, but your prospect says something you don’t expect?! Sales interactions should be meaningful conversations. Not memorized monologues.
Learning sales principles is all about hands-on, in-the-field, application of best practices. It’s not about you-do-this then they-do-that.
Here are some Sales Principles :
People buy what they need from salespeople who understand what they want.
Concentrate on results, not activities.
Listen people into buying, don’t talk yourself out of a sale.
The fear of loss is as powerful as the joy of gain.
Let your questions do your selling.
In short, salespeople shouldn’t look for sales techniques. They need to find universal sales principles that help them engage in meaningful sales conversations that focus on customers and prospects. That’s ultimate sales success.
For more hands-on, practical, universal Sales Principles, check out our Free Sales Resources page.
