How to Shake Up Your Sales Strategy
By Meridith Powell
If you’re looking for ways to increase sales, win new clients and land more deals, then it’s time to shake up your sales strategy. Honestly, when was the last time you shook up your sales strategy? Tried something different, or just pushed out of your comfort zone? Sales is just like everything else in life, if you want to grow – you need to challenge yourself and try something new.
This is a challenging sales environment, where competition, customers and technology are constantly changes the rules, changing how we play.
This past weekend, I was mountain biking on a new trail. A trail that was a little out of my league, and one that really pushed me physically and mentally. I knew that by the time we came to the end of that ride I was a stronger rider, a better rider, and a more experienced rider. All things that never would have happened if I had not pushed out of my comfort zone and tried something new.
Sales is the same way. This is a challenging sales environment, where competition, customers and technology are constantly changes the rules, changing how we play. And to keep up, to succeed you need to be in top shape, and ready to perform at your peak level. The best way to increase your performance is to shake up your sales strategy. Every once in a while, you need to shock the system.
Here are 5 Steps to Shake Up Your Sales Strategy
1. Take Stock – if you want to shake up your sales strategy, then you need to take stock of what your current strategy is. Who are you calling on? How many sales calls are you making? What is your follow-up strategy? What is your close ratio? Begin your sales strategy by getting clear on what you are doing, what is working, and what is not.
2. Look Around – with that groundwork laid, invest the time to look around at other sales professionals. Maybe those you work with, or better yet, your competitors. What sales professionals do you know that are outperforming you? What steps, strategies and skills are they using to do it? Best way to find something new to add to your sales strategy, is learn from other top producers.
3. Try Something New – then you actually have to do it. Yes, that’s right try something new. You can identify new ideas, talk about new ideas, even practice new ideas, but they do not count until you actually put them into action. So just try it, no judgment. If you get a result great, if you don’t, no worries. Did you really think it was going to work the first time?
4. Assess and Review – so now it is time to assess and review. Take the time to reflect on this new idea. What seemed to work, or flow naturally? What was awkward? How could you do it better the next time? What could you change up?
5. Try Again – then try again. The goal of doing something new is to shake up your sales strategy and build your sales muscle. And that takes time. Trying something is a process, a process that you need to work on to get it to feel comfortable. Then you need to invest the time to adapt it, so it works for you, and make it fit into your sales strategy.
The point of shaking up your sales strategy is to stay one step ahead in this rapidly moving marketplace. Our customers, competition and technology are constantly changing, so wouldn’t it make sense you need a new approach, you’d need to shake up your sales strategy.
So, what are you waiting for? Get out there now and give something new a try! Your customers and your sales results will feel the positive impact.