Sales jobs, tips for making appointments

In sales jobs you could be mistaken for thinking the critical success factor is how good you are in front of the customer. In fact this may not be true. As a sales manager I witness some really good 'sales technicians' struggle to produce enough results, and some relatively poor technicians really shine rather well.

I would suggest that within reason. it's more about how many customers they get in front of to sell, than how good they are at the act of selling itself. So in this respect it is access skills and the ability to generate calls which actually determines the quantity of results. But, I wouldn't stop here. There some who use exceptional charisma to generate access and appointments who perhaps succeed over a short time but burn out beyond. In practise, I believe it is those who have a simple and robust technique for booking appointments, which they can deliver day in day out without faltering who ultimately win in sales jobs.

So what is the key to booking appointments? Well to answer this, let's sit on the other side of the fence for a while. Although I spent many years in sales job and subsequently sales management, I've spent the last 7 years running my own company and have been the subject of daily sales calls.

Even running a small company, time demands are brutal, so juggling competing demands on time is a constant battle, that said, I rarely turn down a sales call. Not through some kind of empathy being an ex salesman, simply because I've learned that success in a small business is as much about getting the right suppliers at the right price, as it is about selling more product. A new product that saves time or generates extra sales may be well worth considering. Or a straight forward reduction in costs for the same product or service may instantly increase profits.

When I take a sales call, what I'm looking to establish right away is 'can this person benefit my business'. If I can't answer 'yes' to this pretty quickly then interest is gone instantly, along with any time the person thought they had to complete their sales job. It's amazing how many people come on the phone with something like, 'I'm from the widget company and I'd like to sell you a widget'! I'm afraid this will be a low percentage hit rate.

I am reminded of my very first sales course, PSS III, which describes the use of a 'general benefit' statement to generate access. Quite simply this is a reason for you call which is of benefit to your customer. It doesn't have to be a complicated benefit, nor a detailed description, just a real benefit that they 'may' realise if they talk to you. So, for example, “I've got a product that I'm convinced will help you sell more” will certainly generate my interest and invite some more talk. In addition, “if you give half an hour of your time I'm convinced I can reduce your costs in ......area” will also get results with me.

Of course, when the clock starts ticking, if it becomes clear you haven't really got anything of value you'll be shown the door, but that is not the point. Everybody in sales jobs should be familiar with the benefits of their products, and familiar enough with their customers to now what will get their interest.

In summary, to be successful in sales jobs, always use a 'general benefit statement' when trying to generate access. That being a 'reason for you call which is of genuine benefit to your customer.' If you do this routinely, every time you attempt to get in front of a customer, your results will improve dramatically.