Evolution of a Sales Professional: Key Strategies for Growth, Skill Enhancement, and Achieving Sales Excellence

You can’t improve your ability to sell by reading a book. Learning to sell requires you to sell. This is very much like learning to swim. You may have learned to swim by being thrown in the deep end of the pool. Similarly, you may have learned to sell by being thrust into the deep end where, instead of feeling as though you were drowning, you felt ill-equipped for the sales conversation and lacked the business acumen that would have enhanced your performance.

Today, there are SDRs and BDRs whose job it is to book meetings for a salesperson with more experience. Many of the salespeople working as SDRs and BDRs are young and learn how to make a cold call and book a meeting. Unfortunately, many of them do not acquire the experience they need to advance into the role of a salesperson. This is unfortunate, as their limited roles hinder their development.

Mastering Cold Calls: The Gateway to B2B Sales Success

Making progress in B2B sales begins with the cold call. This is the first competency you need to develop, as booking a meeting is essential to starting a sales conversation. There is an excessive amount of digital ink about this on platforms like LinkedIn, but there is one important fact when it comes to cold calling: You can enhance your ability to secure a meeting by offering value in exchange for the client’s time.

It is unlikely that your company has an established methodology for exchanging value, so to develop this skill, you’ll need to practice and watch what successful salespeople do. Then, once you manage to secure a first meeting, you must pass the audition to move forward. (If you want to learn to make a cold call, visit my YouTube channel.)

The Art of Discovery in Sales Conversations

Once you book a meeting, you will find yourself in the discovery phase. Previously, discovery involved asking questions to learn what you needed to know and eliciting the contact’s problem or pain point so you could offer your solution. However, a lot has changed, including with your contacts, who now undertake their own version of discovery. Using the internet, buyers attempt to explore their options and learn about relevant sales organizations. By the time you sit down to meet with them, they’ve already seen your website, so you don’t need to rehash what’s there using a legacy PowerPoint presentation that will soon have their eyes glazing over. In modern sales, your contacts assess your ability to create value for them.

One of the best ways to learn how to do effective discovery is to observe experienced salespeople conducting it. If you are fortunate enough to do this, jot down every question and answer provided by the salesperson or the client. Later, you can ask the salesperson or your sales manager why they asked or answered in a specific manner.

Crafting Solutions through Consensus Building

There are several outcomes you need to achieve success as you progress through a discussion with your client. One of the more challenging outcomes you will face is building consensus. The sooner you identify and engage with the contacts and stakeholders, the greater your chances of collaborating with them to construct a solution that belongs neither to you nor your client alone, but to both parties.

In the future, as you continue to develop, your experience will equip you with the knowledge of the best way to ensure the client achieves the results they need. It is wise to initiate the conversation about investment here, as waiting to disclose the cost at the end of the sales conversation is a poor strategy.

Navigating Client Concerns: A Strategy for Sales Success

Almost every salesperson has experienced handing off a proposal only to hear their contact say they will discuss it with their team and get back to them in a couple of weeks. Currently, countless salespeople are awaiting responses from prospective clients based on promises made in 2014. You must learn to address the client’s concerns, even if it requires adjustments that provide the client with the certainty they need to move forward with your proposal.

If you get this right, you will need to learn to request the client’s business. Ignore anyone who suggests you should never ask for the client’s business. It is important for the client to know that you are eager for their business and that you are committed to improving their results.

Negotiation Skills: Securing a Win-Win for Both Parties

It is almost inevitable that your contact will request a lower price. When you concede to a lower price, you are making a concession without receiving anything in return. A true negotiation requires you to request something you need from your contact, such as a longer contract term or a larger initial payment.

You will find weak salespeople requesting a testimonial or a case study, but you should be able to obtain such endorsements simply by delivering results. This leads us to execution.

Commitment to Execution: The Final Step in Sales Excellence

You might believe you are not responsible for the execution of your solution and the advice you provided. However, your contacts will hold you accountable for their results, and you will feel this responsibility the first time your team fails to meet the client’s expectations. Your client will expect you to stand by them and ensure the execution unfolds as you discussed. Should you choose to avoid addressing an execution issue, you risk losing your client to another salesperson and company.

Your Growth in B2B Selling

Starting with booking a meeting is crucial to mastering the sales process. While conducting those meetings, you must also focus on improving your discovery skills, as this is where most salespeople either win or lose deals.

Previously, dealing with a single decision-maker was the norm, but now you must focus on building consensus and collaborating with your client on the path forward. Concerns about objections are outdated in today’s sales environment; you are addressing the client’s concerns, as that is the true nature of objections.

It may take time to become comfortable making requests during negotiations, but it becomes easier with practice. As you continue to progress, your confidence and competence will elevate you within the rankings but remember that your development never ends. Do good work, and if you need help, pick up the 107 Bundle.