Sales for beginners: 6 tips to get you started.

Dotted specialise in hiring graduates for their sales outsourcing team, each of these team members are completely new to sales, so they will undergo intense sales training that will build their confidence and allow them to successfully conduct the sales pitch with ease. We choose to hire graduates because they have a hunger to learn and succeed as they kick start their career. 

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Sales insight lab suggests that ‘An effective salesperson today is someone who can read people, dig deep to understand them, and then follow a process to engage them in a real conversation using a systematic approach.’ we believe that building a relationship with the customer is just as important as getting the sale.

At Dotted, we know that nobody is a born salesperson, it takes time and dedication in order to succeed, but if you put in the work and don't allow the knockbacks to define you, you will be well on your way to success within this industry.

1. Know your product. 

If you are selling something, you need to know it like the back of your hand! Not only do you need to know how the product or service functions, but you also need to know how each of its specific features will help solve the problems your customer may have. Knowing your product inside out will not only benefit your prospect, but it will benefit you too. This will remove any fear you may have when it comes to conducting the sales pitch, you will be able to converse with confidence and answer any questions the prospect may have with a well explained response. ‍

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2. Know your prospect. 

This is one of the most important parts of your sales process. Prepare in advance so you can show the prospect how much you know them, being able to use personalisation when speaking to your prospect demonstrates that you have done your homework and that you understand who they are and what they need. Jump on LinkedIn before you make your call for a brief overview of the prospect to give you some talking points. Building a relationship is important because it could help you in the future if not now.

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3. Follow up.‍

It is essential to send a follow up email to every prospect you have spoken to, whether or not the initial conversation went well, ensure that you send a personalised email. Thank them for their time and share information that you believe will be beneficial to them moving forward, in relation to your business. It is believed that up to ‘70% of people give up after sending the first email’  but persistence is key in this type of sale. Your prospect could be interested and take some time to think about it, but then completely forget! So your second follow up in a couple of weeks could get you the deal. ‍

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4. Be empathetic. 

‍Potential prospects do not just want to be seen as another number being sold to, it is vital to treat the conversation as just a chat with the prospect and avoid being persuasive. “The ability to place yourself in your customer’s shoes in order to guide them through the buying process is instrumental in garnering trust and loyalty. The longer and happier a relationship with a customer is, the more fruitful it can be for both parties involved” so actively listen to the customer and understand their needs,treat them as a friend and offer what you can to help by explaining how what you are selling will benefit them specifically.

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‍5. Don’t let rejection knock you back.

Rejection is something that every salesperson has had experience with, but it is important to know that this is not a reflection of you. Sales is a numbers game, and it would be silly to think every lead is a done deal. What might not be right for the customer in that moment could work for them in a few weeks, months or years. Therefore, don’t be salty about the loss as you may have a deal in the future. Have a prepared and well thought out response that you can deliver to the prospect if they choose not to take your offer.

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6. Don't get comfortable.

Don’t get comfortable… it is believed by the Sales Insight Lab that once salespeople have begun to gain success and start to make money they can ‘start to slip’ due to becoming comfortable in their role. By this we don’t feel confident in your role, we just believe that it is important to ‘constantly push, strive, and stretch outside your comfort zone to try things you haven’t tried before’ in order to continue achieving and smashing targets. 

So there you have it, 6 essential tips for sales beginners, we hope you found these useful!