How to Outshine the Competition:
If you are one of the many people in the UK who is looking for a job after redundancy, or straight from leaving school, college or university, you may have considered a job in sales. Whether this means direct marketing, telephone sales, selling cars or in retail, the variety of sales job vacancies is enormous. Of course, though, this doesn't mean that the competition for these jobs isn't fierce. Your potential employer will be looking for someone who knows what they are doing when it comes to closing a sale and part of your income may rely on you being able to do just that.
What, then, are the secrets to being the best salesperson, and rising above your competitors?
Getting your foot in the door is probably the hardest part of landing any sales jobs but of course there are many avenues you can try. As the latest series of ads featuring talking appliances from Total Jobs have shown, getting a job takes much more than luck; you need to take advantage of the many resources out there. This can include jobs websites, newspapers and recruitment agencies.
Sales and marketing jobs often pay at least partly on a commission-based rate. You will also be expected to reach targets once your initial training period is over. This can be a daunting prospect for someone who is new to the atmosphere of a sales room. Of course, those who have been in the game for a long time will have picked up all the tricks and tips needed for a good salesperson to meet quotas, win best salesperson awards, get paid more and stay in their job.
For the budding salesperson, here are a few handy hints:
- Learn about your product or service. You need to know everything about what you are selling whether it is a new electricity tariff or the latest mobile phone. If your customer asks a question, you need to be able to respond without hesitation and explain how the product is perfect for them. Take the time to use the product yourself and have one or two personal anecdotes at the ready to show how you enjoy using it as well. If you are unsure about any facts, never give out incorrect information.
- When you have a customer on the phone or in front of you it is important to find some common ground with them. You could talk about the weather briefly or tell them you had a holiday in their town once. Keep the customer engaged, by letting them know in subtle ways that for the moment they are all that matters. Do not allow yourself to be distracted by anything or anyone else.
- If you have a lead, follow it up. This sounds obvious, but all too often salespeople assume someone won't be interested before they take a moment or two to find out. If they are clearly not interested simply let them know they can call you back at any time. If they are happy to be contacted again then ensure that you do after a few days. If you say you will do something it is important that you do. Never hound someone who does not want your product, it is a waste of your time and theirs.
- Finally closing the deal is the most important part of your job. If this means that you need to negotiate a better deal for the customer then try to do this. You may be given the ability to offer ten per cent off. If not, offer to contact your manager to see what can be done. Don't lose the sale over a few per cent off the closing price. These days, people like to think they are getting a deal.
These few pointers will help you excel beyond your co-workers, and with some help from totaljobs.com, you could find yourself in that new sales job sooner than you think.
