The 25 Sales Habits of Highly Successful Salespeople - Stephan Schiffman

The skills needed for a salesperson are not always easy, are they? If you are in the sales business of a product or service, this summary of the book "The 25 Sales Habits of Highly Successful Salespeople", by Stephan Schiffman, will help you to develop the necessary skills to boost your sales

These sales habits demand key areas, such as communication skills, consciously planning, strategizing, sharing knowledge, seeking leads, enthusiasm, honesty and creativity.

To develop those skills you must some habits, which are teaching here, in this summary!

Got interested to become a better salesperson? Stay with us and discover how!

About the book "The 25 Sales Habits of Highly Successful Salespeople"

"The 25 Sales Habits of Highly Successful Salespeople" (1991) shows the main sales techniques and habits, as Schiffman calls them. It will build your customer base and increase your sales.

It is subdivided into 6 chapters that brings 25 tips based on different skills about sales.

About the author Stephan Schiffman

Stephan Schiffman trained more than 250, 000 salespeople. He is president of the DEI Management Group and also author of "Cold Calling Techniques", "The 25 Most Common Sales Mistakes" and "The Ultimate Book of Sales Techniques".

He worked in some big companies such as AT&T, Motorola and IBM, in those companies he was the responsible for training the main USA salespeople in the last decades.

To whom is this book indicated?

The habits presented in the book is recommended for people that work in the sales area, such as freelancers, employees or managers. If you want to improve your prospecting and negotiation skills to leverage your business, this book was made for you!

Main ideas of the book "The 25 Sales Habits of Highly Successful Salespeople"

• Old sales tricks no longer work. Customers want value, information and trust;
• Focus on helping your clients to do what they do best and solve their own problems;
• Ask important and real questions about customers' business in the past, present and future, so you can suggest solutions to your problems and meet your needs;
• Keep each customer informed about where you are in the sales cycle, from the first contact to the closing;
• Find the right clients by creating a profile of your most satisfied customers from the past and focus most of your attention on them;
• When new prospects request information, don't rush to close a sale. Focus on building a trusted relationship first and foremost for long-term success;
• Think of yourself as a consultant;
• Take notes when you meet with a client and follow up the next day;
• Understand your client's needs and then create a personalized written plan;
• Be always ready to ask for the next visit and referrals. Speak with pride about what you are doing.

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Overview: First Aspect - Being a Great Communicator

1. Use Your Communication Skills

Convey a message that is worth the investment because you are honest and trustworthy.

Don't use tricks like stating that the person just won a lottery. Successful salespeople inspire confidence, the brand of a good leader has vision, deserves respect, they are responsible, have a clear sense of direction and confidence.

Remember that these details are important.

2. Ask important and real questions

Stephan Schiffman says that a relaxed chat to rapport is good, but go straight to the business so you don't waste time on your prospect.

Use a single question to make the transition from informal conversation to a conversation about the company, for example "How did you get your job?" and then explain why you are there.

Plan to ask about customer responsibilities so you can help them improve, whether it's to increase sales volume or to accomplish other tasks more efficiently.

3. Guide the conversation in the desired direction and inform the prospect where you are going

Take the lead to indicate where you are in the sales cycle so that you feel more comfortable with the process, from initial contact to closing the sale.

Upon arriving, explain that first you inform the prospective client about your company and then notice that you are ready to ask questions to get the information necessary to boost the sales cycle, and so on.

4. Involve your potential customers by clearly answering their questions about your requirements and showing your feelings

Create a core of understanding or framework that you can use to get solutions to their current problems. Adapt these responses because each customer is different and will react differently to your presentation.

"The 25 Sales Habits of Highly Successful Salespeople" explains to build relationship by discussing the surroundings or some interest you seemingly share with your potential client. Sports are a good option to create a connection.

Overview: Second Aspect - Be Strategic and Plan What You Will Do

5. Identify the most appropriate customers for your product or service and adapt your approach

Stephan Schiffman advice to look for potential customers that match your good customer profile for your product. Don't focus on getting prospects from very different areas to your product line.

Instead, determine your niche and the customers that most likely to buy from you (which may include competitors' customers) and direct them. When you get in touch with these selected people, be very polite. Win your prospects with information, not high-pressure tactics.

6. Don't be impulsive about the leads that come to you

When someone asks you for information you may be tempted to close the sale immediately, but don't go too quickly. This is a mistake.

Focus on developing a relationship first. Share some small conversations to get a sense of the person. So ask things to learn what the person wants and why they contacted you.

Finally, invite yourself to make a visit. Don't try to close a sale on the phone, even if the person wants. Your goal is to establish a personal relationship first. You are likely to sell further and increase future sales potential.

7. Make your product or service meet the needs of your potential customers

Find ways to be adaptable and flexible. For example, a paper clip can have many uses, other than just holding papers together. Understand how your product can serve a new purpose. See different ways to present your product or find new groups of people to address.

8. Introduce yourself as a consultant and see yourself as one too

You are doing more than selling a product. You are a "professional problem solver". For example, think about car sales as solutions to someone's transportation problems.

When you sell certain product to a business, "The 25 Sales Habits of Highly Successful Salespeople" explains that you are solving your problems to become more profitable.

Overview: Third Aspect - Getting the Most Out of Your Presentation

9. Prepare your next contact on your first visit

Stephan says to don't expect the potential customer to ask you back the date of the next visit.

Since you started the contact and showed that you are there to help, it is appropriate that you ask them to come back and thus show how you would implement the proposed solution.

Estimate the time you need to prepare a quote and when you can return, use this to set your next meeting. If you have to reschedule, do so. But get the follow-up appointment immediately.

10. Take notes to guide you after your meeting

• Listen and pay attention to important points;
• Show that you are in a position of control and authority;
• Review your meeting information;
• Encourage the prospectus to give you more information;
• Send a positive signal to the prospect about your interest and concern.

11. Create a personalized and written plan for each potential new customer

The book suggests using the material you get in your meetings to outline your plan. When listening, note any problems and ways to tailor your product or service to that customer. Identify solutions for your plan.

12. Ask for references and links

An ideal time to do this is when you send a letter to thank the customer for the business.

Add a note stating that your business depends on leads, and invite the customer to list the names and phone numbers of some people in the industry who can benefit from talking to you.

Note that you don't need to use the client's name. Or, more directly, ask for references in person and see if the contact will call you.

Overview: Fourth Aspect - Have the Right Attitude for Success

13. Show your enthusiasm, but don't overdo it

Stephan Schiffman warns to just take a friendly and warm approach. Use good eye contact, a strong handshake, and calm, confident movements and gestures.

Don't overdo it in an attempt to embrace customers or make insincere compliments.

14. Combine humility with confidence

Show that you feel proud and confident about your work, but avoid seeming arrogant. Demonstrate success, confidence and flexibility, which are traces of professionalism.

Affirm your ability to succeed, perhaps by describing how you helped someone do what the prospect hopes to achieve.

15. Be honest in everything you say

It's easier to remember what you said when you speak only the truth, it shows that you are trustworthy.

Sales depend on relationships, relationships depend on trust. It is okay to exaggerate occasionally a compliment, such as telling a person that he has a great office when it is just ordinary.

But don't misrepresent your ability to solve a business problem, which is the heart of your professional relationship.

16. Use self-motivation

Schiffman suggests being specific about your goals and the roles you value. Find positive reinforcement sources like another seller with whom you can share helpful support, advice and criticism. Leave yourself positive notes, like "I can do this".

Overview: Fifth Aspect - Stay on top of your industry

17. Get started early, this will help you make important decisions

Many people arrive early and may even answer their own phones when you call, as secretaries and receptionists have not yet arrived.

Arriving early allows you to do your paperwork before peak times for contacts you need to call and get to know most potential customers. Changes are easier if you get there early.

18. Stay updated

Read the publications in your industry and in the sectors of your customers to stay tuned with the changes and trends, so you can adapt your way of selling.

Overview: Sixth Aspect - Track Prospects

19. The day after meeting with clients, make follow-up calls

Stephan Schiffman says that you should write this down in your daily schedule to remind prospects of your presence and show your commitment to solve their problems.

20. Speak to groups, including businesses and civic organizations

Develop your conversational skills and learn to share your knowledge. Expand your contacts beyond your own area of expertise to a wide variety of groups.

Your speeches reinforce your sales message and 10% of your audience will ask for information about your product.

21. When appropriate, give others an opportunity

If you help others, they will help you in return. See other salespeople as teammates rather than competitors.

22. Know Recognizing Your Mistakes

If something goes wrong with a sales presentation or an expected sale ends with a "no", take responsibility for it. Don't be shocked if a potential customer didn't want to buy.

Instead, suggest that the problem lies with your presentation or something in your business is going wrong. Your prospect can describe the remaining obstacles and this can be turned into a sale.

23. Be honest about the company you work for

If you think people don't meet your standards of ethics, quality or customer support, find another way.

24. Communicate to everyone that you know your company and its products

Speak with pride, but don't give everyone a sales pitch. Quick presentations can become leads.

25. Keep your sense of humor

Don't take yourself too seriously. Disconnect from the routine and laugh at what you do. It is refreshing and good for the soul.

What do other authors say about it?

In the book "The 7 Pillars of Successful Sales", the authors Rejiano Vedovatto and César Frazão explicit that successful salespeople don't know only that the customer buy something, but what value is added to them when they are buying. This value concept can be explained through the product's benefits.

Jeffrey Gitomer explains in the book "Little Red Book of Selling" that the word "value" is hard to be defined and understood. Furthermore, give and add value are words that many people have difficult to understand.

Finally, in "Selling with Emotional Intelligence", Mitch Anthony explains that many negotiators make mistakes trying to close a deal good for them. They failure considering the impact in a long term that this business can have in their relationships with the client.

Okay, but how can I apply this to my life?

• To succeed in today's competitive sales environment, apply these 25 habits to your sales routine. The best consumers are more aware than ever;
• Don't use old sales tricks. Instead, focus on helping customers improve their work and solve their problems;
• Build lasting relationships based on trust, not just the image of trust;
• Be truly attentive, as customers will see the false concern. Make real promises you can keep;

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