One Simple Secret to Improve Sales Success
This article is an excerpt from fresh sprouts; you'll appreciate how simple improving sales can really be.
If you could invest just a few hours to dramatically improve the results of your sales efforts, would you?
“Of course!” you’re probably thinking. “What’s the catch?” There isn’t one. All it takes is a little focus and discipline. So what’s the secret?
Understanding Your Ideal Customer Profile
I’m not talking about your target markets or who the typical buyers are, but the person who is your ideal customer. The one who is most likely to buy when you get in front of them because your message resonates so well.
This is the person who’s head starts nodding in approval when your sales team tells their story, because it aligns so elegantly with their own issues, concerns and objectives. The person who is ready to sign as soon as you prove you can do the job.
They’re not a pushover, not gullible. But they are perfectly aligned with your business model, a match made in prospecting heaven.
How do you find this mythical creature?
There are a number of ways to build an ideal customer profile, and they all start with a little research and analysis. Set aside preconceived notions of who you sell to, and spend some time to really understand who buys from you and why. Explore past deals that have gone well, and find patterns in projects that have gone awry. What can you learn from them?
Here’s an example:
Mary sells IP phone systems. She thinks every business in her area with a budget above $15,000 and at least 10 employees is a candidate for her solutions, so she spends all her time prospecting and pitching, with a very low close rate.