By: Maureen Turner
Springtime in Tallahassee. It is a very special time of the year! We have welcomed Spring since 1967 with one of the largest and most celebrated parades in the Southeast. Over 200,000 people flock to Tallahassee to celebrate Spring.
What better way to start the new season? Put the dead winter away and begin a new season. Having been raised in New England with bitter cold winters, spring was always special to me. Spring brings forth rebirth! There are gorgeous flowering trees and camellias and azaleasare everywhere.
(Spring Blooming Season in the Azalea Hillside at Alfred B. Maclay Gardens. Photo by Eddy Yusuf. )
My job at Partners and Association Management is Advertising Sales for the Journal of Dental Technology. I have worked in sales most of my life, and in about every aspect. I have come to realize that whether you are in an office calling people, or visiting someone on a sales call, or on a sales floor, even the best sales people can forget these basic rules for success.
Top 5 Sales Tips that even the best sales associates can forget!
Be Passionate. If you don’t believe in what you are doing, you will never be able to convince anyone else. I do not sell people, I help people. There is a big difference! Word of mouth advertising is priceless and without advertising, your company will never grow.
Get Personal. When I call someone on the phone I do not call to “sell” them. It is not a sales call to me. I call to say “hello” and see how they are doing. I want to know if there is any way in which I can make their life easier. It is more than a job to me, it is caring and reaching out to people. It is that human touch and element that so many people are missing out on today.
Integrity. Treat people like you want to be treated. Whether they are buying something for a small amount of money or thousands of dollars, they are important and should be treated the same. It may surprise you when the little sale turns into thousands of dollars because of the way you treated them.
Be honest. Do not make promises that you can’t keep. If you don’t know the answer to what they are asking, be honest! It is alright to say “let me get back to you on that”! If you pretend to know the answer but don’t, it will catch up with you and you will lose credibility with your client.
Be Optimistic. Keep a positive attitude. I think this is one of the most important things that you can do as a sales associate. Believe in your product and belief in yourself.
In sales, you have to know how to pick up and start again after rejection. Be resilient! Be positive! What makes some people have the ability to bounce back quickly? Attitude! We have all gone through hard times in life, but when bad things happen to us, you have two choices: Will it make you bitter or better? I chose the latter.
