Introduction When trying to achieve sales success, there is no one-size-fits-all approach. Every product or service is different just like every sales cycle. However, there are a few sayings that have stood the test of time and the modern world of technology. These five sales mantras help sales professionals and executives find success day in and day out. These 5 Simple Sayings Can Lead to Sales Success 1. Time Kills When developing new opportunities and building relationships, it is extremely important to understand the urgency with which to close the deal. “Time kills” is a simple message that means the longer an opportunity is sitting, the more the win probability is reduced. If there’s one thing you remember from this article, let this saying be it. As a salesperson, you have limited control over many things inside your prospect’s organization. It only takes one thing to change the direction of the company or the mind of your decision-maker. The ABCs of sales, Always Be Closing, is important, but we prefer Always Be Communicating. You can’t always get prospects to move as quickly as you’d like, but you can always stay in contact. That way, you know if any changes have occurred to delay or kill the opportunity. Selling to Small Businesses With small business owners and a tactical sales environment, the message that “time kills” can be as little as hours because small businesses are constantly changing. The decision-makers, who are typically the owners, can change their minds in a flash. A bad week of sales or just a bad week personally can have them adjust their decisions. When you allow time to go by, that allows competitors to enter into the opportunity as well which can change the selling dynamic immediately. If you are selling to individuals or small businesses, you need to close that day! Answer all their questions, solve all their concerns, and close the deal. Selling to Large Organizations The easiest way to lose a deal is to allow the customer to delay the decision. If they delay the decision, it is typically because you, as the salesperson, are not solving their problems or did not sell to their personality traits. When selling to larger organizations, you need to understand the entire sales cycle and operate as the “quarterback” of the deal. Bring everyone together, sell to multiple personality traits, and understand the needs of the company and its individuals. Time is still extremely important, as delays allow for competition, changes in the market, and new products to be introduced. The most important aspect of strategic sales is constant communication, managing the deal, and bringing together all the decision-makers to reach a common understanding. 2. Plan Your Work and Work Your Plan The best salespeople are always great planners. The key is to be very organized and process-driven. You should plan, study, and develop a sales process that you can repeat. This will lead to tremendous success. Most salespeople have their own style of communication and relationship development. Great salespeople are organized planners who use their plan and communication skills to never miss the target. Planning a day, a week, and even a month in advance ensures you are prepared for all meetings. Leave yourself some time at the end of each day to review what you want to accomplish the next day. You want your agenda to align with your goals. If you wait and become a reactive salesperson, you will miss many opportunities, lose deals, and ultimately, lose money. Learn from your planning; evaluate what worked and what didn’t and adjust accordingly. Remember, you develop consistency through repetition. Most executives plan at least one year in advance, and so should salespeople. If you begin the year by evaluating your past and reviewing your market and targets, you can plan the year in advance. Plan your financials for the coming year, set personal goals, and measure those goals constantly. If something is working, repeat it; if something isn’t working, adjust immediately. We all know the definition of insanity: doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Planning and executing are extremely important. However, I have seen many people plan themselves to death. Understand that your plan is flexible and that adjusting is essential. Don’t expect to have the perfect plan; it just doesn’t happen. A good rule of thumb to go by is “plan, measure, adjust, and execute.” 3. Inspect What You Expect Accountability is a word that our Founder and CEO Tony Horwath has preached for the last 30 years. Accountability is the key to individual and corporate success. Every organization develops processes, rolls them out, and expects them to receive full attention. However, that rarely goes to plan unless you have a team of people that take complete personal accountability. Leaders need to be accountable to themselves and to their employees. If you roll out a new plan or a process, you need to “inspect what you expect.” Just giving someone an order rarely provides the results expected. Managers must communicate and evaluate the desired outcomes. As a salesperson, you also need to be on top of everything that the customer sees; you hold the responsibility and accountability of the relationship with the client. Ownership of the outcome is required to be successful. Owning up to mistakes and living up to responsibilities is essential for growth as an individual and as a salesperson. Always ask yourself “What can I do to achieve my desired results?” Do not look for others to make you successful. You control your own destiny. Develop your expectations, develop your plan, execute your plan, and inspect what you expect. 4. Focus on Success Success is measured in many ways, and money should not be at the top of your list. If your family is healthy and your children are good people, you have achieved success. Define success for you around you because everyone has different dreams and goals. However, everyone does have dreams and goals. Successful people write down their dreams and goals and develop a plan to achieve that success. Review your plan, adjust as the years change, and celebrate your achievements! A focused approach to achieving your goals will result in years of celebration. Laser-focus on your goals. It doesn’t matter if your goal is to lose 25 pounds or land the biggest commission check of your life, FOCUS! 5. Sell From a Position of Power Selling from a position of power may sound simple. However, many sales professionals are too intimidated or lack the confidence and knowledge to sell from a position of power. So, what does it take to sell from a position of power? Let’s break down five essential tools: Thoroughly understand your product or service. Be an expert. Know your competition, strengths, and weaknesses. Know your prospects’ needs. Understand the personality of your prospect. Take a stand and know when to walk away. If you want to become a top-selling professional, you must learn everything you possibly can about your product or service and business. Just becoming familiar with your product is not enough. Get involved and understand the production, back office operations, support, and everything in between, so you can answer any question that a prospect asks with certainty and clarity. This builds confidence with your clients and shows them that you understand not just your product but the business and how it operates. Always be sure to translate your knowledge to how it can apply to the prospect. Conclusion These five simple sayings have served Sales Focus Inc. and our sales professionals well over the last 25 years. Develop your own style, stay focused on sales success, always have a plan to execute, and remember that time kills all deals!