Salesmanship Seminar

Topic: Having a game plan

"Ah, the mastery of the thing!"

A pro in action is a thing of wonder. His moves are controlled and smooth in execution; his counter-moves are timely and direct. A pro never makes you feel he's trying. You watch him and you wonder at the economy, the mastery of his performance.

How did he get that way? By preparation. A pro is a guy with a game plan: he never has to ad lib; he never has to "wing it".

A professional salesman is a salesman with a sales-plan. He spends a few minutes each morning setting his goals, setting his attitude, and setting his methods. (Do you have something better to do while you shower, shave, and blow dry your hair?)

Goals

How much do you want to sell? Break your monthly quota down by weeks, by days. Recognize as you set your dollar goals that Saturdays are generally better than Tuesdays.

What do you want to sell? Are you overstocked on something? Is there something you don't want to sell? Choose three or four items and resolve to sell them by closing.

How do you want to sell? On Tuesday try emphasizing price and value. On Wednesday sell quality. For Thursday select service as your main selling point. Try selling appearance on Saturday.

To whom do you want to sell? Each of us prefers to sell to a particular kind of customer. Pick a type to whom you don't sell well and work especially hard to sell that type that day. Sell to Firemen on Monday, little boys on Tuesday, senior citizens on Wednesday, spec nerds on Thursday, little-old-ladies on Friday, etc..

Attitude

Decide now that you'll greet each customer as a friend, work with each as an individual, thank each as you would your neighbor.

Stop clerking merchandise. Start selling yourself, your store, your company.

Let the amateurs sell products. Be a pro: Sell benefits.

Know each morning that you'll meet your sales goals by leaving behind you a long line of happy customers.

Enjoy your work and your customers will enjoy shopping your store.

Be enthusiastic and your customers will buy enthusiastically.

Handle refunds, repairs, and returns with concern. Your customers will work to make you rich.

Methods

You know six dynamite sales methods. Review them and decide to use each of them on each customer.

You cannot help yourself; you'll double your average ticket if you'll --

Ready, Set, Go!

You've showered, you've shaved, you've done your hair. Your goals are set, your attitude is set, your methods are set.

You're a pro; you're prepared.

Go get 'em my friend! Nothing can stop you now.

(For other Salesmanship Seminars, return to the Table of Contents.)

Several of our more frequently accessed Salesmanship Seminars, along with other resources, are now available from our email auto-responder library. For a catalog of available titles, click on our reader for help.