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sales &

talk

In the promotional products industry, 9 Sales Skills You Absolutely Must Have...
it's important to be knowledgeable of Even if You're Not in Sales
upcoming events. Whether any of these
affect a current or prospective client, it To many people, the word “selling” implies manipulating, pressuring, cajoling... all those
helps to stay on top of holidays, events high pressure salesman stereotypes.
and observances.
If you think of “selling” as explaining the logic and benefits of a decision, then everyone
needs sales skills: to convince others an idea makes sense, to show bosses or investors how
August a project or business will generate a return, to help employees understand the benefits of

02: National Coloring Book Day a new process, etc.
10: National S'mores Day In essence, sales skills are communication skills, and communication skills are critical in
19: National Honey Bee Awareness Day any business or career.
25: National Park Service Birthday
26: National Dog Day According to Inc.com's resident sales guru, Geoffrey James, author of Business Without the
27: Just Because Day Bullsh*t, these are the basic selling skills everyone needs in order to be more successful.
31: National Trail Mix Day
1. Researching customers.
Whether you're selling to an external customer or an internal one (like your boss), the
Weeklong Observances: more you know about the buyer, the easier it is to influence their decisions.
6-12: National Farmers Market Week
27-1: World Water Week 2. Creating rapport.
The first decision every customer makes is: "Do I want to do business with this person?" To
Monthlong Observances: create a quick connection, be curious, be personable and care about other people.
Family Fun Month 3. Asking questions.
National Golf Month If you can't satisfy a customer's real needs, you can't make a sale. If you don't ask the right
National Picnic Month questions, you'll never know what your customers need and won't be able to help.
National Water Quality Month
4. Listening actively.
When customers are talking, it's not enough to keep your mouth closed. You must also
keep your mind open to discover ways to truly be of service.
5. Getting commitments.
Every contact with a potential customer should result in a commitment from the customer—an agreement to do something that will
move the process forward.

6. Presenting solutions.
Once you've learned how you can help, you must be able to tell the customer's story with you and your product playing a key role in
helping the customer succeed.

7. Closing the "sale."
At some point, you've got to ask for a decision. The "close" will emerge as a natural part of the conversation if you've exercised the
previous skills.

8. Building relationships.
Your goal should always be to build a life-long relationship rather than to merely make a short-term sale.

9. Feeling grateful.
People who approach selling (and life) with a sense of gratitude squeeze more joy out of success and experience less disappointment
when they fail.
Source: 9 Sales Skills you Absolutely Must Have...Even if
you're not in Sales. Jeff Haden. Inc Magazine. July 22, 2014.
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