1. 9 Ways To Close More Sales in
2017
As we prepare for the New Year and close out the old one, it is natural to reflect
on what we have accomplished in the last 12 months. Take some time to analyze
what has worked for you this year and what has not. What do you want to
accomplish in the New Year?
Now is not the time to rest on our laurels as many do in the holiday season; it is
time to set realistic goals that will continue to move you forward in 2017. As you
prepare your goals, be careful not to fall into the typical fads of the New Year’s
Resolution. You know what I’m talking about – losing weight, exercising more,
getting more business and getting more referrals. Have you ever wondered why
these fads don’t work? Every year millions of people make big New Year’s
resolutions that typically don’t make it past February. What are they missing?
One of the primary flaws in this plan is that these goals are often vague and
unrealistic.
When setting new goals, it is important to take measurable, incremental steps
that you can accomplish. Don’t bite off more that you can chew. Half of the battle
in establishing new habits is getting rid of old habits. As you start this New Year,
work on leaving behind all of the old habits that have been robbing you of your
productivity and your sales. I’d like to share a few of these bad habits to help you
get to a good start in 2017.
Accept No Excuses for Poor Performance.
When we underperform, our first inclination is to come up with an excuse or
someone to blame. The last thing we want to do is accept responsibility for what
went wrong. Only when you accept responsibility do you unlock creative problem
solving to help you out of your slump. Continuing to blame others or make
excuses will only keep you where you are for the long haul. If your performance
has dipped lately, take a close look at your communication with your customer.
Are you listening to their needs or are you putting your own needs ahead of
theirs? Accept responsibility for where you are and you will soon discover the
kink in your chain.
Stop Looking for Answers.

2. You don’t need the answers to everything. Great sales professionals are better at
asking questions than they are at coming up with answers. Your job is to be a
great listener. The customer has all of the answers you’re looking for. Think of
their needs first and they will guide you where you need to go.
Don’t Lose Focus.
We all have distractions, from our personal life to negative feedback or mixed
messages we’ve received from our customers. However, we cannot allow these
distractions to keep us from being effective. Take the time to clear your mind
before each appointment so that your focus is only on that customer at that time.
They deserve your full, undivided attention.
Don’t Use Technology as a Crutch.
Technology was designed to enhance our lives and increase productivity but we
should never rely on it completely. Sales are created through relationships and
no electronic device can replace that. There is no substitute for human contact
and building a real connection. Avoid the urge to replace this contact with a cold
email or text when you can pick up the phone and talk to them.
Stop Chasing Poor Prospects.
Every prospect is not meant to be your customer. If you are encountering
resistance at every stage of the sales process, accept the fact that this prospect
is not ready for your products or services at this time - and that’s okay. You’re not
going to sell everyone and the last thing you want to do it waste your time
chasing someone who will never buy when you can focus your efforts on
someone who wants and needs your services.
Don’t Take Your Customers For Granted.
One of the biggest mistakes sales professionals make is under appreciating their
customers after they’ve made the sale. You go through all of the work to sell your
customer, but don’t do enough to keep them. It is your job to continue to nurture
and grow that relationship so that they will continue to want to do business with
you. If you don’t give them a reason to continue working with you, chances are,
they won’t.
Don’t Assume You Know Everything About Your Customers.
There is always more to learn. Your customers teach you more about their
business the longer you work with them. Stay in the learning mode when dealing

3. with your customers. Continue to ask questions. Perhaps some things have
changed in their internal climate. A management change could mean that you will
need to nurture a new relationship and rebuild your value proposition. As soon as
you stop gathering information, you put yourself in a vulnerable position that
could result in losing their business. Stay alert.
Don’t Rely On Price to Make the Sale.
Price alone is never a good enough reason for your customer to do business with
you. The lowest price is never the answer and rarely ever speaks directly to the
customer’s need. When you play the price game, you always lose because
someone can always come in with a lower price than you. What is your key
differentiator? What are you offering the customer to make them want to do
business with you? What is your value proposition? These are the factors your
customer will consider when deciding to do business with you.
Don’t Forget to Sell Your Company.
It is true that a customer will buy into their relationship with you, but you are also
associated with a company that is providing the service or product they will be
purchasing. Once you establish trust with your customer, you need to instill that
same trust in the company that you represent. They need to know that you stand
behind a quality company that will deliver to them exactly what they need to solve
their problems. If you don’t exhibit confidence in the company that you represent,
why would your customer ever want to do business with you? So, don’t forget
this very important step.
As you prepare to embrace some new habits in this New Year, be mindful of
these habits that you want to leave behind. These small adjustments will help
you reach or even exceed your growth goals in 2017.