Mentors are an important part of becoming a successful salesperson. A mentor or helper could be a co-worker, manager, or someone in a similar field. Find a mentor who can offer advice, tips, experience and suggestions for improving your sales skills.
Here’s a short list of our tips for getting the most from a relationship with a mentor:
Brainstorm. Sometimes you get so immersed in a sale that you can’t see the forest for the trees. Some of the best ideas and proven sales techniques come from a simple conversation. Open the conversation with a simple comment like, “Tell me about your best sales call,” or, “What do you say on a sales call that always seems to work?”
Have a game plan. Based on your personal styles, or the nature of a particular sale, determine in advance the roles that you and your partner will play in each sales call you make together, whether in person or not. You can have your mentor/helper make a follow-up phone call to your customer and ask how you did, if you asked the right questions, and if you provided a real solution. Team selling is one of the most effective ways to approach customers and a great way to close more sales.
Learn. When you go on a sales call with a proven sales professional, be sure to keep your eyes and ears open. Study their selling techniques. Pick out things they say that fit your style, and then use them on your next sales call.
Be selective. Use your sales mentor to your best advantage on difficult sales calls or for negotiations where you are at a stalemate. For some reason, you may not click with a particular customer, but your mentor may be the key you need.
Try making a joint sales call with your mentor today!