1. Presentation
A smart, business-like appearance will go a long way in helping you achieve your objective. Dress well and be polite.

2. Communication Skills
Oral and written communication skills are a must for a successful sales career. This includes good telephone etiquette and strong presentation skills.

3. Initiative and Self-Discipline
Being prepared to discuss the USA Card Service will greatly widen your sales ability. Be punctual for client appointments, and always get information back to customers ASAP. This will ensure current customers to refer you to others.

4. Persistence
A sale is often not closed the first time a presentation is made. A series of callbacks or visits may be required. People will put things off, and out of their mind and will appreciate your professional, friendly reminder.

5. Building Rapport
When in sales you have to build rapport, or an “individual relationship” with a wide variety of customers. You will encounter people of all walks of life. It is important to be flexible and be able to relate to a wide variety of people. Take time to listen to the customer. Get familiar with his or her needs. It is important to remember that customers are individual people and not j ust “sales”.

7. Attitude
Always remember you are “selling yourself” to people. Always be friendly and polite. It will pay off. People will remember you, and refer you to others. Referrals from other customers will most likely be your best advertising!

8. Potential Customers are everywhere!
Anytime of any day you could find yourself speaking with a customer.
A night out is an ideal time to do business. Every acquaintance you encounter will ask you “So what have you been up to?” or a new person you meet will ask, “So what kind of work do you do?” This is the perfect opportunity to tell them about USA Card Service. The number of people in the United States without a credit card is astounding. If they have a credit card, chances are they have an unpaid balance and are paying interest. Tell them how a “Balance Transfer” can give them 0% interest for 9 months! That will save them hundreds of dollars!

9. Be Prepared!
Have your business cards handy at all times, and be prepared to discuss the benefits of the USA Card Service. The better you know the benefits, or selling points, the more comfortable you will be discussing business in a casual setting.

10. Referrals, Referrals, Referrals!
Word of mouth referrals will be your best advertising. Always ask customers to refer you to their friends and family. Be sure to pers onally thank each customer that refers you to another. Let them know that you appreciate it. It will pay off!

11. Selected Reading
Below is some selected reading to help improve your sales skills and keeping a positive attitude.




How to turn a negative reaction into a positive one
by Naomi Wax

"No" is unpleasant. It's frustrating, it's demoralizing, and it’s downright annoying. It's also inevitable if you have a career in sales. You're going to hear it at some time or another, and though that initial sting might get you every time, there are ways to make "no" work in you r favor. It doesn't have to resound endlessly in your mind and undercut your morale.

To begin with, be aware that as much as "no" is a refusal, it's also an opportunity - one that many salespeople fail to capitalize on. When you're met with "no" as the final answer, rather than trying to force it into a "yes" or feeling bad and walking away, try asking questions. If you can find out why, you will be in a better position to garner a "yes" from your next prospect.

Why ask why?
People have all sorts of reasons for not buying, and you shouldn't necessarily take "no" personally. The more you can put your ego aside and gracefully accept the refusal, the more you might learn from the experience. So, assume for the time being that you've been turned down and your business with this person is done. Make it clear that you've accepted their reply.

If you're no longer trying to sell them, you and the buyer will be in a more neutral territory, and you'll have an easier time getting information that will help you. Begin by saying that you appreciate the time they've given you and ask if they would be willing to take just a few more minutes to talk about why they aren't interested. Explain that the information will be helpful to you in your job and you'd be thankful for their feedback.

You might not get a straight answer initially, because people are often uncomfortable with having said no and want to get out of the situation as soon as possible. They're likely to offer a pat answer about price or prior loyalty, but i f you probe a bit you might find your way to a more substantial reply.

Some approaches that might lead you to the truth include:

Was it something I said?
A difficult question to ask, but a crucial one to find out whether there was something in your presentation that the prospective buyer found off-putting. Again, you'll want to indicate through your attitude that you aren't going to fall into a fit or respond in rage. Attitude and tone are crucial here, and unless you've established a friendly rapport, you may not be able to pull it off.

If the mood seems right, try saying, "I hope this isn't asking too much, but was there anything I did that interfered with your decision?" You might want to add, "This is what I do for a living, and it would really help me to know."

Even if there is something about your approach that blew the sale, keep a professional attitude. No salesperson is perfect, and any approach can stand improvement. Also, an approach that works for one customer does not necessarily work for another - this is just one person's opinion based on one interaction.

Gather as much information as possible and consider the criticism carefully. Perhaps run it by colleagues and friends to see if they think it's well founded. But rather than letting it get you down, focus on how you can use it to improve your approach. And remember, a problem with your presentation is not an indictment of you as a person or a determination of your future in sales.

No does not mea n never
When you're turned down for a sale, whether you're able to gather more information or not, don't give a "no" more weight than it merits. If you find yourself panicking that it's all you'll ever hear or that you'll never meet your quota, remind yourself that it's just one sale. Every salesperson hears "no," and it's no indication of how your next meeting will go.

And don't forget, if you field this "no" with finesse, the person who didn't buy may be left with fond enough feelings to find a way to send future business your way. Establish whether you can call on them again in the future (be specific about when, suggesting a time when the circumstance that led to the "no" may have changed), and make sure they know that they can call you as well.

When to take your no and go
In some situations, you'd be better off letting "no" stand without questioning it. If the person you've been dealing with has been a no-sayer from the start - if he's been patronizing, prickly, or strikes you as pretty imperceptive - it's probably not worth pursuing his opinion. Solicit feedback only from people you respect and who you sense will be honest and constructive in their response.

Finding the yes
If every cloud truly has a silver lining, your challenge as a seller is to find the sliver of silver sagacity in every sale that slips away. If you set your sights on what you can learn from each "no" and the sales it might lead to, who knows, you might come to see "no" as an inspiring response and the seed for a future "yes."

The Power of a great approach
by Chris Lytle, CSP

I am walking through Terminal 2 at O'Hare Airport lugging two heavy bags. I see the shoeshine stand directly ahead. The shoeshine man is looking for his next sale. I am walking and thinking about getting to my connecting gate. Somehow, he catches my eye. When he has it, he looks down at my shoes. My eyes follow his. As I pass, trying not to look him in the eye again, he says, “Sir, let me shine those Cole-Haan loafers for you.”

“Uh, no thanks, I've got to catch a plane,” I reply. Now there is an original objection he has never heard before. I keep walking, but now I am thinking, “How did he know these are Cole-Haan shoes? That was an interesting approach. I wonder if they really are Cole-Haan shoes.”

I duck into the nearest men's room and, balancing on my left foot, I take off my right shoe to check the label. It reads, “Cole-Haan.” I put it back on and return to the shoeshine stand. “I have changed my mind. I need a shine after all.”

Are you willing to learn from someone who is not a trainer or teacher? This shoeshine professional sold me a shoeshine and threw in seven sales success principles absolutely free. Sure, his service is not very complex and his sales process is not nearly as complicated as yours. At the same time, you can benefit from and form a philosophy around these seven ideas:

A strong opening is cri tical.
When you pass the typical shoeshine man, he says, “Shine 'em up?” My pro had taken his approach to a higher level with a customized opening line for each customer. Research ranks approach/involvement the number one must-have selling skill, way above closing. This shoeshine man's opening question and confirmation question are one and the same. A strong opening leads to a strong closing.

Product involvement is a powerful success trait.
By calling out the brand of shoe, he was communicating, “Hey, this is what I do. I care about shoes.” Wouldn't you rather buy something from a salesperson that is into what he is doing?

Controlling the meeting's focus is critical.
When I passed the shoeshine stand, I was focused on getting to my gate. The salesperson broke my preoccupation with catching a plane and forced me to focus on my shoes. When you control the focus, you control the situation.

Eye contact is an important trust-building tool.
You convey confidence with eye contact. Looking customers in the eye and smiling with your eyes and mouth both help build trust and reduce a customer's reluctance to doing business with you.

Helping customers discover their needs is part of the process.
By getting me to look at my own shoes, I discovered that it had been a while between shoeshines. People rarely resist their own data and discoveries.

Doing it differently is refreshing and memorable for the customer. I have passed thousands o f shoeshine stands and had hundreds of shines. I still remember the shoeshine guy who did it a little differently. Will your customers remember you?

Customers buy from salespeople who align their behavior with the things customers’ value. Customers want to buy things. They want to work with professionals. They want to be engaged and challenged. Because I believe life is one big seminar and lifelong learners get more out of life.

Ralph Waldo Emerson said,” Life is a succession of lessons, which must be lived to be understood.”

What lessons will you learn today? Who will your teachers be? You never know. Just be open to learning from everyone.

Begin on the right note
by Priya Pavithran

With acquiring skills in sales you also have to worry about making mistakes while using these very skills. Here are a few mistakes that sales professionals make quite often. Stop for a moment today to review and find out if you are committing these mistakes!

Judging a book by its cover
A common mistake made by quite a lot of sales people is prejudging their customer by the way he or she dresses or talks. External appearances do not determine an individuals buying capacity and most often this is the first folly of the `I-know-it-all’ sales professional. An individuals appearance is no excuse to go late for an appointment or give less attention to the customers needs.

Talking down to customers
NEVER consider the customer stupid. He might need the product, but isn't sure how it is going to help him. Remember that's where you come in. Sharing the information is one thing and talking them down for ignorance is not.

Talking too much and listening less
Having finally got an appointment with the VP of the company, this sales person was all out to impress him. Only he ended up putting his size 12 foot in his rather small mouth. Talking too much never helps. Chances are, your client will get ticked off and never agree to see you again. Let him do the talking while you listen. One of the most common mistakes made is not paying attention to the clients. To understand his needs you need to listen.

Aski ng the wrong questions
Most mistakes in sales happen by asking the wrong questions. Ask the right questions, which reveal insights to your "WHAT, WHY, and HOW MUCH?” You need to get information before you give any information.

Do not sell when you have to prospect and vice-versa
But I raise poultry, not cows, mister. So I don't need the milking equipment you are trying to sell me.
Sales people often make the mistake of selling when they should be prospecting and prospecting when they should be selling. Approaching clients without doing any homework will certainly backfire. It will also put-him off for the subsequent meetings, when you might actually have something of his interest.

Lying to close a deal
Client: You say you have the food processor in red color as well? And you will be able to deliver that next week?
Salesman: Err..um..yes..uh..We will definitely deliver the product next week.
Truth - the product in the red shade hits the market only three months later.

Lying to close a sale never helps. It could land you in a mess and even damage your reputation. So always come clean.

Failure to follow-up
Client: You were to call me up at 11a.m on Tuesday. It’s Saturday today.
A terrible mistake is not to follow-up on your client. Such behavior will affect your credibility. And if you have been waiting for the customer to call you, well think again. If the client has set a time and date, then st ick to it.

So the next time your sales pitch seems to be going awry, remember you just might not be doing it right.

Analyze customer needs
Sell smarter not harder
by Ishita Mondal

In most cases salespeople are quick demonstrators. They start off with their well-rehearsed pitch, overloading customers with information about their product, instead of trying to find out what the customer wants or needs.

Information is the key to success and in the sales field; it is the information about the customer. The best way to find this information is through research before meeting the prospect, and probing effectively while discussing b usiness with them. The more you know about the background, current condition, and plans of the prospects, the more successful you will be.

A better approach would be to find out what are the customer's m ain concerns. Then give them as much information about those concerns as they seem interested in having. This does four things:

• It eliminates doubts due to lack of information.
• It projects you as an expert eager to help, thus holding the interest of the customer as he becomes convinced you are interested in issues important to him.
• By probing you will understand what the customer wants to accomplish, and narrow your recommendations accordingly.
• Probing also encourages customers to become involved in the conversation and develop a dialo gue between you and him.