In the past six months, I’ve had the privilege of partnering with some of Nigeria’s leading institutions to facilitate sales modules for over 2,000 trainees, as part of their comprehensive induction programmes. These programmes guide new hires through an extensive array of courses spanning various roles within the company. Following weeks, sometimes months, of immersive…
Over the years, I’ve trained thousands of business development professionals across various sectors. What has consistently stood out in my interactions with these professionals and tracking their results is the critical role of resilience—the willingness and commitment to go the extra mile. Sales excellence hinges on three essential self-awareness competencies: emotional self-awareness, accurate self-assessment, and…
Cultural humility means subsuming your culture to the pervading and dominant culture of your environment. It’s about aligning yourself to the ways and etiquettes of your environment without compromising your core values, beliefs and principles. For instance, in the southwest part of Nigeria, it is the culture that a younger person should kneel, prostrate or…
Good appearance is a key trait you will find in sales champions. Appearance is very critical in selling because you are seen before you are heard. If your appearance turns me off, then I am unlikely to want to listen to you. It has been repeated very often that how you dress is how you…
A key trait of great salespeople is self-belief. If you want to excel in selling, you must possess a high sense of self-worth. You cannot excel in selling if you have an inferiority complex. Many salespeople want to achieve a whole lot in life, but they lack the sense of self-worth to drive them. The…
How you interpret a sales objection inevitably impacts your sales results. If you see an objection as a wall, the tendency is to psychologically turn back whenever you hear one. If, however, you perceive an objection as hurdle, you would do what hurdle runners do … jump over it. Just as you can’t win a…
We all prefer to buy from people we like, trust and have confidence in. You should therefore design, package, and present yourself as a brand with the appropriate depth of knowledge, excellent skills set and a great attitude. Present yourself as experienced, self-assured and able to take decisions, resolve conflicts and solve problems. Buyers and…
Sometimes the best way to sell is to emphasize what the prospect would lose by not buying from you, not just what they would gain. This principle seeks to exploit the natural human tendency to avoid loss. Most people are risk averse. They take buying decisions in a default safety mode. In addition, some prospects…
In other words, don’t beg, sell. I have had several encounters with salespeople who have appealed to me to buy, “so that I don’t lose my job”. Some others want you to buy so they can meet their targets. A few actually want you to buy because, “my life depends on this sale”. Really? A…
The power of social proof and external validation are strong influencing forces in selling. Prospects and buyers want to avoid being the guinea pig for your products and services. A history of performance and testimonials lend more credence to your selling points than all the demonstrations and claims you can present. This principle is more…