What Are Clients Looking For in 2010?

There's no magic answer for making more sales, but these tips from sales expert Colleen Francis would be an excellent start!

What are clients looking for in their sales professionals and partners? Sales reps who have that special something: the skills, tendencies and attributes that help build strong and lasting relationships. They are looking for people they can trust over the long term. Buyers are looking for partners with strong "personal" skills, according to ACT research. So, keep these in mind:

--Carefulness: Do you have a tendency to think and plan carefully before acting? This helps with reducing the chance for costly errors, as well as keeping a steady workflow going.

--Cooperation: Your willing to engage in interpersonal work situations is very important in the workplace and in your client's perspective. Clients love when you include other company resources and expert sources to help them solve their problems.

--Creativity: You've heard of "thinking outside the box?" Clients want innovative people who bring a fresh perspective. If you have nothing new to present, your clients will have no choice but to default to pricing as the key buying factor.

--Discipline: This includes the ability to keep on task and complete projects without becoming distracted or bored. Clients like to see that you can focus on their project - and them - from beginning to end.

--Drive: Clients want partners who have high aspiration levels and work hard to achieve their goals. Many senior level decision makers have remarked to me that they don't return sales reps call just to see if the rep has the drive and desire to call back!

--Good attitude: Clients want to be associated with Life Givers. You know that so enough said. OK...one more thought. Be NICE.

--Goodwill: Clients want to know that you are well intentioned, not self serving.

--Influence: You clients need strong sales leaders to guide the way. Having influence means positively impacting sales situations by highlighting your expertise, being honest, asking questions and engaging your client.

--Optimism: A positive attitude goes a long way toward productivity.

--Order or Organization skills: "Where did I put that?" A tendency to be well organized helps clients to perceive that working with you will be without major distractions or "roadblocks." Make sure it's easy to buy from you.

--Safe work behaviors: Clients want sales people who are not reckless and unnecessary risk-taking in a work environment. Incidentally, the word safe is considered to be one the top 12 most influential words (according to Yale) so use it in your sales presentations for profitable results.

--Savvy: This isn't just about job knowledge, but knowledge of the industry, your territory, the client, their family, and their working environment. It includes a tendency to read other people's motives from observed behavior and use this information to guide one’s thinking and action.

--Sociability: How much do you enjoy interacting with clients, potential clients and your colleagues? Clients can sense if you are a team player.

--Stability: Clients want to know that you have a tendency to maintain composure and rational in stressful work situations.

--Vigor: Can you keep up? Your clients are busy business owners. They need to be sure you can keep a rapid tempo and keep busy.

Colleen Francis, Sales Expert, is Founder and President of Engage Selling Solutions. Armed with skills developed from years of experience, Colleen helps clients realize immediate results, achieve lasting success and permanently raise their bottom line. Learn more at www.EngageSelling.com

Ask Questions Now for Success in 2010

Planning for 2010 doesn't have to be a huge process - you can get major help from your current customers. Ask these questions from The Brooks Group, and you'll know more than ever about what your customers like about you - and what you may need to change.

Here are the essential questions to ask:

1. How long do your customers stay with you on average?
If you sell a product or service with a repeatable purchase history then you will need to know this information. This will allow you to spot trends in your customer loyalty programs. Should you change your programs or are customers leaving you quicker than they were a few years ago? Most businesses will generate 50-70% of their yearly revenue from their existing customers. Increasing customer retention is one of the fastest ways to grow existing revenue. Additionally, it is much more cost effective to retain your customer base then it is to find new customers.

2. Why do customers stop buying from you? Simply ask them!
It's amazing to me how many businesses do not track this information. The answer to this question will provide you insight into the core reasons why your customers leave. A band-aid, fix-it approach is not the solution and maybe you've used this method far too many times which is why you are loosing customers. Even if the reason is not your fault, then at least you gain a better understanding of why you lost a customer. Perhaps their top leadership changed and you need to resell the account.

3. What have you done to gain correct information on the following:

a. Who's buying your products and services?
b. Why they're buying?
c. Who's making the purchase decision?
d. How effective is your packaging?
e. What is your "Wow" factor?

All of these questions go together because they are designed to help you with your external/internal marketing efforts. For example, if 90% of your products and services are being bought by CFO's in mid-size organizations then you have defined your key market. You may want to craft a very targeted and specific message to this group of decision makers. Knowing why they buy provides insight into the trigger events that determine if someone is truly a qualified prospect. Even a minor detail dealing with how you package your product and the very color and contents of the outside packaging can determine a rise or fall in sales.

Take the time to review these key questions to see where adjustments may be needed.

4. What are your customers really saying about you and your organization?

Hopefully, they are saying good things. In today's world of online social-media outlets your customers are going to talk about you. Be aware of what they are really saying. Customers will talk to each other and for your sake that conversation needs to be a positive one. We live in a fast paced world where feedback is instant. Find out where your customers are talking and have a presence there.

Simply taking the time to go through these questions is the first step. The answers will lead you to add some extra meat to your overall strategy moving into 2010. I'm always amazed at how many organizations tell me they have never taken the time to answer these questions.

The Brooks Group is a Sales and Sales Management Screening, Development, and Retention company that has helped more than 2,000 organizations in 500 industries transform their businesses by focusing on building and sustaining top-performing sales, sales management and business development programs. www.TheBrooksGroup.com