Be a successful sales representative

The sales department of every organization is one of the most important departments. Industries spend billions of dollars annually in advertising and research in order to achieve increase in sales. While the management and executive officers make policies that are crucial to the development of the organization, the sales team members are the ones bringing in the money.

Below are tips to help improve your career as a sales Representative

Identify Your Market 

Knowledge, they say, is power. Customers are willing to pay when their needs are being met. But first, you have to know whose needs you are meeting with your product. You need to know your target market. When you  know who you are selling your product to and determine if they are getting value for their money, then you have greater chances of increasing sales.

Segment Your Market

Segmentation plays a key role in marketing strategy. Instead of generalizing, segmenting your market helps you to classify your customers and device the best deals for each of the classes. For instance, if you are a car dealer, you could classify your market such that the kind of business deal you get to offer a school for buying a vehicle from you as a salesman for the purpose of shuttling their students would differ from the deal you would have with a  private individual. You could give a school the benefit of paying in installment which is an offer you may not give to an individual. By so doing, you have effectively segmented your market into schools and individuals while providing the same service in a different manner based on the segmentation.

Understand The Product/Service

 Don't go to a prospect without having proper knowledge of the product you are offering. People are more interested when you tell them how the product benefits them. Let them know you have a solution to their problem, then go ahead to show them, step by step, ways in which the solution you proffer could help them improve their lives and reduce their cost as well.

Know Your Competition And Try To Beat It

Know what your competition offers in terms of product quality and price and then come up with a better offer. Know their (competition) weaknesses and use it to build your strength. Put yourself in the shoes of the customer. Would you buy a product if you knew about another product that has better quality and is more affordable? Of course not. This is why you must know your competition and try to beat it. Get to know what they are doing better and how you can improve your product.

Offer After Sales Service Delivery, Free Maintenance And Check-up

To be truly successful as a salesman requires hard work, determination and a sense of respect for yourself and your customers. Just like people respond to confidence, they are put at ease when you treat them politely and in a kind, open and friendly manner. Give your customer the impression that you are helping them and not just making money off of them. You can decide to call your customer sometime after sales to see how they are doing. Ask questions like "are you enjoying the product?", "Did you experience difficulty in usage/installation of the product?", if yes, "would you like us to come and check it out?" Make sure you grant their requests if it is within your company's policy. But, if not, know how to politely turn them down.

Set Goals and try to achieve them

Know what you want to accomplish and make plans. Be specific in setting your goals and recognize the price you have to pay to actualize them. Research shows that the most successful and highest paid individuals in every field are people that have written goals. Like the saying goes, "write the vision, make it plain". Make sure your goals are achievable yet challenging and also within a time-frame. Resolve to use your time well as it is your primary asset.

As important as goal setting is, it would all be a wasted effort if your goals are not backed up with perseverance and a strong willpower. Consistency is key if you want to record success as a salesman.

When you have adequate knowledge about your products and its suitable market, make deliberate effort in giving your customer value for their money and evolve relationship, study competition and identify ways in which you can be better, and you are persistent in achieving your goals. You can be sure that you will attain a pedestal that will take you to new heights of success.