8 critical steps to drive sales

By Casey Cunningham

Imagine achieving a 388% increase in weekly prospect meetings. Picture securing an 88% surge in new prospects in just four weeks. Now envision maintaining this high level of success month after month and year after year — even during a tough economic climate.

These remarkable success rates are not only possible, but they can also be easily attained through mastering a proven eight-step sales methodology. Like all professionals, salespeople need the right training to internalize these steps. However, companies overlook training all too often. According to research cited by Zippia, one-quarter of sales professionals believe they lack the instruction they need. For that reason, here are some guidelines to help sales leaders start upskilling their teams.

Remember three important words

What should sales leaders remember first? Most of them would be surprised to learn that the secret to enabling their team’s success starts with each sales representative internalizing the three most powerful words for success: “I am responsible.”

“I am responsible for my attitude, my performance, my success.”

It may seem too simple, but it works. This approach consistently delivers the kind of remarkable success metrics described at the start of this article. When you can get salespeople to recognize that they alone own the results they deliver, you can help them win — and win big.

This can even transform underperforming sales reps into sales powerhouses.

Step 1: Own your mindset

Owning your mindset is the most critical step. You can’t shift your behavior without shifting your mindset. That’s why it’s important to focus first on believing in yourself and your ability — regardless of any outside obstacles. If you think you’re not capable or you’re average, you will be.

Salespeople must make long-term commitments to themselves and internalize the belief they can win. Only then can real, long-term transformation begin. Case in point: An insurance sales leader reported that after his salespeople were taught to “own their mindset,” they immediately acknowledged they had poor self-images. The concept of “I am responsible,” of individual accountability, became a game changer for them. They gained the mindset they needed to learn and grow.

Step 2: Create your flight plan

After you own where you’re going, you need a plan to get there. What is your objective? What do you want to achieve?

If you’ve ever encountered a pilot’s approach to planning successful flights, you can draw a close analogy to how sales professionals should go about planning for successful prospect meetings. Pilots would never fly a plane without proper training — or without knowing where they’re going.

In the same way, salespeople must develop a detailed plan before they actually “take off” to understand what a successful “flight” looks like. Flight planning requires salespeople to prepare for meetings — understand where they’re going, how they will get there, what “passengers” they’re taking and what goal they want to reach.

Step 3: Build the relationship

It’s an unfortunate reality that most salespeople go into a relationship to make a sale — not to build trust. Yet building trust is the most important aspect of forging a strong relationship that enables easier, long-term sales.

Gaining trust begins by communicating in a way that aligns with your customer’s communication style and demonstrates sincere interest in them, their challenges and their opportunities. Show you care by asking enough questions and being an active listener. And remember the three most powerful words in active listening: “Tell me more.”

Step 4: Set the stage

When you set the stage, it initiates a process abbreviated as OAPCC that delivers great sales closings:

• Opening a meeting with purpose sets the stage for success.

• Asking powerful questions uncovers gaps and goals to build trust.

• Presenting your value proposition enables a sales win within a shorter sales cycle.

• Confirming what you’ve heard ensures your presentation is on point.

• Closing by asking for the business becomes easier with the OAPCC process.

A successful opening also includes “managing the game clock” — confirming your prospect’s available time. Clarify the meeting objective, and set expectations with a clear agenda. This approach sets the stage for Step 5.

Step 5: Reveal the need

Step 5 focuses on asking questions in ways that clarify the prospect’s needs, uncovering the “why” behind the “how” and the “what.” Does the prospect need to increase, improve, expand or reduce something? Ask questions that deliver real insight and confirm upfront whether your company can address these needs.

Here is an effective way to ask insightful questions. Do your research to understand what issues are critical to your prospect. Then use that data to develop engaging questions that are relevant. The trust this creates makes prospects more willing to share the in-depth information you require for Step 6.

Step 6: Qualify your opportunity

Qualifying ensures the value of your solution is significantly greater than the prospect’s investment. If you can’t demonstrate that value, it’s better to walk away than to risk your personal reputation.

First, your goal is to confirm you’re working with the right decision-maker, clarify their timing and determine the available funds. In short, you’re building a “success bridge” — qualifying the opportunity with enough clarity to demonstrate that your company will stand out in delivering what your prospect seeks.

Step 7: Present your value

If you’ve accomplished steps 1-6 successfully, Step 7 is much more streamlined. Because you spent additional time building trust and qualifying the opportunity, the time to present your value should be short — and your closing should be even shorter. Why? Because your prospect is already sold, and they’re ready to start. This is also a moment to build trust.

At the same time you’re presenting to the prospect’s need, you should ask questions to double-check that you’re on the right path. This extra degree of confirmation reinforces that you have your prospect’s best interests at heart and that they can trust you to help them meet their objective.

Step 8: Solidify your strategy

This final step ensures you’re strategizing your business to replicate success. It’s a critical step that establishes the discipline of learning, refining and repeating what works.

Evaluate your performance and your strategy. Focus on business development — review where you are and where you’re going. Make it a habit to debrief after every sales call to enable consistent learning and growth. Ongoing introspection helps you build on your success and defines what skills you need to improve or reinforce.

These eight steps are the building blocks that develop confident salespeople capable of delivering remarkable results sales call after sales call. They’re designed to deliver long-term repeat clients for life. And they all depend on three powerful words: “I am responsible.”