Master this software used by all successful salespeople
Selling has been around for thousands of years as people plied
their wares and developed trading lines. Civilizations were
discovered and established based on opening up sales channels
for goods and products. And sales developments starting in the
mid 20th century based in sales training, selling techniques,
and the growth of the telemarketing and inside sales profession
have led to the success of more and more salespeople. And in the
last 10 years, the internet has changed the face of the selling
game by offering lead generation and drip marketing programs and
the ability for buyers to obtain information about a product
before buying. But ultimately it's still a people game. Without
people to buy, nothing would be sold. And so the development of
Customer Relationship Management principles and software over
the last few decades has given those in the sales, marketing,
and customer service professions a new terminology and
methodology for improving the way they do their job. In short,
CRM as it's called, is the process of initiating, maintaining,
and improving the relationships an individual and company has
with prospects that lead them to become customers, and repeat
buyers. The software industry took notice of this new concept
years ago and developed software for every type of salesperson -
whether it be ACT and Goldmine for individuals and small
businesses, SalesForce, SalesLogix, and Microsoft CRM for medium
businesses, and Siebel, Oracle, Peoplesoft, and SAP for large
multi-national enterprises. And while the functionality of the
software varies, the principles remain the same. Find prospects
who are potential buyers of your product. Provide value by
discovering whether the problem they have or the one they
haven't yet discovered can be removed or reduced through a
product. Or on the positive side, the solution, result, or
feeling they're seeking. Then demonstrate how your product or
service is positioned in the marketplace and why it's the right
solution for them. And once they purchase what you have to
offer, continue the relationship with them through offering
training, support, service, and upgrades to future products -
ultimately leading to ongoing product purchases and the
sustenance of your business ad income. Whether or not you're
currently using a sales system based on Customer Relationship
Management principles, you will find that this methodology is
used by every successful salesperson. The commitment as a
salesperson to improving your sales process and performance can
pay great dividends to your bottom line. CRM software is
designed to help you get there.