How to Improve Your Sales Skills

Last Updated: February 27, 2023 References Approved

Sales are made when you can establish potential objections, client needs and the value of using your product. Time management, public speaking and motivation can also help you use this information to increase sales. This list of ways to improve your sales skills can be used by new salespeople. However, even seasoned sales reps must acquire new skills to respond to changing markets. If you find your skills successful, ask your manager for sales tools or promotional materials that can increase the quality of the services you deliver. Find out how to improve your sales skills.

Steps

1
Become an excellent public speaker. Take part in a local toastmasters group, if you do not feel comfortable cold calling, meeting with clients or speaking in front of groups. Some salespeople end up in this field without learning to speak effectively, so take the time to learn now.^{[1]
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2
Take a time management course. Ask your company to pay for training if managing your day is the biggest impediment to sales. Most proficiency experts agree that you should do your most important tasks in the morning, to improve the success of your day.

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3
Do interval calling. You may have heard of interval fitness training, and the same principles can apply to your sales schedule. Start your day by calling your most important clients, take a 1 hour break to do email, do a cold call power hour, take a break for admin tasks and return to calling in hour intervals throughout the day.
- Close your email program when you are calling. Consider this time sacred. Focus on the call, take notes as needed and avoid allowing other distractions.
4
Develop a listening strategy. Overall, you can personalize your sales process to the client if you listen closely. Use the information to establish a clients pain points, preferences and needs.^{[2]
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- Listening is an excellent skill. Don't jump into a sale pitch until you have asked potential clients what they are looking for and what their worries are. Add a few questions to your sales process.
5
Improve your sales aids. Add PowerPoint presentations to your laptop or print color copies of promotional materials. Ask your company's marketing department for help creating materials if you are unable to do it yourself.
6
Establish a next step before leaving a meeting or getting off the phone. Unless you are qualifying leads and you are not finding good potential, each call should end with an appointment scheduled or a task for your client to complete. Get your client involved in the process immediately, because they are likely to forget about your phone call or meeting when the next task starts.^{[3]
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7
Become an industry expert. Subscribe to industry journals, read blogs, research competition and visit lectures and seminars. If you are able to supply information to your client that reaches further than just your product, you can become their first resource when they want to make changes.^{[4]
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8
Polish your online presence. Start a LinkedIn Profile and website biography that you aren't afraid to share with clients. Avoid using social media, like Facebook, where people can post personal or inappropriate information where clients can see.
9
Get inspired before you call. Choose a favorite song, get your favorite beverage or watch your favorite YouTube clip to increase your energy and enthusiasm.
10
Streamline your pitch. Try to change and improve it every week. Adding new information from research or current events will allow your information to seem relevant during the sale.
11
Develop relationships with important clients. Send birthday cards, thank you notes or informational emails. Establish a personal connection, while you go above and beyond to meet their needs.
12
Put yourself in the shoes of your buyer. Examine your sales pitch to see if you would buy the product you are selling. Develop several other ways to ask questions and deliver information that might spark your interest if you were on the other side of a sale.^{[5]
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13
Ask for referrals. Leverage your strong relationships by asking if they know of other businesses that could use your services. Although you don't want to ask every time, make sure you have asked for referrals from each of them within the last year.
- Practice several ways of asking for referrals. Some salespeople feel awkward asking, so figure out ways to fit it into a call seamlessly. For example, instead of saying "Do you know anyone who would be interested in this product?" try "This is a limited discount, do you want me to share it with anyone?"

Expert Q&A

Question

How can I improve my retail sales skills?

Pete Canalichio
Brand Strategist & Licensing Expert
Pete Canalichio is a Brand Strategist, Licensing Expert, and Founder of BrandAlive. With nearly 30 years of experience at companies such as Coca-Cola and Newell Brands, he specializes in helping brands find the most authentic parts of their story to build a brand strategy. Pete holds an MBA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a BS in Physics from the United States Naval Academy. In 2006, he won an MVP Award from Newell Brands for his contributions to their Global Licensing department. He’s also penned the award-winning book, Expand, Grow, Thrive.

Pete Canalichio

Brand Strategist & Licensing Expert

Expert Answer

For me, it's all about understanding your story, and then communicating your story to your target audience: where they are and what they want to hear from you. When that happens, you get people coming to you saying, "I've read about you, I understand who you are, what you stand for, what matters to you, and how you provide services. I am interested in learning more about buying your product or service." That is a great way to increase sales, because it has people coming to you, and we call that the pole strategy.
Question

I find it difficult to sell high priced products, and credit sales are killing my business. How can I get around it?

Community Answer

High value product cannot be sold on price alone. I would suggest trying to understand the need of the customer (or create the need), and then highlighting the benefit of the product.
Question

How can I be an effective first-time sales person?

Community Answer

Enthusiasm is the key. Absolute belief in your product is another important aspect. Believe the product and yourself.