One of the key tools that leaders in many types of businesses regularly create to help drive their strategies and tactics is a SWOT analysis. As you probably know, the typical SWOT analysis is a grid broken up into four quadrants to identify the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats that the leader is working with within their industry or trade. The SWOT grid can be viewed as a series of positive, neutral and negative traits that must be identified and addressed in order to meet the agreed upon business goals.
Successful sales professionals know the best strategies to close deals and grow their book of business in any sales environment. The immediate benefits of becoming a sales pro include better commissions and bonuses and generating new clients from current customer referrals. But you’re also setting yourself up for growth in the long term by crushing your sales quota and eventually becoming the undisputed sales champion of your company.
It’s important to analyze your core strengths and weaknesses in a series of key touch points in the cycle of making a sale. Those touch points include:
Prospecting
Potential customers are identified and detailed background information is gathered.
First Impression
Your first chance to display sincere interest in the prospect and their needs, gain positive acceptance and develop mutual respect and rapport.
Qualifying
Discovering what the prospect will buy, when they will buy and under what conditions (price, quantity and/or length of agreement) they will buy.
Demonstration
Your opportunity to present and position your product or service as the best option for what the customer is looking for
Influence – build value and trust with the customer and overcome possible second-guessing and delays in sealing the deal.
Close
Making the official sales offer, dealing with objections and negotiations and completing the transaction to mutual satisfaction
The sales road-map is laid out for you.
Now is the time to determine whether you are ready to navigate this industry that can be littered with roadblocks and detours. If you’d like to analyze your Sales SWOT and take the online Sales Skills Index assessment, email us at info@stephaniechung.com.