William Cafarella shares Six Tips to Become a Better Salesperson

Salespeople should “always be closing.” While this adage sounds good, it often isn’t this easy.

Each year, businesses invest millions of dollars in training and recruiting in hopes of improving sales. William Cafarella knows the importance of this more than most. With 25 years of experience, he’s an expert in organizational leadership and staff development. The Florida-based general manager offers six skills any salesperson must have to be successful.

Be an authority

Be a leader! Don’t view yourself as a salesperson. Be an expert. It’s up to you to know the business inside and out. You can’t expect to convert sales without learning everything about a product or service. By establishing yourself as an authority, you’ll instantly gain credibility. Additionally, know the market and where your company fits. Explore the competition, what they offer, and any potential weakness they might have.

Develop a process

Enthusiasm and energy only go so far. While each sale is different, there should be established, practiced procedures in place. Consistency breeds comfort. Most importantly, create a system that is recordable and measurable. The ability to track progress is critical. Without this in place, salespeople will be unsuccessful, flailing from meeting to meeting based on intuition and gut feelings alone. By comparison, William Cafarella tracks metrics, reviews data, and makes changes as needed.

Adapt your message

Your process should evolve. Don’t construct a framework that’s so rigid you can alter it on the fly. Effective communication demands such adjustments. The tone and content of a pitch should remain fluid as you read potential clients. Speak clearly, concisely, and honestly. Treat meetings and pitches as conversations. This simple approach prevents you from overselling and keeps the dialogue flowing effortlessly.

Listen

What you’re talking about during a pitch isn’t nearly as important as what your prospective customer is saying. Actively listening is an essential skill, explains William Cafarella. Ask thoughtful, engaging questions to give others room to talk. Listening also helps develop empathy and understanding, both of which are fundamental qualities. Your goal is to form a bond. This can’t be achieved without listening.

Solve problems

Whether they see it yet or not, your client has a problem. Luckily, you have the solution. Turn a “no” into a discussion by using logic and reason. In your role as an expert, share your knowledge of the industry. Begin by listing the stumbling blocks others face. In doing so, you are demonstrating “added value” to a potential client. Frame pitches in a way where you are responding to their needs and challenges.

Embrace failure

Winning a new account feels great, but learning comes from losing. A loss is an opportunity. Highly-effective sales representatives head back to the drawing board, tinker with the approach, and get prepared to try again. You never need a sale. As William Cafarella points out, knowing when to walk away is one of the hardest lessons to learn. Be strong, be powerful, and be a leader!