One of the most important keys to sales success is sales activities. The more sales activities, the more competency increases and the more often a positive result is realized.

2. Contact Qualified People.

Qualifying prospects as best you can on the front end is the best way to improve your conversion rate on the back end. The more often the people you talk to are qualified, the bore often you will close the sale.

3. Contact Motivated People.

Some of your prospects can be qualified for motivation – as a part of the qualifying process. Be alert to hints of the prospect’s level of interest in the approach phase of your selling process. Part of it is still on your shoulders. A part of your job as sales person is to build excitement and desire for the product or service, which brings us to…

4. Present Your Story More Persuasively.

You know the basic human motivators: seeking gain, avoiding pain, making life simpler and easier, gaining love and attention. Listen for indicators of which of these motivators your prospect is in need of at the moment. Tie features to benefits and motive- gratification. And always make your unique selling proposition the centerpiece of your presentation.

5. Lead; Don’t Push!

“Anyone convinced against his will is of the same opinion still,” said the late sales trainer, Dick Gardner. Dick would go on to say that your job as salesperson is to reveal the prospect, not to create him. This goes back to qualifying your prospects up front so you know you’re really in front of a prospect, not a suspect.

6. Always Assume the Sale.

Whether you assume the prospect will be your client, or whether you have doubts, you’re probably going to be right. If you can’t make the sale first in your head, it’s unlikely you will be able t make it in the prospect’s head. Your enthusiasm for the proposal will be contagious, as will your lack of enthusiasm. Whether you have or lack enthusiasm is product of your self-talk and your self-determination.

7. Always Be Closing – Ask For The Order.

J. Douglas Edwards used to say, “Great salespeople have a speech impediment. They cannot make a statement without following it with a closing question.” You would agree with that, wouldn’t you?

8. You Need Feedback to Make the Sale.

New salespeople are afraid of “objections.” Experienced sales people look forward to hearing “feedback” that tells them what they need to say or do to lead the prospect to the sale.

9. To Manage Time and Effort Better, Play “Beat Yesterday” Games.

Your performance will begin to get better when you keep records of your activities, compare them year-to-year, month-to-month, week-to-week, day-to-day, and hour-to-hour. Plot your activity levels on a graph so you can visualize them, and visualize the comparisons from one time frame to the last. This way you can actually see how you’re doing. There is no better self-motivator.

10. Get back to the basics. Read, Reread, Review and Study These Basics – Whether You Need To Or Not!

You never outgrow your need for the basics. Even “old pros” are susceptible to highs and lows in sales productivity, and the economy isn’t always to blame. The more you participate in self-improvement – especially the basics, the more “on track” you will be and the more consistent your productivity will be.