Selling Strategies That Work

It's

2006.

Time

to

Win.

The Sales 101 Final Exam

By Dave Stein, Author of How Winners Sell

I spend a lot of time coaching sales people of all levels to win deals.  I'm constantly amazed at the fact that some of them can't execute the basics flawlessly.  Sometimes it causes a deal to be delayed or lost.  Other times, the rep loses credibility or even irritates the prospect in some way.

Years ago, as I began to ask questions and analyze the results, I realized that many of these underperforming reps were never trained in the basics.  Others were trained, but in methodologies that weren't any longer relevant to the job they were required to get done. Still others had been proficient at the basics, but had become complacent over years of selling using more advanced selling skills.

The Next Generation of Winners

This past spring I was privileged to be a judge at the National Collegiate Sales Competition held at Kennesaw State University, near Atlanta.  More than 100 participants represented 35 universities from 20 states and Mexico.

What I got to experience was a field of college seniors, who were enrolled in professional selling programs, taking the judges and observers through, in many cases, nearly flawless execution of the sales basics.

The quality of their performances was not an accident.  It was clear that the students were coached by skilled and committed faculty members from their respective universities.  (One such dedicated educator is Karl Sooder, from the University of Central Florida, who brought this event to my attention.)  Most contestants were poised, personable, skilled communicators, and quite knowledgeable about their product, customer, competition, and selling situation.

With the permission of Dr. Terry Loe, Director of the National Collegiate Sales Competition, I am sharing with you the scoring sheet for the simulated first sales call used in the competition.

Order the entire 1,350 word article here for $3.95

(c) 2005 -- The Stein Advantage, Inc.

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