1. Setting Objectives
SMART objectives -the most well known method for setting objectives. S.M.A.R.T refers to the acronym that describes the key characteristics of meaningful objectives, which are:
Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Realistic
Time-Bound
http://youtu.be/0MpfWT92mIU
2. Positive Mental Attitude
Each of us develops communication techniques for trying to get our way in life. You are involved in selling when you want someone to do something every single day, so use your use persuasion skills to persuade someone to act into purchasing your products or services. Most people fail in sales as they are not resilient to people saying NO. If your target customer is only 1% of the market, then you should expect to receive 99 no’s before you get one yes. So expect and be resilient to those negative messages.
http://youtu.be/CjAIWzyMwC8
3. The Importance of Product or Service Knowledge
Have you ever been into a shop to buy something only to be disappointed when it is clear none of the assistants can answer your questions simply because they do not know the products? Product knowledge or lack of it makes a huge difference between those who make the sales and those who miss out. Everyone agrees, that without having a good understanding of what you are selling you are going to fail.
http://youtu.be/iiOvLJshcxQ
4. Figuring out your Target Market
http://youtu.be/MdLJoSsrsg0
5. Making Telephone Calls
Successful cold calling essentially relies on your own attitude towards cold calling. Cold calling is traditionally the most challenging part of the selling process, yet can be the most profitable.
http://youtu.be/9633aa5Xljg
6. Finding New Business
http://youtu.be/YJnKk5vUoaI
7. Time Management
It’s important that you develop effective processes for managing your time to balance the conflicting demands of time for generating new leads, networking, account management and following up.
Sort out your environment!
http://youtu.be/DRD8iph4890
8. The importance of keeping today’s customers
Everyone in your business should focus on today’s customers without exception. These customers pay the bills and therefore are key to your survival. New sales should be a small part of a successful business and therefore should be done by and only consume a small number of people.
http://youtu.be/dSNkhSoKcWY
9. Meetings & Appointments
Thorough preparation before a sales call is critical to achieving a good conversion rate of potential clients into firm orders. You need to make sure you’re knowledgeable about your client’s needs as well as your own. In the sales meeting, if you struggle to answer any objections or queries or appear to be underprepared, you will almost certainly lose any potential sale.
http://youtu.be/-Xw7FaorHOk
10. Non Verbal Communication
93% of our communication is nonverbal communication and is broken down as follows:
· 7% verbal
· 38% tonal
· 55% physiological
Given that selling is largely about communication and that 93% of that is nonverbal communication it would make sense for you to examine nonverbal communication as a persuasion technique, wouldn’t it?
http://youtu.be/oVcG18Vxves
11. How to Sell Yourself
Take for example the insurance industry. There are so many insurance agents out there. Say you know Charlie, Louise, and Daniel and all three of them are from the same insurance company. All three of them approach you to tell you about their company’s insurance products. All three of them are selling to you the same product. What makes you buy from Charlie rather than Louise and Daniel?
Basically, one thing… you like and trust Charlie much better than the other two. As you can see, selling yourself is much more important that selling your product.
http://youtu.be/pS9qLRAnX9Y
12. Why People Buy
We can split the reasons why people buy into a number of factors which you need to understand before starting to sell. A person will have one or more of these factors which you can then base your sales strategy on.
http://youtu.be/Jty00aL94mA
13. Questioning Skills
Questions are the best way to find out information about your prospective client and ensure you understand their needs and develop a firm relationship with them. If you ask the wrong questions, you’ll probably get the wrong answer, or at least not quite what you’re hoping for, so think about the questions before hand and plan them into the meeting.
http://youtu.be/QyG2TmEhG3g
14. Effective Listening Skills
The most important skill you can develop as a sales person is the ability to listen and understand what your prospective clients are telling you. There are two forms of listening active and passive. Most people develop lazy passive listening skills which mean they hear the words, don’t process the aural sounds into understanding and follow through with feedback.
http://youtu.be/C8zNx_IarUw
15. Identifying Needs
You will need to help the prospective client recognise all aspects of their needs. At the end of this stage, the customer must be able to define all their needs and be able to discuss them in a prioritised order. A successful entrepreneur will be the one who can get the customer define his/her needs in a way that closely matches with the solution he/she is trying to sell.
http://youtu.be/cOndTLWNSiI
16. Selling Your Benefits
A well created benefit is a psychological trigger that compels a person to some action to purchase, due to their nature and the needs they have. It should be used to manipulate the sales encounter so that action is taken to buy a product or service by overcoming all possible sales objections and enticing the buyer to take action NOW.
http://youtu.be/kcpicxs7_vs
17. Powerful Presentations
This is the time where opportunity meets capability and you have to meet the challenge. The presentation contains seven powerful points to get across to your prospect.
http://youtu.be/nVz4qYbyxjQ
18. Turning Quotes into Orders
If you are dealing with a committee who need to have a democratic process in deciding to purchase your product, you have to understand who and what you are dealing with. So research the problem and ensure you can influence the outcome.
http://youtu.be/7dx-QLDdoVQ
19. Objection Handling
Objections are a normal step in the sales process, in fact if you don’t get them you should worry. As they are normal, you should plan for them and be controlled in your handling of them. Therefore we have a simple step by step process to handle objections.
http://youtu.be/XLUX_5NVZwg
20. Dealing with Multiple Decision Makers
http://youtu.be/3NuGhtslwdU
21. Providing Pricing and Discounts
One of the hardest tasks as an entrepreneur is deciding on what to charge people. You want to make a profit, gain market share and develop a meaningful brand which consumers respect. However, this doesn’t come out with a number which you can enter into paypal or your customers hand.
http://youtu.be/6ty9iBrw8Ps
22. When to Close the Sale
The aim of the sales process is to move the suspect to a prospect to a customer. This stage is about moving them towards the customer by closing the sale.
http://youtu.be/Y8N6sjMIqUQ
23. Closing Techniques
There are over 99 closing techniques, so here are just three techniques you can remember, use and develop as your own to sell your products. The key factor is to make it your own and be able to use it in the heated sales situation, thereby ensuring your success.
http://youtu.be/prRFhWSd_1c
24. Organising the Next Steps
The sales presentation and your handling of meeting objections should deliver a positive response. However, we all know there are three possible outcomes: Yes, Maybe and No. You need to be prepared for these and ensure you can manage each outcome in a highly professional manner which will ensure they want to continue building a relationship wih you.
http://youtu.be/fv7OpZSeOno
25. Consultative Selling Techniques
Consultative selling is about getting an in-depth understanding of the problem and then creating an intelligent, effective and creative solution. It’s about collaboration, building trust, adding value to the relationship. You will need to enter the relationship with the mindset of a consultant and base your Q&A sessions on finding their key drivers. You will need to focus on them and not wining the sale, so you can create solutions. Don’t be afraid to say not for me, pass on contacts who could help or provide expert advice.
http://youtu.be/LPGPzwmaCIA
26. Negotiation Skills
Negotiation is the art of reaching an agreement by resolving differences and leaving the other side intact and positive.
http://youtu.be/qqQGNFdo8sg
27. Sales: What could go wrong?
We know that things will go wrong, they just do, but you need to understand where the risks lie and how to ensure you manage the customers expectations and continue to build the relationship.
http://youtu.be/Og5uPP2m9vw
28. Account Management
The easiest sale you will ever get is from an existing customer. The fastest way to get new customer referrals is from from existing customers. The best way to improve your business is by getting feedback from existing customers. Ok, I think you understand, you have to build a good relationship with your existing customers.
http://youtu.be/9MqyQztNF_0
Solvej Biddle studied Economics & Politics at Royal Holloway between 1990-93 and subsequently founded Biddle Innovations, a company which has produced a range of products that have solved the problems she faced as a mother.
Kelvin is the CEO and founder of 
In 2006 Lucy Caslon, a Royal Holloway alumna, travelled through East, Central and Southern Africa before spending four months with AIDS orphans in Lesotho. She got to know and love the children and worried about returning home and leaving them in need of nutritious food and better living facilities. On returning to London, she founded Mants’ase Children’s Home UK which later evolved into 