The Tribune

By Scott Farrington

Need some ideas on what to work on and improve? These are not new, and by no means exhaustive, but you can add a new twist to an old idea or, maybe, just simply be inspired.

Remember the song ‘50 ways to leave your lover’? Well, here are 50 ways to leave your old self and start creating a new sales lover.

I am pulling this from a post originally published in November 2008 by Lori Richardson. The idea is to become inspired to take action. Which one does it for you? What are you already doing that is working for you, and what are you not doing?

Pull a few that you wish to work on, then come back later and look at a few more. Keep going through the list until you feel you have worked on all you need to.

• Read a recommended sales book

• Bookmark a sales blog and read regularly

• Sign up for RSS feeds for sales sites, blogs or podcasts

• Hire a prospecting coach

• Hire a presentation skills coach

• Subscribe to Selling Power or Sales & Marketing Management

• Attend a sales conference

• Attend a sales skills workshop

• Hire a sales activity coach

• Improve your time management

• Learn the basic tenets of successful selling

• Learn about your own style and traits

• Learn about others’ character traits

• List out your selling “areas to work on”

• Set aside weekly prospecting time

• Keep track of all sales opportunities

• Update your sales opportunities daily

• Find a mentor you admire

• Review your physical image and style

• Hire an image coach

• Review your mental mountains and valleys

• Find three ways to make your more likable

• Read ‘Love is the Killer’ App

• Review Proficiencies for Masterful Sellers

• Read a book on creativity

• Go somewhere creative

• Block time in your calendar – weekly – for proactive selling

• Create a list of ‘biggest gain’ to do’s

• Mentor someone else in sales

• Call 50 people or meet 50 people, and hone your intro (or value proposition)

• Get feedback on your listening skills

• Make a list of 10 places to get new biz

• Work on your value proposition. It is about others, not about you

• Reinvent yourself

• Find a new audience for your product or service

• Learn 20 new power phrases

• Analyse what you say that is negative

• Target 10 companies you want to work with

• Create a plan of action for those 10 companies

• Set an activity goal to book 20 meetings

• Think of stories that you can use to better connect with prospects

• Analyse what past customers or clients have bought from you

• Offer a new service which your market wants

• Attend a Toastmasters group or Dale Carnegie

• Learn more about your prospective clients’ business to help solve problems

• Say “yes, and” rather than “no, but” – in the spirit of improvement

• Create urgency with an offer

• Become more proactive with customer service

• Ask for referrals

• Obtain letters of reference.

All of these Sales and Marketing strategies are certain to keep your business on top during these challenging economic times. Have a productive and profitable week.

Remember: “THOSE WHO MARKET WILL MAKE IT “

• NB: Scott Farrington is president of SunTee EmbroidMe, a promotional and marketing company specializing in uniforms, embroidery, silk screen and promotional products. Established over 27 years ago, SunTee EmbroidMe has assisted local businesses from various industries in marketing themselves. Readers can contact Mr Farrington at SunTee EmbroidMe on East Shirley Street, or by e-mail at scott@sun-tee.com or by telephone at 242-393-3104.