Bull Goose Sales

Power Sales and Networking

Interviewing 101: What are my Key Strengths?

Knowing what your key strengths are going into an interview can help you to separate yourself from the other applicants.    Do you know what it is about yourself that makes you unique?  Do you know what it is about you that makes clients want to do do business with you?  If you  do not know the answer to these questions, how are you ever going to communicate these values to a potential employer?

How do I become more than just a resume, cover letter, and list of references? In other words, how do I make the type of impression during an interview that will elicit the curiosity of the interviewer to want to invite me back to discuss my abilities in more detail?

The answer lies in knowing what your strengths are and incorporating them into a unique selling proposition.   This is a defining statement about you as a salesperson.   It is at the core of who you are,  and it is also the main skill set that you bring to the table.  It is that one thing that you do better than anyone else.

Unfortunately, very few salespeople take the time to understand this principle, and revert back to selling themselves by reciting their daily job functions such as  cold calling, creating proposals, meeting with clients, and working very hard to reach the number.   They completely  miss the opportunity to communicate who they really are, and what strengths they ultimately could  bring to this new opportunity.

The 360 degree principle is an easy way to learn about your own selling  skills, and will also help you distance yourself from your competition.  Seek input from those closest around you such as  close friends, customers, managers, colleagues and peers.   Ask them what they think  your greatest strengths are?  Or why did they buy from you?  Take notes, and soon you will begin to  see some common threads.  Be open minded and you will find their input most insightful and possibly quite humbling.  These are your greatest strengths and should be incorporated into every question that you answer during your interview.

6 Comments by admin on March 10, 2010
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Boost your Optimism

News flash. There has been a new scientific study linking together a tie between a salesperson’s optimism and their production! Ground breaking I know, but there is now scientific evidence that proves that if you have a good attitude with a high level of optimism,  you will sell more, retain more clients, and ultimately make more money for your company!

In reality, any good salesperson worth their weight in salt has known this since they first got into professional sales.   In sales its largely all mental.   Either you think you can or cannot, it’s the old self fulfilling prophecy that ultimately  you get what you expect.

How many time have I gone into a new day, month, or year with little or nothing in my pipeline?      Sales professionals call it business as usual, the daily routine, and most importantly,  no need to worry.    Immediately a different train of thought takes over.   Remember,  “I’m good at what I do…, “I’ve been here before… ,” and “There is no way that I am not going to reach my goals!”.  This is the optimism that a sales professional takes with him into every challenge that he or she faces.
Salespeople are thinkers  but not worriers.   When a problem arises, they think about it.  They do not agonize over it.  “How can I solve this for my client?”   All thoughts are about solving the problem and ultimately getting the sale.  When problems do arise, they become immune from their negative emotions, as these can very easily become contagious.   They put on their blinders and think about how their product or service can help their client.

Emotions are contagious, and if we they are surrounded by negativity, then it is up to us to put on the blinders and stay glued to the task at hand.

No Comments by admin on March 2, 2010
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Gaining an Edge with Social Media

Sales has always been a game of numbers.   As such, any successful salesperson masters the ability to work smarter,  not harder as their career evolves over time.   Working smarter has never been  easier and more attainable than it is now, with the advent of  social media. These new platforms allow the salesperson to be where their clients and prospects are while giving them the ability to reach out and touch them in a non-threatening way.   The successful salesperson is always looking for an edge – either to get in front of a difficult prospect, or to nurture a closer  relationship with their client.

Tools such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn take professional networking to another level. Salespeople no longer  need  to rely on attending every seminar, open house, or networking event since they can interact with their clients directly using one of these social media outlets.

Unfortunately, most salespeople that I have spoken with know little or nothing regarding how to get the most out of social media. Most have a presence on Facebook, but that’s where their knowledge  usually ends. By not utilizing these powerful tools, the salesperson is potentially missing easy chances to connect with the very people on whom their success depends.

Social media is the new sales 101 of  networking and connecting with target prospects and future clients.  The current methods of cold calling and sending out emails are rapidly losing their effectiveness, and those people who continue to insist on using these outdated and increasingly ineffectual tools define insanity:  continuing  to do the same cold calling and the same emails  expecting different results.

No Comments by admin on March 1, 2010
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