SALESMANSHIP CAN BE LEARNED.
By Shah N. Khan
Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–94), Scottish novelist said,
""Everyone lives by selling something, whatever be his right
to it" If you are looking for a job, you have to show a sort
of salesmanship to get the job you want to get. An author has to do
a sort of selling to convince a publisher to publish his work.
So salesmanship is not confined to actual selling of products.
Selling is an art that you can learn if you make serious efforts.
Work at it and salesmanship will work for you. It will make your
customers as well as other people, like you, trust you and give
preference to you in all their dealings. You just keep on trying
and learning the art of selling irrespective of the results for
your attempts to sell.
There is no such thing as a born salesman. You can learn
salesmanship by studying, training, observing and practicing.
And practice and positive approach will make you perfect.
What is common in salesmanship and swimming?
If you do not know swimming and try to cross a deep river by
swimming, you will drown. So is the case with selling. Many
people fail because they expect to succeed in sales without
learning.
It is a part of the game of the salesmanship to hear and digest
'NO' with a smile. A salesman must get rid of the fear of rejection.
The best way to do it to expect more or less 900 to 950 people out
of 1000 to say NO and you won't be hurt. You just keep on liking
all your prospects even those who say NO. But from every contact
you learn something new if you keep your eyes and ears open. You
hurt yourself only by your own feeling of remorse and regret. In
insurance sales even the best of the salesmen average success rate
of hardly 10% of the people contacted.
Selecting and finding people whom you can sell is called
Prospecting. The success or failure in sales depends a lot the
way you do your prospecting. Maintaining a diary, seeking
appointment and obtaining introductions or referrals must a part
of daily routine. Calling on total strangers is more difficult
and requires different approach than calling on people referred
by the people known to you. People like to buy from the people
they trust.
Integrity of the salesman and his willingness to provide after
sales service and to work out a solution best suited to his
client and his interests are among the common denominators of
highly successful sales and marketing executives and other
personnel.
Planning and setting goals & targets are stepping stones for the
sales work 'In sales your goals must be out of reach but not of
out of sight.' Ben Feldman the greatest life insurance salesman
who made millions just by selling life insurance stated this. He
pursued the goals that were not achievable without extra ordinary
efforts. But he never set the goals that were foolishly high. He
kept on reviewing his progress and goals. He believed that that
you goals must not only for your business, but also for family as
well as social and cultural life.
It is said that in sales your Altitude depends on your Attitude.
This is quite correct. Somebody coined a phrase "KASH FORMULA"
for success in selling and defined it as follows:
1. K for knowledge of the product, organization and familiarity
with the basic principles of selling and marketing techniques.
2. A for attitude. Perseverance, patience and positive approach.
3. S for skills. Mastering presentation techniques, polishing up
sales talk and using psychological appeal.
4. H for habits. Personal habits to maintain good health, expanding
social circle, punctuality etc. count a lot.
This is just an overview of the things you can learn for in sales
you can ask for the moon and get it. But there is an old rule for
bargains as Charles Dickens wrote '"Do other men, for they would
do you." That’s the true business precept."
=================================================
Shah N. Khan has over 20 years experience as a senior executive
in marketing and supervising life insurance sales force besides
underwriting and advertising. He had started his career as Underwriter
of American Life Insurance Company in 1960. He retired as Executive Director
of State Life Insurance Corporation. He is now editing a weekly ezines
related to Management and Marketing and Personal Development and also
works as Internet consultant.
http://www.netvert.biz
Saturday, April 7, 2007
Friday, April 6, 2007
Great Tips for Success and Happiness
Great Tips for Success and Happiness
Culled from various sources after research and study
By Shah Nawaz Khan, Editor, Weekly Fraternity Briefs
Ladies First
(1) Do not cry. No matter what.
(2) Use your appearance to create an image of strength.
(3) Develop staying power.
(4) Specialize.
(5) Don't wear your sex like a badge on your sleeve.
(6) Put in more time than anyone else.
(7) Be loyal. (8) Be a team player.
(9) Never use your family as an excuse.
(10) Learn how to be a manager.
(11) Network.
_Dianne Feinstein (b. 1933), U.S. politician.
General Tips
1. Goal setting always works. Your goals and objectives must be challenging requiring extra ordinary effort on your part. They may appear to be out of reach but should not out of sight.
2. Your goals must be supported and followed by plans of action. You must plan your actions and act on your plans.
3. Write down your goals for business, hobbies, family, social activities and your entire life. Break them into target for the day, week, month and the year and evaluate your progress every day. Keep on modifying your goals and target and adding new ones or deleting old ones.
4. Resolve and affirm and keep on reaffirming that after 6 to 8 hours sound sleep, you will utilize every moment available to you productively.
5. Keep on practicing positive thinking and approaches and framing such subtle and gentle questions the response for which would be, "yes"". Ponder over it and keep practicing how you can get other person to answer yes.
6. Be a good listener. Let the other person do most of the talking.
7. Throw challenges indirectly and appeal to noble motives.
8. Punctuality helps you in winning but you lose a lot being late.
9. Avoiding snap decisions will save you from losses and embarrassment. But indecision or not making a decision in time would cause more damage.
10. You must get all the relevant facts to arrive at a decision but remember that in most cases an imperfect decision may be better than 'No decision'.
11. "Better to be occasionally cheated than perpetually suspicious". _B. C. FORBES.
12. Executive ability has been defined to be "making quick decisions and getting somebody else to do the jobs." And art of delegation is said to be art of management.
13. Never tell a person that his opinion is wrong. Show respect for the opinions and convictions of others.
14. Don't entangle yourself in an argument. You may sometime win an argument but lose a friend or customer. By avoiding argument you have little to lose.
15. If your mistake or error of judgement comes to light admit it quickly and graciously.
16. Greet people with a broad smile and warm handshake. But be careful, many ladies do not like to shake hands with men. However, practically every woman feels pleased with a compliment.
17 Be generous with praise and avoid criticism. But point out mistakes or errors subtly and gently (in privacy as far as possible) if that is going to create embarrassing situation later.
18 Find some reason to praise something. It may be a dress or some new possession.
19. Be sincere and honest, as that will be reflected by your facial expressions while you talk.
20. Watch carefully body language or gesticulation of successful people, leaders, etc. Do not imitate them but try to develop your own style. Body language helps others in understanding what you try to convey.
21 In written communication a neat style, simple and straightforward approach and simple language free from grammatical mistakes will pave the way for convincing others.
22. Be sympathetic with other person's ideas and desires. That will help in developing feelings of mutual trust and understanding.
23. Keep on learning new things and watch the developments in your field of expertise or business. Even great scholars and scientists do that.
24. One of the best ways to get happiness is to make the people around you happy.
25. Count the blessings of God that you have and think of misfortunes and miseries of the people around you and thank the Almighty that you are better than many.
26. Always remember that feelings of disappointment, remorse and discontentment are
temporary and time is a great healer but you must pray and meditate. That will help in working out a plan to get happiness.
27. Learn to control anger and anxiety. Take a shower or wash your face with a wet towel when these emotions overtake you.
28. Take part in social and cultural activities and make acquaintances with strangers preferably asking your friends to introduce you to the people you want to meet. Don't be shy in approaching the strangers if you have to. After all you are as important a guest or visitor as the others. Exchange visiting cards after exchanging pleasantries but before parting or shaking hands to say bye.
29. Ring up the new acquaintance after a day or two just to renew contact and invite for tea or something, or just send a small note.
30. Make conscious effort to get rid of bad habits like smoking, drinking, gambling etc. Pray to
God to give you power of faith. With that power you can move mountains.
31. Do what you love, love what you do and deliver more
than you promise.' --Harvey Mackay
32. Always bear in mind that the world cares very little about what a man or woman knows; it is what a man or woman is able to do that counts.
See this and many other articles at
read http://www.netvert.biz/articles/great-tips.html
Shah N. Khan
Culled from various sources after research and study
By Shah Nawaz Khan, Editor, Weekly Fraternity Briefs
Ladies First
(1) Do not cry. No matter what.
(2) Use your appearance to create an image of strength.
(3) Develop staying power.
(4) Specialize.
(5) Don't wear your sex like a badge on your sleeve.
(6) Put in more time than anyone else.
(7) Be loyal. (8) Be a team player.
(9) Never use your family as an excuse.
(10) Learn how to be a manager.
(11) Network.
_Dianne Feinstein (b. 1933), U.S. politician.
General Tips
1. Goal setting always works. Your goals and objectives must be challenging requiring extra ordinary effort on your part. They may appear to be out of reach but should not out of sight.
2. Your goals must be supported and followed by plans of action. You must plan your actions and act on your plans.
3. Write down your goals for business, hobbies, family, social activities and your entire life. Break them into target for the day, week, month and the year and evaluate your progress every day. Keep on modifying your goals and target and adding new ones or deleting old ones.
4. Resolve and affirm and keep on reaffirming that after 6 to 8 hours sound sleep, you will utilize every moment available to you productively.
5. Keep on practicing positive thinking and approaches and framing such subtle and gentle questions the response for which would be, "yes"". Ponder over it and keep practicing how you can get other person to answer yes.
6. Be a good listener. Let the other person do most of the talking.
7. Throw challenges indirectly and appeal to noble motives.
8. Punctuality helps you in winning but you lose a lot being late.
9. Avoiding snap decisions will save you from losses and embarrassment. But indecision or not making a decision in time would cause more damage.
10. You must get all the relevant facts to arrive at a decision but remember that in most cases an imperfect decision may be better than 'No decision'.
11. "Better to be occasionally cheated than perpetually suspicious". _B. C. FORBES.
12. Executive ability has been defined to be "making quick decisions and getting somebody else to do the jobs." And art of delegation is said to be art of management.
13. Never tell a person that his opinion is wrong. Show respect for the opinions and convictions of others.
14. Don't entangle yourself in an argument. You may sometime win an argument but lose a friend or customer. By avoiding argument you have little to lose.
15. If your mistake or error of judgement comes to light admit it quickly and graciously.
16. Greet people with a broad smile and warm handshake. But be careful, many ladies do not like to shake hands with men. However, practically every woman feels pleased with a compliment.
17 Be generous with praise and avoid criticism. But point out mistakes or errors subtly and gently (in privacy as far as possible) if that is going to create embarrassing situation later.
18 Find some reason to praise something. It may be a dress or some new possession.
19. Be sincere and honest, as that will be reflected by your facial expressions while you talk.
20. Watch carefully body language or gesticulation of successful people, leaders, etc. Do not imitate them but try to develop your own style. Body language helps others in understanding what you try to convey.
21 In written communication a neat style, simple and straightforward approach and simple language free from grammatical mistakes will pave the way for convincing others.
22. Be sympathetic with other person's ideas and desires. That will help in developing feelings of mutual trust and understanding.
23. Keep on learning new things and watch the developments in your field of expertise or business. Even great scholars and scientists do that.
24. One of the best ways to get happiness is to make the people around you happy.
25. Count the blessings of God that you have and think of misfortunes and miseries of the people around you and thank the Almighty that you are better than many.
26. Always remember that feelings of disappointment, remorse and discontentment are
temporary and time is a great healer but you must pray and meditate. That will help in working out a plan to get happiness.
27. Learn to control anger and anxiety. Take a shower or wash your face with a wet towel when these emotions overtake you.
28. Take part in social and cultural activities and make acquaintances with strangers preferably asking your friends to introduce you to the people you want to meet. Don't be shy in approaching the strangers if you have to. After all you are as important a guest or visitor as the others. Exchange visiting cards after exchanging pleasantries but before parting or shaking hands to say bye.
29. Ring up the new acquaintance after a day or two just to renew contact and invite for tea or something, or just send a small note.
30. Make conscious effort to get rid of bad habits like smoking, drinking, gambling etc. Pray to
God to give you power of faith. With that power you can move mountains.
31. Do what you love, love what you do and deliver more
than you promise.' --Harvey Mackay
32. Always bear in mind that the world cares very little about what a man or woman knows; it is what a man or woman is able to do that counts.
See this and many other articles at
read http://www.netvert.biz/articles/great-tips.html
Shah N. Khan
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