The Key to Driving Sales is Understanding What Not How

What does it take to make a sale lately?

In Sales, we used to focus on the "Sales Cycle." Maybe you still do? The problem with the traditional definition of the 'Sales Cycle' is that it is focused on YOU and not on your prospect. More recently, the focus has shifted to the 'Buying Cycle' and learning how to synchronize it to gain a win-win relationship. To sell successfully in today's market, your focus must be on the integration of the 'Sales Cycle' and the 'Buying Cycle' into an overall sales system based on trust, ethics, win-win, and driving towards a transaction. This "commerce cycle" is rooted in the buying and selling relationship, with special emphasis on value ? the value that both the buyer and seller each bring to the relationship.

Commerce is a much more applicable term to understand the complete nature of selling, where the acts of buying and selling integrate. Just like the laws of nature, for every action there is an opposite reaction. The same holds true for sales.

To leverage the 'Commerce Cycle' it is important to understand: 1) the buyer(s) and his/her buying cycle(s), 2) your sales cycle, and 3) how and when the two intersect. A variation of this approach used to be referred to as 'reducing the sales cycle.' In reality nothing was reduced, you just learned when to engage. Understand the buyer(s), and the buying cycle(s), and you will understand the commerce cycle - then you will be widely successful.

All sales professionals, no matter their functional area of expertise should be able to understand the strengths and weaknesses of their selling abilities in their various markets. Having a "universally functional" understanding will help you attain higher levels of sales success. Various examples of universal functionality may include: solution selling methodologies, commodity selling methodologies, high volume selling methodologies, and methodologies used when selling a service.

It's a cluttered sales world out there, and you need to develop a model that helps you better understand the balance of selling and buying in today's global economy. The model you develop must be rooted in an understanding of the seller's activities and the buyer's activities. Strive to make your model open and flexible to account for faster or slower sales cycles.

From the CEO to the front-line sales representative, the key is to develop an organizational understanding of the processes and framework of professional selling. Professional sales people are the revenue generating engines of any company. Yet few sales people are measured on standardized metrics of performance. Often, a "what works for you, won't work for anyone else" approach is taken when it comes to training and nurturing the professional sales person.

Driving your sales means to understand "What" the sales profession is. To do that, you must continuously improve and seek the help of books, tapes, seminars, and others. Find the "what" as it pertains to you ? the truth is out there.

Brian is the Chairman and Founder of the the United Professional Sales Association (UPSA). UPSA is a non-profit organization headquartered in Washington DC that has addressed the concerns and challenges of individual sales professionals. Brian has authored the world's first universal selling standards and open-source selling framework for free distribution. This 'Compendium of Professional Selling' containing the commonly accepted and universally functional knowledge that all sales professionals possess. The open-source selling standards have been downloaded in 16 countries by over 300 people. Over 30 people have made contributions.

Because UPSA is not owned by one person or any company, it is a member organization and guardian of the global standard of entry into the sales profession.

Find out about the membership organization and understand the processes and framework of professional selling at the UPSA Website at http://www.upsa-intl.org. Find out more about Brian at: http://ezinearticles.com/?expert_bio=Brian _Lambert

---

Dont Read This Issue: Why Saying No Can Make Your Sales Rate Soar!

Yes, it's true. Saying "No" is a great way of... Read More

Want to Make More Money? Fish in a Bigger Pond!

Setting prices is a dilemma most service business owners encounter... Read More

Really WINNING Over Customers

Three qualities are needed to sell anything in life. They... Read More

Increase Your Sales Without Spending Another Cent

Many home business owners lament they don't have enough cash... Read More

Sales Language: Whats Wrong with But?

Language is one of the most important tools you have... Read More

Five Tips To Increase Your Sales

1. You could end your ad copy with a discounted... Read More

Sell Yourself, As Well As Your Product

When selling a product to a consumer, one of the... Read More

7 Sales Techniques To Differentiate You From The Competition

You have a choice. You can stand out or blend... Read More

A Sale in 30 Seconds? Its all in the Greeting

It has been said that a customer makes a decision... Read More

Sales: The Secrets Of Super Salesmanship Exposed

Most people tremble when they hear the word "sales".This explains... Read More

The #1 Lead Generation System of Top Sales People

Developing an abundant supply of targeted referrals is the number... Read More

How To Give Your Sales Job A Strategic Tune-up

In happens every year in June.Six months down and six... Read More

Date Your Customer!

Yes, you heard me right; I said "Date your clients!"... Read More

Closing The Sale

Several weeks ago I asked my Newsletter subscribers to send... Read More

Emotions That Sell, Part 2

In the last article, we looked at three emotions (besides... Read More

How to Spellbind Your Prospects in 10 Seconds!

You've got yourself 10 seconds to HOOK your prospects or... Read More

Top 10 Secrets to Fully Embrace Sales and Exceed Your Goals Forever!

1.- REMAIN VERY CLIENT FOCUSED! Not Company focused. Your clients... Read More

How To Win Business By Networking

In sales we do tend to become focused upon our... Read More

Selling More Effectively as a Trusted Sales Professional - Thirteen Tips

Do you want to sell more successfully using an honorable... Read More

Qualifying vs closing

The art of effective question asking (qualifying) determines the effectiveness... Read More

Successful Sales People Know Which Differentiators Matter

Know where to focus. Not everyone evaluates product solutions with... Read More

Sales Marketing: 10 Sales Marketing Tricks To Explode Your Profits

Sales marketing online is an art that you must keep... Read More

Start Your Sales Engine!

Does your business run on a sales engine or a... Read More

How Do You Use Your Sales Commissions?

What do you do when you have a big sales... Read More

Is It Time To Rethink Your Sales Training Program or Is Your Sales Training Delivering Results?

Sales is still a must for any company who wishes... Read More

The Choice between Yes and Yes: A Psychological Revelation

Three year old Kara was throwing a tantrum. She didn't... Read More

Increase Your Selling Confidence

1. Be on time. In fact, arrive a few minutes... Read More

Prospecting: Not A Wild Goose Chase... Its A HUNT

Prospecting for future customers can be fun if you approach... Read More

Pressure Washer Business; Cleaning Composite Decks

There is a new trend in the way wood decks... Read More

It Is Not The Price That Is Keeping You From Making The Sale

Most salespeople are under the false belief that the lower... Read More

Youre Hired... I Think

I'm not a fan of "The Donald" and I had... Read More

Busting Your Assumptions: Effective Probing Techniques for Sales Professionals

Do you find yourself making these kinds of assumptions?- "I... Read More

Make Your Prospects Speak

You've probably heard people speaking about someone that he was... Read More