How to be an Effective Salesperson

Being an effective sales person begins with what general type of sales person you are or want to be:  Relationship or Shotgun.  It is a given that all sales success is based on revenue generation but shotgun takes the path of simply pitching as many people you can in a set time frame and thus a very short sales cycle where reltionship selling allows for the building of a relationship and thus normally sets in motion the need for less prospects while allowing for a longer sales cycle.

Knowledge

If you follow the lead of the attorney: not asking a question that you need an answer for you will walk into a presentation not only knowing all that you need to know about your product or service but more importantly, you will know what the prospect has for points of value and pain.  You should be able to make your presentation speaking to the objections before they are presented to you.

Listen

If you are new and not totally prepared be ready to listen and then react accordingly or, if you have done a complete presentation be prepared to listen for any new objections.

Ask 

Once you have made your pitch and the presentation appears to be over but you have not yet made a sale make sure you do not leave without asking for the sale itself.  Something like:  "Have I answered all of your questions?" leads into the prospect signing or the actuall closing.  And once completed, a sale or not, make sure you ask for three referrals; the names and numbers of individuals that this prospect can recommend that you contact.

Follow up

You will not convert every presentation into a sale ... at least round one.  But you will have a far greater chance of eventually selling to the prospect if you maintain a proper and full follow up - staying in touch.