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For every newcomer about to enter or just entering industrial product sales, the primary tasks are to learn essential product knowledge, master basic sales skills, accumulate initial contacts, and understand routine operational processes. When stepping into the market and directly facing competitors, the competition is not only about the company's overall strength but more directly about the skills and professionalism of sales personnel. Therefore, if sales personnel cannot complete their own energy reserve, it will be difficult to achieve final victory in the competition with competitors.
Sun Tzu said: "Thus, those skilled in warfare seek victory through strategic advantage, not by blaming their men. Therefore, they can select the right men and exploit the situation. Those who exploit the situation command their men like rolling logs and stones. The nature of logs and stones is such that on flat ground they are still, on steep ground they move; if square, they stop, if round, they roll. Thus, the momentum of skilled warriors is like rolling round stones down a thousand-fathom mountain. This is momentum." For sales personnel, momentum first comes from their own knowledge and cultivation; being able to package the company's products from the customer's perspective, enhancing product value; achieving win-win cooperation by maximizing customer interests. Secondly, momentum comes from the comprehensive ability to utilize corporate resources. Industrial product sales is not a solo act; it requires close collaboration with various departments. Fully mobilizing all aspects of enterprise resources to serve oneself is the key to gaining an advantage in competition. Thirdly, momentum comes from the accumulation and proper use of personal connections. We often say: "In industrial product sales, both the person and the product are indispensable; sometimes the person is more important than the product." The success of an industrial product salesperson is 70% connections + 30% knowledge, and 70% of a salesperson's work content lies in relationship management. Persistently accumulating connections is the guarantee of a successful sales career. Fourth, momentum comes from capability improvement. The core capability of a salesperson is the ability to discover and solve problems. Only through tempering in actual work, reflecting in failure, and summarizing in success can one achieve the moment of phoenix nirvana.
Accumulating momentum lies in:
I. Knowledge Reserve. Mastery of product and industry knowledge is the starting point of a salesperson's work. In many enterprises, industrial product salespeople are called "sales engineers." As the name implies, salespeople should be as familiar with the company's products as technical engineers, systematically mastering and understanding product classification, performance, technical parameters, applicable objects, and product advantages. The deeper and broader the product knowledge, the better one can resolve customer doubts and gain customer trust in actual sales.
Salespeople's product knowledge reserve is centered on sales, with practical application as the purpose; what customers want to know is what should be mastered. Salespeople's mastery of company products should be specific to the product, focusing on precision rather than breadth; the finer the mastery of product performance, technical characteristics, production processes, and quality standards, the better one can establish an expert image in front of customers. At the same time, salespeople should know how to convert product advantages into customer value. For example, if our company's product adopts a certain new material that can effectively extend product life by three to five years, this can gain an advantage in sales work.
The reserve of product knowledge is a long process that runs through the entire sales career. New technologies and new products are constantly emerging, forcing salespeople to continuously update their product knowledge.
The reserve of product knowledge lies in application; and in practical application, more product knowledge is accumulated. Salespeople should learn to explain products in plain language and gain more knowledge through communication with customers.
II. Information Reserve. Collecting and analyzing industry, customer, and competitor information is the cornerstone of a salesperson's work. For salespeople, information is like pre-war intelligence, representing new sales opportunities. As Sun Tzu's Art of War says: "Know the enemy and know yourself, and you can fight a hundred battles without defeat." In the process of developing new customers and operating new projects, mastering accurate and effective first-hand information directly determines the work approach and operational strategy.
It is often said that excellent salespeople should be observant and alert; the core meaning is sensitivity and responsiveness to information. Information is the starting point of sales work. Only by timely collecting sales leads and discovering potential customers can sales opportunities be obtained.
Customer information is the basis for formulating sales work plans. The sales promotion plan comes from the customer's procurement decision-making process; that is, the process by which customers screen suppliers is also the process by which we advance our sales work. This includes supplier selection criteria, selection process, reviewing departments, internal influencers and decision-makers, etc.; mastering this relevant information enables the formulation of targeted sales strategies.
Customer information is an important standard for evaluating phased work results. The evaluation of a salesperson's phased work quality is not set by ourselves but depends on the customer's awareness and recognition of our personnel and products. By obtaining information from within the customer about their recognition of us, we can promptly correct our work methods and direction to ensure the ultimate achievement of sales goals.
III. Network Reserve. Establishing good interpersonal relationships is a booster for salespeople's work. Mastering sufficient connections can effectively help salespeople create outstanding sales performance.
Marketing is organizational behavior. Going it alone is hard to achieve great success. Those with good relationships are certainly those who are good at cooperating with others.
Connections are your life compass. The guidance and support of mentors can shorten the distance to success.
Connections are your mirror. Through connections, people can help you understand the dynamics of competitors.
Connections can help you increase supporters and reduce opponents.
Connections can let you understand the world and enrich your life.
Connections can bring you new experiences and knowledge.
Connections can improve the quality of your life and career. A salesperson who cares enough to know the names of customers' children will never be unemployed.
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