Something I do early in a sales opportunity is ask my prospect what their decision process is for purchasing a solution such as I’m selling. With my prospect, I map out each step of sales process before I begin heavy lifting of selling. This is especially effective in B2B and complex sales; it qualifies prospect as being person I should be selling to, identifies others in organization that influence sale, and makes my forecast more accurate.

Bottom-line. There is a time to ask for business. You know in your gut when that time is and you shouldn’t hesitate to ask. If you’re rejected, you’ll at least know where you stand in deal, what barriers need to be overcome, and whether or not you have a realistic chance of winning your prospect’s business.

Whether you are offering training for your team or simply taking a training program yourself, recognize that old habits die hard. Build a reinforcement regiment to turn that training into practice and practice into habit over 30, 60 or 90 days. Just like planting a garden, putting seeds in ground is only first step to a bountiful harvest.

For a free copy of "How to Get Dramatic Results From Training", please email article12@waterhousegroup.com and ask for article #12.

Stephen Waterhouse is Principal and Founder of Waterhouse Group. They specialize in helping companies increase their sales and profits. He can be reached at 1-800-57-LEARN or steve@waterhousegroup.com.

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