Chad Barbir

Creating an environment for transparency is most important for growth. Without information, there is no room for growth with the client as you will spend more time guessing what they want rather than knowing what they need. How does creating a transparent environment work? It starts with setting expectations with the client from the beginning and cultivating it throughout the relationship. You have to be as open as the client. They will open up to you and reciprocate. Remember, no one client is the same and everyone will be different.

Simplier said then done, but don't miss a deadline unless there is a good reason to and in doing so, make sure you have communicated with your client ahead of time why you will be missing this deadline. If a deadline is missed, it's best to follow-up ASAP with the client, take accountability, and apologize for the mishaps. The goal is to not repeat the process or continue to make the mistake. By missing the deadline, you have put the control in the client's hands. Depending on whom your clients are, you may or may not get a second chance. If you do get the second chance, make sure any expectations you have given your clients in terms of delivering value are followed to a 'T' and exceeded where appropriate.

Pandering to a current market trend has its limitations. You put yourself in competition with everyone else pushing this trend once you get caught up, then fall behind. Instead, anticipate the market trend and stay ahead of it. There are a lot of clear indications from researching, studying your industry, and even talking to your customers which will help indicate what the trend may become. You'll see patterns and when those patterns repeat themselves, it's time to jump in feet first and incorporate on them. The worse which could happen is the trend never materializes, however the benefits of getting ahead far outweigh the risks.

One rule of thumb: Never take business personally. You are not in control of your audience, nor how your audience reacts to your presentation. By acknowledging to ourselves this is out of our control is the first step. In terms of the criticism, one huge positive is your audience is engaged, which is good. Your job should be to identify what the criticism is, address it, then reframe the conversation. No emotions need apply. Keep it logical!

It is very important to check-in with your salespeople in the beginning on a weekly basis in order to make sure they retain the information they learn. By checking-in, the salesperson will keep those elements of training on their mind. It's best to also add with those check-ins a challenge to the salesperson to implement what they have learned in their sales activities and repeat. Salespeople appreciate an additional challenge. It helps keep them on their feet After a few months, 2 to 3 months maximum, it is appropriate to let the salesperson off on their own. Trust SHOULD be established at this point and micromanaging the situation will be counterproductive to the entire process.

When it comes to sales. one of the most important places in succeeding in sales is customer service. Ask yourself this question- Why do I go to x place to use x's services or x's products? I am sure one of your answers is because you love the customer service. Customer service creates a positive experience which keeps people coming back. Even if x doesn't have the best products or services, if the customer service experience is top notch, it is rememberable. The sales world is more competitive than ever and more challenging now the consumer has access to researching your offer and others at the tips of their fingers. No longer can you rely on only being a great salesperson. Make YOU rememberable by gaining this valuable skill