An order taker is best defined as a salesperson who only sells the products that the prospect already wants. It's always a great feeling when a new prospect calls up out of the blue and is ready to buy, but those situations should be the exception, not the rule. Selling is about offering products that the customer doesn't know he needs until you show him that he does. If all you do is fill orders, you're not selling.
Some salespeople are afraid to actively pursue prospects. They dread cold calling because they feel it's being “pushy.” If you share this attitude, it's crucial that you clear it out of your head as soon as possible. You're not being pushy or overly aggressive when you reach out to new prospects or upsell existing customers; you're helping them to fix problems or otherwise improve their situations.
Research has shown that most star salespeople have a mindset that focuses on helping their prospects and customers. They know that they have a great product and that owning it will be a huge benefit for many people. So these star salespeople make it their business to be product missionaries – they go out and explain to their prospects how this terrific product can help them. Such salespeople don't consider themselves to be pushy or unwanted. Instead, they're in the business of helping people.
Making this shift in attitude isn't always easy, but it's incredibly helpful for both you and your prospects. Once you accept that your job is to help people, you'll feel much better about what you do. Shedding the negative stereotypes about salespeople makes a huge difference in a salesperson's morale. And your new, positive attitude will help you to build rapport with prospects and customers as well. It's surprising how quickly prospects pick up on the difference between someone who's there to make a buck and someone who's there because he wants to share the benefits of his product.
For this attitude change to work, you'll need to have a product that you can be proud to sell. If you're selling something that you don't believe in, this will keep you locked in a negative mindset. In this case, it's time to take a good hard look at the product. Is it really as bad as you think it is? Most products are a terrific fit for a small group of people but aren't particularly helpful for the rest of the world. In that case, perhaps you've been selling to the wrong group. Changing your focus to better qualified prospects may help you to realize that you actually do have a terrific product.
You might not be aware of all of your product's capabilities or how it measures up against its competitors. Try sitting down with someone who works for your company in product design or customer service and ask them to tell you about the product as though you'd never heard of it before. You may find yourself picking up some details that will rekindle your enthusiasm.
Of course, it's possible that after you've studied your product more carefully, you'll come to the conclusion that it really isn't a good product for anyone. If that's your situation, it's time to start looking for a new job with a company whose products you can feel good about. Even setting aside the fact that you'll suffer selling a product you don't believe in, if the product is really as bad as you think then your company and job will be gone sooner or later. In a capitalist marketplace, weak products will inevitably be weeded out. It's in your best interest to find a new company before that happens to you.
By Wendy Connick
http://sales.about.com/
Some salespeople are afraid to actively pursue prospects. They dread cold calling because they feel it's being “pushy.” If you share this attitude, it's crucial that you clear it out of your head as soon as possible. You're not being pushy or overly aggressive when you reach out to new prospects or upsell existing customers; you're helping them to fix problems or otherwise improve their situations.
Research has shown that most star salespeople have a mindset that focuses on helping their prospects and customers. They know that they have a great product and that owning it will be a huge benefit for many people. So these star salespeople make it their business to be product missionaries – they go out and explain to their prospects how this terrific product can help them. Such salespeople don't consider themselves to be pushy or unwanted. Instead, they're in the business of helping people.
Making this shift in attitude isn't always easy, but it's incredibly helpful for both you and your prospects. Once you accept that your job is to help people, you'll feel much better about what you do. Shedding the negative stereotypes about salespeople makes a huge difference in a salesperson's morale. And your new, positive attitude will help you to build rapport with prospects and customers as well. It's surprising how quickly prospects pick up on the difference between someone who's there to make a buck and someone who's there because he wants to share the benefits of his product.
For this attitude change to work, you'll need to have a product that you can be proud to sell. If you're selling something that you don't believe in, this will keep you locked in a negative mindset. In this case, it's time to take a good hard look at the product. Is it really as bad as you think it is? Most products are a terrific fit for a small group of people but aren't particularly helpful for the rest of the world. In that case, perhaps you've been selling to the wrong group. Changing your focus to better qualified prospects may help you to realize that you actually do have a terrific product.
You might not be aware of all of your product's capabilities or how it measures up against its competitors. Try sitting down with someone who works for your company in product design or customer service and ask them to tell you about the product as though you'd never heard of it before. You may find yourself picking up some details that will rekindle your enthusiasm.
Of course, it's possible that after you've studied your product more carefully, you'll come to the conclusion that it really isn't a good product for anyone. If that's your situation, it's time to start looking for a new job with a company whose products you can feel good about. Even setting aside the fact that you'll suffer selling a product you don't believe in, if the product is really as bad as you think then your company and job will be gone sooner or later. In a capitalist marketplace, weak products will inevitably be weeded out. It's in your best interest to find a new company before that happens to you.
By Wendy Connick
http://sales.about.com/
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