One can seem like a very small number, but it can have tremendous impact on your revenues.
Make one more cold call every day
One extra call a day equals 260 calls in a year. How many meetings could you set up with this number of calls and how many of those meetings could turn into sales? Consider your current conversion ratio and think of how this might impact your personal bottom line.
Suggest one additional item to every customer
This is particularly important if you sell lower priced items or work in a retail environment. Too many salespeople are focused only on getting the initial sale. However, almost everyone has additional items, products, or services that are beneficial to your customers. It’s hard to explain why salespeople don’t do this each and every time they meet with someone.
Invest one day per month developing your skills
Many of the most successful people in business invest in themselves. They attend workshops, conferences, and participate in training and learning on a regular basis. Considering that the majority of people do not invest in developing their own skills, you can quickly out-pace your competition.
Read one book every month
Expanding your knowledge will help you become more successful. Read books related to your industry or that will provide insight to helping you improve your skill in a specific area. You might be alarmed to learn that many professionals do not do this. Would you want to go to a doctor who had not read a medical article for the past 10 years?
Ask one more question during each sales call
Before you start “pitching” your product or service, ask your prospect one more question. This question might give you the additional insight you need to more effectively position your product or service. Once you get good at this, add one more question at a time.
Pause for one moment longer than usual before responding to a prospect’s question or request.
Known as a “pregnant pause” this often prompts the other person to say something they would not normally say or to add something to elaborate on what was previously stated. The secret behind this strategy is that most people are uncomfortable with silence and will begin talking to fill the dead air space – this includes salespeople. It also affords you the opportunity to think about what you might say or do next.
Get to the office one hour earlier.
“The early bird gets the worm” – there must be something to this adage. That one extra hour first thing in the morning can be the most productive time of the day. You have a better chance to reach decision-makers, there are fewer distractions, and you can often achieve more in that 60 minutes than in several hours.
Address objections one more time before giving up.
Too many salespeople give up too soon when faced with objections. I’m not suggesting that you beat your customer into submission to close the deal. But we do recommend that you tackle each objection one more time before giving up.
Send one more email to the prospect who has been sitting on the fence.
Sometimes, people just need a little push and encouragement to move forward. It could be that their time is occupied by other projects and priorities which means they might not be focused on your solution. Gentle reminders (to “qualified” prospects only) are often appreciated providing you don’t follow up so frequently you appear to be stalking them. Even though they might not be ready to make that particular buying decision today, it doesn’t hurt to have some mind share. Warning! Following up with PWOTs (potential waste of time) or DWOTs (definite waste of time) is not what we recommend.
Ask for one endorsement or referral one more time.
Endorsements and referrals are greatly underutilized by most people in business today, yet solid referrals typically net the highest ROE (return on effort). Quite often we ask a client for a testimonial, but because they have other priorities, they forget and we let it go. Proactively seeking qualified referrals works.
Suggest one more idea to help a customer improve their business.
Schedule a meeting (breakfast, lunch or otherwise) with your customers, but instead of trying to sell them something, focus on learning more about their unique challenges. Please note I am referring to “customers” here (service oriented) and certainly not “prospects” (unpaid consulting). Offer solutions and speak with them candidly so they see you more as a partner than a vendor or supplier.
Send one more thank you card or note.
Very few sales people make the effort to thank their customers. (Again, note that we are referring to customers). You can stand out from the crowd by sending handwritten notes to thank customers for their recent order, meeting with you, paying your bills on time, etc. If you sincerely appreciate something they have done, let them know.
Yes, one is a tiny number. This tiny number can make a very powerful impact both on your top line sales and bottom line profits. One extra sale every day, week, or month (depending on your business) can make a significant impact on your sales by the end of the year.
The next time you think about giving up on a high-potential prospect, consider the fact that you might just be one phone call, one email, or one letter away from making the sale.
