9 Sales Tips For RIGHT NOW!

OK, so Skully finally comes clean. Yes, he is a sales guy. And no, he doesn't need any more jokes about which is a lower life form:
A. Pirate.
B. Sales Guy.
C. Lawyer.

Note: Obviously the answer is C.

Skully's crew and mates are mostly sales guys and gals so it's pretty difficult for him not to sometimes drag "sales stuff" into his blog. But with the amount of bitchin' he is hearing right now, he simply can't stand by and not say something. Silence is not a characteristic he often exhibits. Besides, who knows... maybe it will help some other pirate out there.

1. Holiday Times Are Great Sales Times - because the competition is probably taking the winter nap.
2. Share Some Good News - because everybody, and I mean EVERYBODY, is complaining about the economy and who can't use a little good news any way.
3. Find a Reason To Make Contact - what better time than at the holidays to thank somebody for their business support.
4. Make 400 More Contact Calls - as easy as one in the morning and one at the end of the day, every day. Admit it, for some of you that's more total prospecting calls than you are making now.
5. Prospect. Prospect. Prospect. Customers are fickle. Times are a little dicey. More customers will fall prey to the new guy who offers a price discount.
6. Hunt Big. Go where volume is. Yes, big prey can be tougher to bring down but 200 pound tuna feeds a lot more people than 100 7 inch bluegills. And they are more fun AND most of your competitors are too chicken to hunt big prey anyway.
7. Opportunity and Obligation. Seth Godin attributes Flynn Berry with the following quote:

   "It's not an opportunity, it's an obligation"

8. Think about that statement the next time you agree to do anything (meet quota, solve a need, show up for Johnny's 1st grade concert). In sales, if you are serious about success, your goal has to be to find an "opportunity" in which you are uniquely qualified to solve a problem. Once you find that "opportunity", doesn't it just make sense that you now have an "obligation" to deliver that solution? Of course it does. Find opportunities and become personally obligated to solving them.
9. Find Like Minded Allies. Find success-driven people and hang out with them. Hold each other accountable for staying upbeat, positive and success-directed. I don't think I can emphasize this enough.