Rate Your Sales Ability Find out how you fare when it comes to selling your product or service.
Opinions expressed by BIZ Experiences contributors are their own.
Do you feel perfectly at ease talking to potential customersabout your products or services? Or, like some of us, do youtremble at the thought of making the approach? You can find outjust where you fall on the super salesperson scale by reading thefollowing statements and rating yourself on a comfort scale of 1 -4, with 1 being the statement you're least comfortable withsaying and 4 being the most.
1. I believe the product or service I'm offering will trulyhelp my customers.
2. I'm always on the lookout for opportunities to tellpotential customers about my product or service.
3. I know my product inside and out and can demonstrate it withouta problem.
4. I can convincingly explain the advantages of my product over mycompetitors'.
5. I have thought of all the possible questions potential customerscould ask me about my product and have developed answers to thosequestions.
6. I've compared my competitors' prices and priced myproduct competitively.
7. I know my product isn't for everyone, so I don't worrytoo much if a few customers turn me down.
8. I respect a customer's right to disagree with me anddon't take it personally.
9. I've planned ahead and have a written goal for eachweek's sales.
10. I learn all I can about sales and practice my techniques soI'll continue to improve.
Now add up your score and rate yourself according to thefollowing chart:
Sales Confidence Scale
31-40 = Super Salesperson!
21-30 = Rapidly improving in sales
11-20 = Not-so-sure about sales
1-10 = Help! I'm afraid of sales.
After adding up your score, if you've just discoveredyou're not the most confident salesperson out there, don'tworry! Most sales phobias are a result of one of the Fearsome Five:fear of rejection, fear of cold calls, fear of objections, andembarrassment. Fortunately, most of the time, these can be overcomeby being prepared.
But wait ... did you notice that we listed only four of theFearsome Five? That's because the last is the fear of closing.Closing means asking your customers to buy your product Manysalespeople don't ask because they're afraid of rejection.To help you overcome this fear, you've got to have a healthyattitude toward the sales process. Look at it this way- doyou have to lose except a sale?
Amy Fennell Christian, a writer living in Augusta, Georgia,is a freelance editor for YoungBiz.com
