If your business didn’t perform to your expectations and its capabilities this past year then it’s time to do something about it.

 

Wishing you had more sales will not make it happen—you have to make it happen. If you want to make more money selling products or services and close more deals, then check out my list of New Year’s Resolutions for 2012.

 

Don’t Leave Home without Your Passion. Wake up each morning excited about selling. There are several motivating factors that inspire people to have a passion for sales: the challenge, pride in doing a good job, being recognized in a group of top sales professionals, and of course, the salary/commission. However, ultimately you simply must enjoy the process of selling a product or service.

 

Be a Cheerleader for Your Product/Service. You have to believe in what you’re selling. My clients see my enthusiasm and know that I truly believe in the service I’m providing. As a salesman, you must believe in your product—otherwise clients will see through you and not buy. If you don’t believe your company’s product/service is beneficial to consumers, you should consider moving to a company or industry that has a product in which you do believe. Essentially, if you don’t believe in apples, then sell oranges. 

 

Make it About the Customer. There is nothing more important than taking care of your customers. It can take years to build trust with a customer, but only seconds to break it. It is nearly impossible to overcome a negative impression. So do everything possible to make your customers consider working with you as being one of the best decisions they ever made.

 

Plan for a Crisis (and Everything Else). All salespeople must have a formal plan that outlines target audiences, goals, strategies and measurement techniques. In today’s more volatile marketing environment, you have to be more nimble and able to continually adapt your plan to meet new opportunities and obstacles. You also need to plan for contingencies—a disaster preparedness plan is essential. Look beyond next month’s or next year’s income and determine the best route to long-term success during both good and bad market conditions.

 

Look Beyond Your Own Backyard.  Too many salespeople don’t look beyond their backyards—their designated market. Once you have conquered your town, move on to the next town, then the entire county and—when you’re ready—the next state. Look for niche opportunities and take advantage of social media such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. 

 

Answer Your Phone; Be There. Selling isn’t a 9-to-5 job but an all-encompassing task where you must be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. High accessibility is the key component of business relationships. Being available to clients in the evening and on weekends shows your utmost commitment. Demonstrate your accessibility by providing your email address or cell number so that a customer can contact you with a question and know they’ll receive a prompt response.

 

Market Yourself Creatively. Word of mouth simply isn’t enough. The sales profession is too competitive to think that you can make it without promoting yourself. Establish a personal marketing program—one that sets you apart from your competitors. You must let the world know that you exist and that you are different and better than the competition. When the market gets a little sluggish, don’t stop marketing. Your competitors believe that somehow reducing their visibility is a good idea. It isn’t.

 

Daniel Milstein is CEO of Gold Star Mortgage Financial Group, an “INC 500” company, and is author of “The ABC of Sales.”