No one starts a business with the goal of being average. The very word “average” is almost never part of my vocabulary. And I’d imagine it’s not what you strive for either.

Every entrepreneur I’ve ever worked with has had a vision for greatness and building a legacy business they could be proud to stand behind.

While some of those men and women are natural born salespeople who have an intuition for the art of sales, many are not. Sales might be an important part of their business, but it’s not the reason they got started in what they do, and it’s not their passion.

However, sales is a science that any entrepreneur or business professional can master by working at it. It doesn’t have to come naturally to you to be a great sales pro. All you need is the strategy behind it and enough experience to get comfortable using the strategies and skills you learn.

So today, I’d like to share 3 action strategies you can take to accelerate your sales from average to A+ this month:

1. Know the Power of Referrals. 

You’re more likely to make a sale to a prospect who was referred to you by someone they like and trust. You become more likable and trustworthy simply by virtue of the recommendation. When a prospect knows that you have a relationship with – or the recommendation of – someone they trust, they are more likely to give you their time and an opportunity to earn their trust.

Are you doing everything in your power to get new referrals month in and month out? Regularly check in with your friends, family, and colleagues to see if they know anyone they think would benefit from the products or services you offer.

You can also provide an incentive to your customers for providing referrals. There are no stronger referrals than those that come from happy customers who can speak from personal experience about the quality of the product or service you offer. Lastly, when you attend networking events, be sure to ask for referrals even from individuals who aren’t prospects or potential partners themselves.

Be sure to provide referrals to others as well – friends, family, customers, industry partners, and those you meet at networking events. When you make the effort to make meaningful connections for others, they will be more likely to keep you and your services in their minds and on their lips.

2. Understand That Customers Are Invaluable Assets. 

We’ve discussed how important a referral is from a customer. But are you confident that your customers are so satisfied with your products or services that they would enthusiastically recommend you?

The only way to be 100% sure that you’ll get positive reviews from a customer is to communicate with them! Yes, it’s important to spend time every day connecting with new leads, but it’s also critical to spend time checking in with your existing clientele.

Ask questions to determine if they are satisfied with the quality of the product or service you’re providing. Do they have any issues or concerns? Is there anything you could be doing differently to serve them better? Let them do the talking and listen carefully to their feedback.

This exercise sends a strong message not only that you value their business, but that you care about them. With this customer-first approach, you will build lasting relationships with your clients or customers and increase the likelihood that they will recommend you and your products or services to their friends, families, and colleagues.

It also increases the likelihood of the other fantastic reason to keep clients happy, and that is repeat business. Keeping in regular contact and listening to feedback makes your clients more likely to work with you on a regular basis.

3. Surround Yourself with Winners. 

If you want to achieve above-average sales, then you need to surround yourself with above-average people. Creating a positive, inspiring environment helps breed success.

This includes:

• Your mentors. The fastest route to achieving outstanding sales success is by learning from people who have already achieved it. Read books and listen to podcasts by sales gurus like Zig Ziglar, Brian Tracy, and Harvey Mackay. They can arm you with the mindsets, tools, and proven strategies they used to make many millions of dollars. Work with a business consultant who can provide you with motivation, accountability, and the sales expertise they gleaned from decades of experience. My Celeste Giordano Coaching clients benefit from the practical lessons I learned in my 40+ years in direct sales.
• Your employees. Make sure the people you hire aren’t satisfied with the status quo and share your vision for above average results. Promote personal growth within your employees so they can develop their mindsets and skill sets to achieve greatness in their roles. Acknowledging and rewarding their successes rather than focusing on their shortcomings will create a culture of positivity and inspire your team to reach higher.
• Your peers. Network with top-performing salespeople at networking events who aren’t direct competitors. Sharing ideas and stories of what works and what doesn’t can be extremely helpful as well as inspiring. We become who we associate with so be sure the people you associate with – both in your professional and personal life – are growth-oriented and have a healthy, positive attitude.

At Celeste Giordano Coaching, I support my clients in growing businesses that will thrive for decades to come, or what I call legacy businesses. If you’ve ever felt like your clients just aren’t all that loyal to you, I’ll show you how to build a legacy business that inspires serious loyalty. Contact me today.