How To Become A Better Salesperson

If you’re an entrepreneur it’s highly likely you already have the skills of a decent salesperson. But if you’re an exceptional salesperson then you’re always looking for ways to challenge yourself and develop new skills. Here are a few tips for setting yourself apart from the competition and fostering unparalleled sales skills:

(Curated from Entrepreneur.com)

1. Start with a Question

“Some of the best communicators that I have ever come across would always lead with questions. I have written a lot about the importance of questions, and it also certainly applies to becoming a better communicator and salesperson as well.

“In your next sales meeting or interaction with someone, try to lead the conversation with great questions. Do your research and come prepared with great questions ready to be asked.

“When you ask good questions, you are doing two things that will help you in the long run. Number one, you display a sense of humility that will always serve you in a positive way. Number two, you will start to receive key answers that you would normally not have been able to find out. There is nothing more powerful on both sides when great questions are asked. Lead with questions during every interaction from here on out.”

2. Have a Positive Perception of Sales

“I can’t tell you how many people I have encountered that had nothing good to say about sales. They couldn’t understand why anyone would want to do such a thing, or that being in sales meant that you couldn’t find a job anywhere else.

“To succeed in sales, you must first change your perception about sales. Instead of looking at it as a negative, start viewing it in a totally different light. Sales is all about serving and helping others get to where they want to go. In sales, you only succeed when you help others succeed.

“It’s quite difficult to succeed in sales and successfully sell your product or service if you keep telling yourself how much you hate sales and never try to change your negative perception of what sales really stands for.”

What tips do you have to help entrepreneurs develop their skills as salespeople?

Motivation Tips for Entrepreneurs

Once you decide to become your own boss, you take on more responsibility. You no longer have someone to hold you accountable when you’re supposed to do something. Here are some tips to help you become self-sufficient and stay self-motivated:

(Curated from Entrepreneur.com)

• You’re your own boss now so you have to decide what you want to get out of your endeavor as an entrepreneur. Set goals and come up with a mission statement for yourself. When things seem tough, you can refer to your mission statement to make sure you’re on track.

“Every business has or should have a mission or vision statement, something that describes the organization’s broader goals, culture and underlying core values. It is primarily used to set the direction of the organization and motivate stakeholders. For the these same reasons, every entrepreneur should set his or her own personal mission statement.”

• Once you set personal goals for yourself, you need to figure out how to achieve them. So, create a business plan for yourself.

“Just as in business, a mission statement is useless without a plan to execute on it. You too should develop and write down your personal and professional plan, including short term and long term goals. This plan will not and should not be penned and framed, as it is organic and will change as your personal and professional circumstances change. The purpose here is to have a clear understanding of what you want to accomplish personally and how you will achieve it.”

• Getting started is the most difficult part so develop a morning routine that gets you up and motivated.

“Getting yourself motivated is about getting started. For this reason, you should start every day with a great morning routine, which will help your mind and body to be alert, focused and prepared to create new habits. As part of your routine every morning, you should spend time reviewing and refining your plan, or what John Meyer refers to as your 8 for the Day routine.”

• Reward yourself when something goes well or when you meet successfully meet a deadline.

“We are naturally wired to react to incentives, so be prepared to reward yourself for accomplishing a goal or maintaining a habit. Just like in business, you should recognize and reward small victories along the way to long-term, broader goals.”

What helps you stay focused and motivated as an entrepreneur? Let us know!

How To License Your Product

Many entrepreneurs with innovative new products can benefit from product licensing. Product licensing is when the brand of one organization is used in association with the product of another organization. When the characters on your favorite TV show reference or use a specific product that is example of product licensing. While most startups don’t have their products featured on TV shows, here are a few tips from product licensing pro Travis Lubinsky that entrepreneurs can use to facilitate product licensing:

(Curated from Inc.com)

1. While any kind of product licensing sounds like it would be useful, you should make sure you’re partnering with a brand relevant to your audience.

“Make sure you are hyper focused on who actually needs and will use your product. Otherwise, you are just wasting your time and money. Lubinsky says, "Your product needs to be targeted at a specific demographic that will pay top dollar to own it."

2. You also don’t want to partner with a brand that has a bad reputation.

"It is important to ensure that the brand you are looking to reach a deal with is established, respected, and most importantly, popular. If they don't meet that criteria, there is little benefit in partnering with them."

3. Before you approach any brand with a product licensing pitch, make sure you do your research.

“If you are trying to do a deal with an established brand name, you better come prepared and have a marketing plan that will sell the product. "Demonstrating that you have a plan can alleviate concerns that these big brands have in working with young entrepreneurs," says Lubinsky.”

4. It’s unlikely that you’ll be able to get an established brand interested in your product if you don’t have sales.

“The more sales you have, the more influence you can have on the licensing negotiations. Brands like to be linked to successes; showing that you are already successful can greatly increase your chances of a successful licensing agreement. On his success, Lubinsky says, "I quickly learned the biggest factor to a successful licensing campaign was distribution and sales."

5. After you get your first licensing deal, you may find more opportunities become available to you.

“The entire goal of one licensing deal should be to leverage that to get another deal. Lubinsky says, "Use each license as a stepping stone to the next biggest thing." With forward momentum you can constantly get bigger licensing deals with bigger brands.”

Do you have a good product licensing story to share with other entrepreneurs? Let us know!