How to Increase Business Sales
Selling to Materials Handling Equipment Service and Repair Businesses
There's no question that materials handling equipment service and repair businesses are major players in a growth industry -- and that presents an opportunity to entrepreneurs who are eager to get in on the action. Let us show you how to conquer selling hurdles in the materials handling equipment service and repair business market and outperform the competition.
Selling is one of the hardest tasks you'll ever undertake. So it shouldn't come as a surprise that new customer acquisitions in this industry is a lofty ambition that demands diligence and respect.
Young businesses need to develop a comprehensive sales plan that is built on industry fundamentals.
How to Evaluate Sales Staff
Regular sales force reviews are necessary for companies that sell in this industry. Businesses that achieve significant market share recruit the cream of the crop and routinely evaluate them against performance goals and benchmarks.
Although annual reviews may be enough for other business units, sales units should be evaluated quarterly with monthly or weekly reviews of sales totals. Training, coaching and sales incentives can be useful for improving performance and revenues. In some instances, it may be appropriate to team underperforming sales reps with reps that have more experience selling to materials handling equipment service and repair businesses.
Reaching Prospective Customers
Prospecting transforms contacts into qualified leads.
Networking can fine tunes prospecting performance and conversion ratios. However, it's important to make sure your sales force isn't so focused on meeting new people that they miss the point of prospecting, i.e. the identification of likely buyers, key decision makers and high value industry contacts. In other words, the type of people you meet is just as important as the number of people you meet when prospecting for materials handling equipment service and repair businesses.
Lead lists are useful because they narrow the field for your team. Third-party lists from reputable vendors (e.g. Experian Business Services) equip your sales personnel with a large quantity of targeted leads, making it easier for your company to balance the quantity and quality demands that are prerequisites for effective prospecting.
Casting a Broad Net
The first step in selling to materials handling equipment service and repair businesses is to take a broad approach to the marketplace. Strategies that are isolated to the local market are not likely to succeed in an environment that leverages the benefits of long-distance sales techniques.
Although a geographic concentration may be a useful strategy for new sellers, you will eventually need to broaden your focus to include prospects outside of your initial range. You can also broaden your prospect base by introducing new products and partnerships into the mix.
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