Three Ways to Spark Sales Momentum

Sales are the lifeblood of your business. As a salesperson, it is your challenge to overcome rejections and setbacks to build and keep your sales momentum going. If you are just starting out in sales, trying to market a new product or experiencing a sales slump, the following are three methods to help you get sales momentum back on track.

Use the Herd Theory

Generate interest in your product or business by creating the idea that everyone else is already using it. The tendency to follow the crowd is a foundational element of human psychology. The idea of safety in numbers, following in the same direction as the herd, reduces people's perception of risk. Once people become convinced that everyone else is already using your product or service, they will want to know why, giving you the perfect lead-in for your pitch. Honestly convince them that everyone else already enjoys what you are offering, and they are much more likely to reward you with a sale.

Play the Numbers Game

Set out with the idea that sales is largely a numbers game, and it is only a matter of time before you make that magic number of calls that will finally result in a sale. Keep this in mind when working with a great prospect who never seems to return your calls. Just keep imagining that there is a pre-determined number of calls you must make before the prospect answers. It is a mind game that keeps you focused, motivated and confident that success is right around the corner.

Be mindful of odds as well. Odds are, you are not going to make a sale 100 percent of the time. While you cannot have complete control over how many sales you make, you do have control over your pitch quality and how hard you work. Framing your idea of sales momentum this way helps give you the push you need to start a successful campaign and persevere when things look bleak.

Focus on What You Can Control

Set up activity-based sales goals. That is, goals that are focused on the aspects of your sales practice that are totally within your power to control. These include perfecting your pitch, scouting new prospects and keeping your workspace and schedule organized. You cannot control which prospects are going to convert to sales and when. Perseverance and hard work always win out. While even the world's best salesperson does not convert 100 percent of the time, there is not a single salesperson who gives his best effort and gets nothing in return. Focus on doing all that you can, and the results will come even if you do not know when, how or from whom.

Sparking sales momentum is the first step towards building your company's bottom line. By convincing prospects of the value of your product, training your mind to treat sales like a winnable game and establishing activity-based sales goals, you become a more effective salesperson and build the sales momentum you need. These practices not only make it easier to generate initial sales, but also help you keep the sales momentum going once it is established.

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