Clayton Sustala Shares Five Sales Tactics that Grew his Career

No matter how groundbreaking and unprecedented a new product is when unveiled by a company, it is, basically, destined for defeat if unsupported by a capable team of sales experts that are able to market it effectively.

Sales positions represent the most difficult area for startups to fill with young employees, partially because of the perception attached to the role, but also due to the expectations. Many businesses have gone under by virtue of poor salesmanship, failing to incorporate detailed sales strategies that can support the product.

Basic, simple sales strategies are imperative for the success of a company, perhaps more so than the development of its products and services.

Clayton Sustala, a medical sales professional in Fort Worth, Texas who has more than ten years of industry experience, has kindly outlined five sales tactics that he has used to great success over the years.

1. Lead With A Personable Approach

Clayton Sustala is adamant that, rather than bombarding your clients with information about your own product, your sales pitch should center on questions of their needs. Despite your product or service being the focal point of your company for recent months, that self-pride needs to be absent from your meeting. While it is a difficult lesson for sales professionals to comprehend and execute, it is a hugely beneficial approach, one that shows the client how much you truly care about their business and personal life.

Competition is tough nowadays, and customers, being observant of that, are more insistent and exhausting to please as they now have far more options available. Leading with your product focuses the interaction on your needs; however, posing questions to the client and uncover how you can be of service to them will give you the aura of a problem-solver. If your product or service is useful to them, all is well. What if they pass on it? Then you’ve formed a relationship, which is as vital as the sale and laid the foundation for potential future sales.

2. Referrals

Asking for referrals is a constant requirement for a sales-oriented person, and Clayton Sustala states that you ought to do so consistently. Commence this strategy by contacting your dozen highest potential relationships, who might be past clients, ex-colleagues, or personal or professional friends.

Afterward, it is a process of association and you should establish: who their peers are within the organization, who are the firm’s elite customers, who do they take advice from, and who, in the referral’s inner circle, would have a legitimate need for your proficiency and reply to a request to meet you.

From there, once you’ve identified who will be notified from the network, be certain to make the inquiry over the phone or face-to-face. Emails are not personable enough and are much easier for someone to ignore or forget about.

3. Make Intelligent Calls

Cold calling, the practice of dialing as many client numbers as possible, is an antiquated concept. Now, it is more common to perform due diligence beforehand, researching and reaching out to unsolicited sales leads. Through this method, you can learn information that will allow your approach to comply with the needs of the industry or the customer.

Foolish as it is, plenty of entrepreneurs pursue new clients in a dubious and desperate fashion, essentially targeting anybody regardless of their interest or need for a product. Researching an anticipated client acquaints you with him or her, presenting ideal circumstances to adapt your pitch and consider if the prospect would be a fine fit to your plans.

4. Finding The Hot Button

Hot buttons are the various reasons consumers have for purchasing the same product or service, and every salesman has a duty to discover what those are, as different clients could desire the product for different reasons. Clayton Sustala recommends that you balance a mixture of open and closed questions with the client. Initially, you can relax the prospect by beginning with closed-ended questions and gently move onto open-ended questions. Such a quest is intended to pinpoint their massive motive for buying your product or service.

5. Utilize Your Networks

Networks are a tremendous avenue for sales professionals to spread the word, alert others of their product or service, and, additionally, cement credibility and legitimacy in relationships. Connections of this sort, lying outside of your comfort zone, can generate revenue and bring awareness to your brand. Expanding your network is a requisite, so seek out industries where your product has a need. Clayton Sustala concludes that going it alone won’t put your company’s growth in motion nearly as quickly.