Jimmy Dearborn Explains How to Succeed in Sales

A Guide to Success in Sales

Sales can be intimidating if you don’t know what you’re doing. How do you approach clients? What do you say? What if you come across as ‘salesy’ and inauthentic? Whether you’re a first-time sales representative or are looking to review the basics, Jimmy Dearborn is here to outline everything you need to know to succeed in sales. As the VP of Sales at National Protective Services, with over a decade of experience in sales, Jimmy Dearborn knows that selling is a skill that needs to develop like any other. You have to start with a plan, understand what you want to achieve, and then fearlessly take action.

Know What Your Selling

First and foremost: know what you’re selling. Jimmy Dearborn explains that as a representative of a service or product, you need to know every feature and offer in detail. Jimmy Dearborn explains that sales, above all else, are about trust. The best way to develop trust with a potential client is to showcase that you know what you’re talking about and that you can add value to their lives through the purchase of your product or service. Brush up on your industry; read articles, watch documentaries, and attend seminars as often as you can. Jimmy Dearborn also suggests practicing your sales pitch on family, friends, and colleagues, encouraging them to ask as many questions as possible; this will help you identify any weaknesses you might have. If there is a question you’re not able to answer, it is better to identify that gap before meeting with a potential client.

Establish Clear Goals

Once you know your product or service inside and out, you need to be clear on your goals. Knowing your goals and measuring your performance against them is an important place to start. How many new leads, clients, or relationships do you need in order to reach your goals? What are your goals and what timeline are you working on? Identifying your customer goals will help you determine how much revenue you should be aiming for, and what will be considered ‘successful’. Jimmy Dearborn explains that using a rough outline of where you are and where you want to be will allow you to gain a better understanding of what is possible for future lead generation.

Practice Patience

Depending on what industry you work in, what you’re selling, and who your clients are, your approach may differ vastly from one person to another. There are certain tactics that work better than others, and one of the best ways to test them out are in practice. Jimmy Dearborn explains that every salesperson should be patient, and not be deterred by hearing ‘no’. A highly successful salesperson will be able to understand which tactics work on which clients and which ones don’t, but that involves non-stop trial and error. Keep track of which tactics worked, which ones didn’t, and what you’d like to try in the future. There is no single ‘sales formula’ that will work for everyone, so trust your intuition and be open to constructive criticism.

Take Interest in Client Needs

Lastly, Jimmy Dearborn suggests having a genuine interest in your clients personal/business pains. What is their primary problem, and how does your product or service solve it? Be authentic and genuine in your interest and everything else will fall into place. When you envision every sales call as an opportunity to learn more about your target demographic, what they need and how you can satisfy that need, it takes a lot of the pressure off. This will also allow you to connect with them and build a lasting client relationship.