What is professional sales?

Selling is a persuasive, two-way communication between equals aimed at achieving planned sales objectives.

High pressure selling is not an effective approach – the old school manipulation and bullying tactics of the double-glazing salesman is not only what gives sales a bad name, at best it only generates limited and short term results.

Professional selling on the other hand is about building long-term relationships with clients through developing a solid understanding their objectives, showing how your media can achieve these and working towards a win-win outcome for both buyer and seller.

Although high-pressure selling will not work, a weak sales approach won’t bring in the business either. Professional selling can be seen as relationship selling as described below:

RULE 1: A product is a means to an end, not an end in itself
RULE 2: If a product is to be saleable, it must correspond to your client’s needs
RULE 3: People only buy what they want to buy – 100% of buying decisions are emotional

Selling is a skill like driving a car or playing the piano and the more you practise, the better you get. We’ve put together the media sales kitbag to help – either for your own development or to support your sales team (so feel free to use these pages for meetings, training or just to stimulate debate).

If you feel you have something to add or want us to take a look at a specific issue drop us a line at editors@mediasalesjobs.co.uk