I’ve worked in sales for 23 years and it doesn’t matter whether you’re looking for your first sales job or managing a sales team – the basics are still the same writes Dennis Kennedy of Active Sales Coaching.

Every sales strategy needs to be broken down into three stages and, whatever your role, you’ll need to be well versed in each.

The following outlines the 3 key activity areas and highlights the skills required.

Build includes selecting the right people, companies and markets to approach, your prospecting activities, your approach work including how to make telephone calls, write e-mails, letters etc how to position your self and your company professionally when meeting customers and how to conduct first meetings professionally.

Develop includes working on live opportunities and progressing these towards a sale, following structured business sales process, using skilled meeting handling techniques, understanding how to question requirements proficiently and moving in alignment with customers to a satisfactory conclusion.

Manage means the development phase has been successful, initial expectations now need to be met, your focus will now change to account management, and further into key account management as custom grows, retention, development and facilitation skills are now critical to success.

Understanding this and having a structured approach in the 3 key activity areas will be key to your success.

The shape of your focus can change from role to role, new business will place more emphasis in building and key account management in managing, but it is important to always have an element of activity in all 3 so that new opportunities are continually being developed.

It can be very helpful to apply this specifically to niche or vertical areas of your business too; company, product, service, person, geographical area and others that may apply.

I hope that this helps you move forward.

Image by Jennifer Huber on Flickr