Are you doing the things you need to be doing to close that sale? Or are you doing too many things that you’re actually getting off track? Or is the goal to close that deal putting too much pressure on yourself to the point that your motivation and resilience are being tested to their limits?

Today, I’m speaking with Timo Rein, co-founder of the awesome CRM tool Pipedrive as he talks about the concept of activity-based selling and what it does to help you achieve more success in sales.

Founded in 2010, Pipedrive, a CRM tool created for two reasons: to help salespeople and to make sure it’s something they love to use. The tool basically focuses on activity based selling so you have full control over pipeline and nothing falls through the cracks as well as control your relationships with your customers. They want to make sure that they put the salesperson first to make sure you can be the best closer that you can be.

Here are the highlights of my conversation with Timo:

Timo’s coolest sales experience as a customer

Strategies for activity-based selling:

• Focus on actions that you have under your control and do them everyday of the week.
• In sales, a transaction is done and commission falls in a salesperson’s pocket. And because of the pressure to sell, a salesperson look at results because they need them.
• Figure out what you need to do to get to successful sales result and do it.
• Ask someone if this is something they want to buy.
• If someone does buy, ask what made the person buy.
• Come up with key activities necessary to sell your product, service, or business.
• Map the step-by-step path and improve on it.

Reasons for failure of processes:

1. Having a non-professional approach

People have a different level of professionalism about the things they do in life.

2. Lack of resilience

There will be so many moments when you will be pushed or judged. Better people have bigger motivation and with that comes resilience.

3. Not having the right angle to it

It’s easy to develop a mindset that it’s a tough job or people don’t like you’re approaching them or that you want to get in their business. You have to have a mindset that you’re doing a good thing otherwise you won’t feel that you won’t get enough satisfaction.

3 Things to Focus on When You Want to Make Sales Revenue

1. Approaching your potential customers

Come up with a list and figure out a way to approach your customers.

2. Meeting your customers

People buy from people where they see they can trust them and understand them especially when the stakes are higher. You don’t have to do it in person but find a way to connect whether on the phone or a video conference.

3. Demonstrating your product/service

Show them how you can solve their problem and give them a powerful demonstration experience so they can remember you more and would tend to do business with you.

Biggest Challenges Related to Activity-Based Selling:

1. You will be drawn to results.

Yes, this is the main goal but you will be drawn because of different pressures. You are tirelessly doing everything to close the deal that you tend to forget all the other things you need to be doing to make sure you have a good pipeline going in the succeeding months. Then you get attached to something that is not there yet.

2. Getting off your winning schedule of activities you should be putting in regularly

You have to put in a number of key activities to put yourself in a position where people buy from you. And it’s easy to get off-track.

3. Thinking you’re  all mighty.

This is especially common among rookies where you feel you can sell to anybody and that you’re so good.

4. Maintaining a good pace over time

Doing it in a weekly, monthly, yearly basis is a hard. It’s a constant requirement to ask yourself what you can do better. Maintaining that pace while being pushed around emotionally is hard. Some people can’t deal with this roller coaster that is normal in sales.

Timo’s Major Takeaway:

Human being influencing another human being is a beautiful thing. Will you put yourself in this position frequently enough? And when you get to be there, how are you going to be stronger, more confident, and professional? Work your activities the way that gives you constant success. Put emphasis on the fact that you need to be in schedule. And do whatever it is to be strong in your craft. Develop a position where you feel you can be useful for your customers. Strength of work + Smartness = SUCCESS

Episode Resources:

Pipedrive

Connect with Timo Rein on LinkedIn

Daniel Pink’s To Sell Is Human

Jeb Blount’s People Buy You

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