Do you know how to effectively sell to potential customers?
Do you go through the same motions using the same sales pitch you've been delivering for years?
If you answered yes to these questions and are satisfied with the results, by all means carry on. But if doing what you’ve always done is no longer moving you toward your goal, maybe it’s time to get back to the basics!
Many people think the greeting is just a simple courtesy - a gesture that takes little thought or effort. But nothing could be further from the truth. Most people will stand to greet their customers, but a truly successful salesperson will go above and beyond to ensure potential buyers feel truly welcomed and important.
Here’s how they do it:
Immediately present a genuine smile and maintain eye contact. (If you’re having a bad day, channel your inner actor/actress and give an award-winning performance!)
Walk toward your customer to greet them. Never wait for the customer to come to you.
Introduce yourself with a firm handshake. Then walk with the customer to your desk or sales area and invite them to have a seat (or whatever stance is appropriate for your particular industry).
The discovery process allows you to obtain the information required to match the right product to the customer’s needs based on what has been shared.
Sounds simple, right?
Not so fast!
If you're not performing this step properly, you risk losing sales and potentially a lifelong customer. Here are some tips for effectively gathering the information you need:
Ask fact-finding questions relative to your industry.
Go deeper by asking what is most important to them.
Next, go wide by discussing all of your product(s), then narrow the choices to only those that most closely meet the needs specified.
Now give your customers the opportunity to experience what you have to offer by matching their needs.
This is critical! Before you push the "play" button in your mind and begin reciting your usual sales pitch, STOP . . . and remember, you must customize every presentation to each customer’s individual needs. Do this and you will see a big difference in your closing ratio!
Here are some tips for perfecting the presentation process:
Be respectful of your customer’s time. Allow your prospects to assist in narrowing product choices based on their stated wants and needs, then demonstrate only those products or services.
Throughout the presentation, periodically ask questions to determine whether the customer sees value in the product. (Could this feature be beneficial to you? Would this eliminate your current problem?)
During and after the presentation, ask if there are any questions. No product is perfect, so customers will typically have at least one objection. Try to anticipate possible issues beforehand and know how to overcome them.
There are steps you can take during the close that will help you make the sale now versus getting an “I want to think about it” answer.
Summarize features that the customer agreed were of interest or value during the presentation. This can make it more difficult to justify delaying a decision or refusing to purchase.
If they throw you some objections...great! This is a buying signal that gives you the opportunity to address questions and/or concerns.
Once you have answered the customer’s questions and confirmed that he is satisfied with the product or service, you have eliminated any reason for him to say no to the sale. Now you can confidently suggest moving forward!
Achieving greater success doesn’t have to be difficult. If your current sales strategy has stalled, the solution could be as simple as getting back to the basics.