People have been trying to sell their goods, services and advice for centuries, but most salespeople fail. A main issue is a reliance on ineffective sales techniques or an absence of sales training altogether.
The most effective sales techniques we offer at sales methodologies utah are about listening. If you never listen, how do you imagine you will win your potential client over? If you just brag about the benefits of what you're selling without knowing whether the client even needs them, of course you will run into push back and low sales.
We put together a few tips on basic sales training for you to try in your own strategy and pass on to make your whole venture more profitable.
The best place to start, however, is to think about your sales targets. Do they know they need your solution or product or are they experiencing a problem that's urgent? What other solutions are available and are they good? Have these ideas in mind before you make any calls.
Next, you need to start listening. Think about the following:
- Learn what your prospects want. If they are OK with their own fixes to the problem you think you see, learn more. If they aren't, find out how you can do better. If they see a use for some parts of your products, you need to know this too. At the end of the day, making any sale is about convincing one person at a time. Anyone who doesn't feel listened to, will probably not continue talking with you.
- Seriously consider what they're saying and rephrase it. Known as reflective listening, this skill lets the client know you are truly hearing them, that you are concerned about it and are considering it, and that you are clear on the facts. Furthermore, this technique clarifies what they expect from you.
- Sales are about feelings, in the end.Your explanations have their place, but closing deals is really about whether your prospect trusts you. Listen for emotions like stress, worry and fatigue, as these are problems you could perhaps solve. It's also smart to listen for pleasant emotions such as excitement, because this can get you closer to realizing your client's motivations.
- Know what gets to them. Beyond hearing what the client says he or she needs, find out what the actual motivations are. Often, this means saving money but it can also mean something like improving speed, reducing worry and more.
- Don't tell people what to do. No one likes to be bossed around, but a lot of would-be sellers end up doing this when they repeat and repeat their presentations without listening properly. Instead, talk about the benefits of your service or product and listen while the prospect talks aloud, coming to understand why, in the process, your idea is the best one. You can coach the client along, but don't go further or you could lose it all.
- Just hold your tongue! Most would-be sellers blab on and on, not realizing that they have already lost their prospect, who is now just trying to be done with them. You can discuss the benefits of your service or solution and briefly go over how you can offer solutions, but only if you know what they are looking for.
- You and your product are not as fabulous as you probably think, at least not to people you don't know. Relax and realize that you can almost never really know how anyone else feels or what they need without listening to them. Ask questions often, and don't forget that closing deals isn't about anything more than building relationships. If you really want to sell, try getting out of the way more often.
These sales techniques might not be comfortable when you start implementing them, but if you try them you will see that they work. Remember that most would-be sellers just rush through with their standard pitches, not considering their prospects' ideas at all. These salespeople are never successful. Find sales victory by quieting your mouth and showing that you really care.