Think Link

Most sales trainers agree there are a certain number of steps that need to be taken towards making a sale; typically the steps are something like this:

1. Greet the customer, (or acknowledge, qualify & open the sale, etc.)
2. Probe to discover needs & wants, (or ask questions, sales interview, etc.)
3. Recommend product, (or demonstrate, make alternative suggestion, etc.)
4. Trial close, (or first attempt to open relationship, etc.)
5. Handle objection, (or overcome objection, re-state needs & wants, etc.)
6. Ask for the order, (or close sale, open the relationship, etc.)
7. Farewell and follow through.

In these seven steps a variety of nuances are included which allow for deviation so that the sale can be achieved/won at any point. Too frequently the sales person and prospect who are, 'Fencing' for the advantage see the sale process as adversarial. Often an inexperienced sales person is so relieved at getting to 'Yes' that the thought of making sure that the customer has everything they need to gain full pleasure, enjoyment, benefit and satisfaction from the purchase by asking them to spend more is simply not an option. What a dreadful shame to all concerned!

How many times have you been left with a purchase that was exactly what you 'thought' you wanted but left you feeling less than satisfied with your new acquisition. Let's play with some examples:

• A camera with a standard lens but no telephoto lens to capture wildlife in Africa
• A tennis racquet with no case to carry it in
• A tin of paint with no brush to apply it with
• A new outfit without matching accessories
• A new car with no paint/rust protection
• A holiday with no insurance
• A McDonalds burger with no fries!

According to a recent credit card survey, the average number of items on a retail sale invoice INCLUDING grocery sales was 3.3. Think about that, if the average grocery sale is, say 30-40 items, then there's a heck of a lot cameras out there without memory cards or toys without batteries.

So how do we go about improving our sales satisfaction process? Well the first step is under standing that it's OK to want to help your customer get the most benefit from what they buy from you. Let's look at the camera scenario we described before. The customer walked into a camera shop and said, "I want to buy a good camera." The sales person would have asked several qualifying questions and got answers like:

• Good quality
• Easy to use
• Automatic focus
• Like it to be able to grow as my ability improves
• Must have a zoom lens

With today's technology nearly all cameras have a zoom lens as standard. If the sales person had probed a little deeper we might have discovered the real and immediate need was for a camera with a much longer than average zoom lens.  After all, what the customer needed was a lens that would allow him/her to take great pictures of dangerous creatures from a safe distance where they didn't become a lion's lunch.

And by the way, what other opportunities would that scenario present for sturdy, waterproof carry bag, extra memory cards, assorted accessories etc., but that's another story, about turning customers into raving fans!