1. For the first few minutes of ANY sales interaction, don't talk about yourself, products, or services.
Remember, nobody cares how great you are until they realize how great you think they are. Resist the temptation to throw out any "pitches" about your product or service.
2. Sell with questions, not answers.
Forget about trying to "sell" your product or service, and focus instead on why your prospect wants to buy. To do this, you need to ask questions with no hidden agenda or ulterior motives.
3. Pretend you're on a first date with your prospect.
Get curious about your prospect. Ask about other products or services they're already using. Find out what they really want.
4. Speak to them as you speak to your family or friends.
This isn't the time to switch to the "sales mode" with ham- handed persuasion clichés and tag lines. Speak normally, as you do when you're with your friends and loved ones.
5. Pay close attention to what your prospect isn't saying.
Is your prospect rushed? Does he/she seem agitated or upset? If so, ask, "Is this a good time to talk? If not, perhaps we can meet another day."
6. If asked a question, answer it briefly, then move on.
Remember it isn't about you; it's about whether you're right for them.
7. Only after you've correctly assessed the needs of your prospect do you mention anything about what you're offering. Know to whom you're speaking before figuring out what it is that you want to say.
8. Refrain from delivering the three-hour product seminar.
Don't ramble on and on about things that have no bearing on anything your prospect has said. Pick a handful of things you think could help with your prospect's situation and tell her or him about them.
9. Ask the prospect if there are any barriers to them taking the next logical step?
After having gone through the first eight steps, you should have a good understanding of your prospect's needs, and are now ready to bridge the gap between those needs and what it is that you're offering.
10. So, invite your prospect to take some kind of action.
This erases the need for any "closing techniques" because the ball is in the prospect's court. On the other hand, a "sales close" keeps the ball in your court, with the focus on you, making you into a "salesman", instead of an advisor.
Easily Convert 25-30% More Prospects Into PAYING CUSTOMERS! Free Report Reveals: "How Any Ordinary Business Professional Can Turn Into An Unstoppable Selling Machine!" Click here.
Top 10 Strategies For Sales Success - To learn more about this author, visit Donald F. Pooley's Website.
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Donald F. Pooley
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Don Pooley, the author of this article,
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Copyright 2005, Donald F. Pooley, Inc.
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