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What You Need to Know to Sell More

Written by: Cheryl A. Clausen

Article Overview: I’ve known salespeople who have struggled for months either memorizing a presentation they were given or writing one. What a waste of precious time. All the while you’re worrying about getting or having the perfect presentation you’re missing out on what you want most, SALES.

What You Need to Know to Sell More

I’ve known salespeople who have struggled for months either memorizing a presentation they were given or writing one. What a waste of precious time. All the while you’re worrying about getting or having the perfect presentation you’re missing out on what you want most, SALES.

The selling process is what happens during a sales conversation. Yes, an effective sales process requires you and your future client have an actual conversation. A conversation can only happen when both your future client and you are talking back and forth. It requires an understanding. An understanding of exactly what your potential client wants and how what you offer fulfills those wants.

You’ve done your prospecting and now you’re meeting for an appointment. Even though it seems like the sales process is a linear process it isn’t. Remember you’re having a conversation, you aren’t presenting a sales pitch. You can expect your conversation to quite naturally move back and forth between the stages of the sales process.

Sometimes your potential client will jump forward taking the conversation ahead of where they’re ready to be, and sometimes they’ll jump backward to clarify what you’ve talked about earlier.
That’s to be expected and it’s perfectly natural. Remember your objective from this conversation is to discover if this person is an ideal potential client for you. Plus you have to help them discover if what you offer is right for them.

Allow the conversation to unfold. Setting objectives for each step in the sales process. It’s your job to help your potential client become a ready buyer someone who’s ready to do business together now.

They can’t buy until they have their questions answered, they understand how what you offer gets them what they want, and they perceive what you offer to have greater value than the cost to own it. The biggest mistake salespeople make is they think they can simply tell their potential client these things and the potential client will nod their heads in agreement and write you a check. It doesn’t work that way.

When you approach sales that way you’ll notice behaviors that predict rejection from the potential client. They disengage, start resisting you, they won’t respond to your questions, and ultimately they’ll object to your offer. All because you didn’t heed the signs they were giving you telling you they weren’t on board with what you’re saying.

When you notice these behaviors take heed and don’t try to move forward. Instead, step back and gain clarity together so you both have a clear understanding. Better yet guide them through a conversation where they sell themselves on what you have to offer.

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  Heart of Marketing by Judith Sherven and Jim Sniechowski
  HOW TO AVOID SOUNDING LIKE JUST ANOTHER SALES REP
  Finding The Right Prospects For your Business
  Have You Ever Felt You Didn't Know How You'd Get Your Next Sale?

Article Tags: appointment, biggest mistake, effective sales, job, objective, precious time, salespeople



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