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Selling Today

Written by: Angelo Grasso

Article Overview: How to make the most of every Sales opportunity

Selling Today

The message is simple:- make every sales opportunity count.

To have a happy customer you need to be able to SELL 1st.

So what are some things within your control that you can do to increase the likelihood of someone buying from you v’s someone else?

Before we can effectively answer this we need to understand one thing. Selling is a skill. A skill that anyone can learn.

Let’s break it down.

The sales cycle can be broken down in to 3 simple elements:- Lead. Sale. Service.

First you need to get leads. Then you need to be able to convert as many of those leads to sales as possible. You then need to follow through with outstanding after-sales service which leads to repeat business and referrals. Sounds simple yes? It is.

When you're on the phone, BE PREPARED. Have A4 pre-prepared generic lead sheets always on hand. These prompt you to ask the right questions that head you in the direction of a face to face appointment. As soon as you sense a hint of interest over the phone, you need to be the one to suggest an appointment. Never wait or rely on the prospect to do this. Any over the phone enquiry or prospecting call should serve one desired outcome:- to get face to face with any interested party. Remember the “numbers game”. The more calls you make/take, the more appointments you set, the more sales you make.

Once face to face, follow a simple 5 step process:
1. Meet and Greet:- Good eye contact, warm smile, firm hand shake, small talk, build trust and rapport.
2. Qualify:- Ask questions to determine what’s important to them.
3. Present:- Present your product/service based on what they’ve told you is important to them focusing on the benefits
4. Trial Close:- e.g. “Is this the sort of thing you had in mind?”
5. Close:- Get a commitment. E.g. “Would you like to get the ball rolling?”

Effective selling stems from effective communication. Use customer friendly language and avoid jargon. Emulate the customer’s speech style. If they talk slow you should talk slow. If they talk fast you should talk fast. People like it when you are in synch with their individual communication style.

Be aware of body language. Examples of negative body language include arms folded often meaning negative or reserved feelings; fingers on lips indicate doubt; while clenched fists suggest frustration. Deal with negatives immediately by asking appropriate questions to break negative thought patterns. People can also be snapped out of negative body language by you handing them something. This could be any supportive visual data e. g. a news article, a graph, a testimonial.

Track your progress by recording your ratios of phone calls to appointments and appointments to sales. This will help you to stay focused on becoming the best you can be.

For more information on consulting services or in-house training, contact Angelo Grasso directly on (612) 9712 4333 or email angelo@bigpond.net.au

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Related Forum Posts
Re: Kevin's Case Study #10 - When to become an entrepreneur? - When the bug bite you. A lot of successful entrepreneurs started in their teens or at school. Selling sweets to fellow students or lemonade to firends in the neighbourhood.
Re: This is Marketing Warfare! - Hey GT, I guess this was from a while back, and it'll test your memory a bit but could you possibly elaborate on Unique Selling Proposition? Can you give us some examples of good USPs?
Blog pinging - Thanks Martin - yes, I do ping and it has been very effective. I'm currently on the first page of Google for Mastermind Group and on the second page for Selling to Small Business.
Business magazines - Fast Company is pretty good if you're into technology although it can be very on the edge. Entrepreneur has become one giant advertisement and I cancelled my subscription. Selling Power also has some useful content if you're looking at improving your sales skills / presentations.
Re: HABIT:... The Helper of Entrepreneur - Hi topeyinka, When I read your post, my thoughts were refreshed with the words below: Just for Today...... Just for today......I will choose and display the right attitudes. Just for today......I will determine and act on important priorities. Just for today......I will know and follow healthy guidelines. Just for today......I will communicate with and care for my family. Just for today......I will practice and develop good thinking. Just for today......I will make and keep proper commitments. Just for today......I will earn and properly manage finances. Just for today......I will deepen and live out my faith. Just for today......I will initiate and invest in solid relationships. Just for today......I will plan for and model generosity. Just for today......I will embrace and practice good values. Just for today......I will seek and experience improvements. Just for today......I will will act on these decisions and practice these disciplines, and Then one day .... I will see the compounding results of a day lived well. by John C Maxwell in the book: Today Matters. I hope that helps someone.


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