Selling has been around as long as humanity, whether it's in the form of trading, bartering or exchanging services. Regardless, salespeople lack the basic sales skills and sales training they need.
The most effective sales techniques we teach at ceo training salt lake city revolve around listening skills. If you are always going on and on, how can you get the customer on your side? If you only and don't understand whether the prospect wants them, you can expect to fail.
You are the most important thing you ever discuss, and its true for others also: your sales targets like to talk about themselves. Use the following list of techniques to i[ your own sales strategies or to share with your coworkers or the salespeople you coach.
The best thing you can do, though, is to know your sales targets. Do they know they could use your solution or product or are they having a problem you can solve? Are any other options for them and are they good? Have these questions figured out before you talk to anyone.
Next, you need to start listening. Think about this:
- Just hold your tongue! Most salespeople go on and on, not even knowing that they have already lost their prospect, who is now just trying to get off the phone as quickly as they can. You can discuss the benefits of your product and briefly go over how you can offer solutions to their problems, but not unless you know what they expect.
- You can't read minds. Every client is unique, and that you can almost never guess what they really need. Don't let your ego get the best of you and believe that you know more than they do. Rather, ask clarifying questions several times during the conversation.
- Don't be demanding. No one likes to be ordered around, but a lot of would-be sellers end up doing this when they just go over their presentations without listening. Rather, discuss the benefits of your product or service and listen closely while the customer speaks aloud, coming to understand why, in the process, your solution is the best one. You can coach the client along, but don't go further or you could lose it all.
- You will close the deal on emotion. Facts and figures have their purpose, but selling is truly about whether your customer trusts you. Listen for signs of stress, worry and fatigue, as these are negatives you could solve. You will also want to listen for positive emotions such as relief, because this can help you understand your client's true needs.
- Learn what your clients really need. If they are OK with their answers to the problem you are hoping to solve, 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 business day, closing the deal is about convincing one person at a time. Anyone who doesn't feel understood, will probably not continue a business relationship with you.
- Listen and then repeat or rephrase what the client says. Called reflective listening, this technique lets the client know that you are hearing them, that you are concerned about it and are thinking about it, and that you are getting it right. Furthermore, this method clarifies what they expect from you.
- Know what they want Beyond listening to the client says he or she wants, find out what the actual motivations are. Often, this means boosting the bottom line but it can also mean something like improving speed, reducing worry and more.
These sales tips might not be comfortable, but if you try them you will see that they are very effective. Remember that most salespeople just rush through with their standard pitches, not considering their prospects' ideas at all. These salespeople fail. Join the ranks of sales victory by closing your mouth and proving that you really care.