Selling is as old 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 to be successful.
Arguably, the biggest issue is poor listening skills and the belief that your sales pitch will make the sale. This despite the fact that experts have preached reflective listening skills as the best way to make sales for decades. The truth is that almost everyone wants to talk about themselves, including, likely, you. But the best advice we give at sales training programs salt lake city is to just close your mouth and pay attention to your customers' feelings and motivators.
You are the most important thing you ever discuss, and its true for others too: your sales targets like to talk about their own issues. Consider the ideas below to i[ sales or to pass on to with your coworkers or the salespeople you manage.
The first step in any successful sale, though, is to know your sales targets. Do they know they should have your product or service or are they experiencing a problem that's urgent? What other solutions are available and are they acceptable to the person?
Now it's time to begin listening to your customers. Keep these top-shelf sales tips in mind:
- Close your mouth!! Most salespeople go on forever, not realizing that they have lost their customer, who is now just trying to get off the phone as quickly as possible. You can talk about the benefits of your service or solution and briefly go over how you can offer fixes, but not unless you know what they expect.
- You aren't a mind reader. Remember that 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 bossed around, but salespeople often essentially do this when they repeat and repeat their presentations without listening properly. Rather, discuss the benefits of your solution and listen while the prospect talks, coming to understand why, in the process, your service is the ideal choice. You can coach the prospect along, but stop there or you could lose it all.
- How they feel will seal the deal. Your explanations have their place, but closing deals is ultimately about whether your prospect likes you and trusts you. This is the reality even if they don't know it. Listen for emotions like stress, worry and fatigue, as these are problems you could help solve. It's also smart to listen for pleasant emotions such as excitement, because this can help you understand your client's true needs.
- Find out what your customers need. If they are pleased with their own fixes to the problem you think you see, learn more. If not, find out what's missing. If they are only interested in some parts of your proposed solution, understand that as well. At the end of the business day, making any sale is about persuading one person at a time. If your customers don't feel understood, will probably not continue working with you.
- Use your own words to rephrase what they say. Called reflective listening, this habit lets the customer know you're hearing them, that you are concerned about it and are thinking about it, and that you are getting it right. Furthermore, this technique clarifies their expectations.
- Know what they want Besides hearing what the prospect says he or she needs, find out what the actual motivations are. Usually, this means boosting the bottom line but it can also mean something like improving efficiency, reducing worry and more.
These sales strategies might not be intuitive when you start implementing them, but if you try them you will see that they work. Realize that most salespeople just rush through with their pre-written speeches, not considering these aspects. These salespeople are never successful. Join the ranks of sales victory by closing your mouth and showing that you care.