Sales are the lifeblood of any business and the ability to sell is an art-form. That’s why sales people get paid so well.
It’s also inextricably linked to reputation. So, whatever commitments you make in the sales process, it’s important to be sure that you can meet them. It can be tempting, especially if you are chasing targets, to make a sale at any cost. Promising impossible delivery terms, or unworkable modifications, just to get them to sign the order, can be an expensive mistake.
Conversely, being honest with a prospect if you feel your product isn’t right for them, increases your credibility, your reputation and the potential for future sales and ongoing referrals. Your prospect understands that you have their best interests at heart so they will trust you should their needs change in the future.
Selling requires a variety of skills, from the ability to build rapport, to excellent listening and communication skills. The ability to handle objections is possibly the most difficult component and was the subject of a previous article (view). It requires the ability to influence effectively (view) and to negotiate well (view).
Following is a simple sales process. To illustrate it in action, let’s suppose you are selling a printer:
- Build rapport
- Background information
- How long have you had your existing printer? What features are you looking for? What kind of volume do you need it to produce?
- What problem are you trying to solve?
- “We’d like to save money on ink; We’d like to improve reliability and print quality and we’d like to increase the number of functions – ie print on A3, collate reports and staple”
- What effect is the problem having on you? This helps the prospect to identify with the pain of the problem.
- “The current printer is slow, unreliable and often breaks down – last time it meant that the reports weren’t ready for the board meeting.”
- Suggest a positive outcome to their problem. This will move them from the pain of the problem to the pleasure of the solution, making them more open to saying “yes”.
- “Our model XYZ123 will produce high quality print, 50% faster than your current printer at a 20% saving on your current cartridges. Not only that, it will collate and staple your reports for you.”
- Ask for the sale – the most important part!
- There are various closing techniques, the simplest of which are:
- Direct – “This seems to address all your needs whilst making savings for you. Would you like to buy this model?”
- Assumptive – “When would you like it delivered?”
- There are various closing techniques, the simplest of which are:
It is easy to blame the product or the price for lack of sales, but often the issue is more about not having aligned your solution to the client’s needs. Remember that selling is an art-form. Do read the objection-handling and negotiating articles mentioned above for more information. Also, why not call for some 1:1 coaching so that you can have a personalised input on how to improve your sales success? Call me on 0845 130 0854.
© Tricia Woolfrey 2013
About Tricia Woolfrey – click HERE to find out about the author.
Objections are an inevitable part of any selling process – whether you are selling products, services or an idea. It is the part of the sale which leaves all but the very best sales people, influencers and negotiators trembling behind a façade of the “this-doesn’t-bother-me-at-all” faux-smile. It’s what keeps most would-be sales people hiding under a duvet of busy-ness so they never get to make the call which could result in the rejection they fear so much. And this is because they personalise the “rejection”. They make it about themselves rather than a legitimate (or smoke-screen) concern.
Being able to negotiate with integrity is vital to profitability and also for relationships. Effective negotiation is less about winning as it is about creatively finding a way in which both parties get what they need. Sometimes this will involve compromise, where each party makes concessions to the other. Sometimes it will involve backing down in the interest of maintaining a positive ongoing relationship – short-term pain for long-term gain.