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How To Sell Almost Anything To Almost Anybody -Top Tips For Selling Success
 By GARY GORMAN
In this article I'd like to explore an area fundamental to business success... theability to sell. After all as the saying goes 'nothing happens until somebody sellssomething.'So here goes with my top tips for selling success…..
Tip No.1: Prepare, Prepare, Prepare
As with most things in business, preparation is vital for success. This must includeknowing your products, prices and services in detail, and those of yourcompetitors. Also preparation should include gathering the 'selling tools' you aregoing to use ...the brochures, samples, slides, testimonials that you will use inorder to convince the other party that they have a need to buy.
Tip No.2: Set the objective
Another vital part of preparation is to write down the objective. What is it youwant to achieve? What will success look like? Using the SMASH mnemonic we cancheck the quality of our objective:SPECIFIC - Define the desired result in a clear and unambiguous wayMEASURABLE - Be explicit in the quantities or value you wish to achieve,and by when eg. I wish to achieve sales this month of £20,000 to AcmeEnterprisesACHIEVABLE - Is achieving your objective realistic in the current marketconditions?STRETCHING - Is your objective realistic but challenging enough? Does itrequire you to make an extra effort to achieve it?HARMONIOUS - Will the achievement of your objective be mutuallybeneficial to both you and the buyer? Do they have a need for the product? If notcurrently, how could you create a mutually beneficial proposal?
Tip No.3: Make the first impression count
When meeting the customer, dress appropriately, make good eye contact, offer afirm handshake and SMILE!!Remember....you never get a second chance to make a first impression
Tip No.4: Ask open questions
In order to sell we need to know what will make the customer want to buy fromus. The way we do this is we ask them!! More specifically we ask them openquestions....in other words questions beginning with either 'who?', 'what?','when?', 'why?', 'where?' or 'how?'.These are all questions that will encourage the customer to talk about theircurrent situation, enable us to gather information, and allow us to tailor ourpresentation to the specific and stated needs of the customer.
 
A word of caution...it is important not to undermine the power of open questionsby jumping in or interrupting the customer. We can't possibly hope to satisfy theirneeds if we don't LISTEN.
Tip No 5: Sell benefits not features
Now we have actively listened to the customer and checked that we understandtheir needs or wants, we need to consider the benefits that will be derived by thecustomer in using our product or services. Often salespeople get so wrapped upin explaining the features of their product (ie. what it is) and they forget thatpeople are really only interested in the benefits of the product (ie. what theproduct will do for the customer).Likewise, our 'selling tools' should be focused on selling the benefits of ourproposal, rather than just being used as a list of the product features.
Tip No 6: Summarise the key benefits
As the sales presentation may have taken some time, it is important to allow thecustomer a short amount of time to consider his/her thoughts by remindinghim/her of what has been said and what you've agreed so far.By clarifying and reinforcing the key benefits we are then able to move on toclosing the sale.
Tip No 7: Ask for the order!!
It is remarkable the number of salespeople that don't actually close the deal andask for the order. We need to get the customer to say 'yes I want to buy'.According to The Institute of Purchasing Management only 20% of customers willever volunteer an order...the rest we have to ask!!Phrases such as "Would you like to go ahead now?", or "So, when do you wantdelivery?" are so effective in either getting the customer to say 'yes' or, at worst,in flushing out final concerns they may have before giving you the go ahead.
Tip No 8: Follow up straight away
Having successfully concluded the deal it is important to review areas that wentwell so that you can do them again next time! Equally, you may want to considerany areas that you will do differently next time, in order to learn and self-develop.You should also check that you are clear on what exactly you and the customerhave actually committed to. What needs to be done next to make it happen?Lastly, it is good practice to confirm all agreements and actions to the customer inwriting.I hope these eight tips have given you 'food for thought' as you prepare to sellyour way to success.Good luck© Gary Gorman 2007.Reprints welcome subject to the resource box and thearticle remaining intact, and all links remaining live.
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