Most people don't like sales, but whether you realize it or not we are all selling something, whether it's a product, a service, an idea or just trying to convince someone else of an alternative approach.
So you are not comfortable selling. Then stop selling. People love to buy but hate to be sold. What people like is having their problems solved. The number-one rule of selling is: The business or salesperson that solves the customer's problems, needs and wants in the easiest way will get the sale.
Customers don't want to be sold. So stop selling and start solving the customer's problems, needs and wants. Don't sell me a refrigerator; sell me the solution to keeping my food cold. Don't sell me a car; sell me a comfortable way to get from one place to another.
Make sure you are the expert about your products and services, and show your customers how purchasing your products and services will solve their problems, needs and wants.
by Bob Janet (www.BobJanet.com), sales consultant/trainer, speaker and author of Join the Profit Club
Most sales professionals wait to handle objections until prospects bring them up, but that strategy – or lack of strategy – isn’t nearly as effective as eliminating objections before making your presentation.
As a “sales doctor”, your first overall step with a potential client is to perform an examination – a qualifying interview – to find out where it hurts. During the examination, you find out if the prospect has a budget. Only after the examination is well under way do you offer a prescription by making a presentation. In the interview process, you effectively diagnose and dispose of the majority of objections.
The first two steps of the interview process are pre-call planning, and bonding and establishing rapport, which means doing your homework on the person you’re calling, and, once on the phone, getting that person to feel comfortable with you.
by Brian Azar (www.SalesDoctor.com), coach, author, speaker and trainer
To help with "doing your homework", Harvey Mackay created the Mackay 66, which is the most popular handout downloaded from his Web site, www.harveymackay.com. Check it out if you are not already familiar with it. According to Harvey, its help him and his entire national sales force at Mackay Envelope Company humanize their selling strategy.
