Selling something to someone is the purest act of commerce, which makes the economy of the world go round and round. Selling is the economic juice, which rotates and stimulates currency. If everyone stops buying, the economy comes to a screeching halt.
Once you sell goods or services to your customers, or you’re presenting a brilliant marketing idea to the masses or your boss, money turns hands.
Everything you do in business, whether at work or online, involves the steps of the selling process.
Any business for it to be sustainable, to survive, involves the transfer of goods or ideas in exchange for revenue, where a portion of it is profit.
Always Be Closing Dammit
So if you sell something to your clients, present your brilliant startup idea to investors, present the idea of buying a new boat to your spouse. You need to know how to sell, to get your point across.
Selling also generally isn’t considered a highly regarded occupation, as what immediately comes to mind is that tacky car salesman with the plaid sports coat.
Most also have absolutely no idea how to sell, while buyers don’t want to feel they’re being deceived or cheated out of their money.
The Act Of The Sale
The selling process is where the rubber hits the road, where the transaction of goods for money occurs. This begins with first getting the buyer on your side.
By they agreeing with your idea, then negotiating the best price and you closing the deal.
If you are new or are forced to sell, there are a few established concepts which you need to implement.
Once they’re understood and followed, it should then become a process where you can sell anything to almost anyone.
The idea is to learn the process, practice the steps, and then tailor it into your own personality, your situation. That’s the ultimate goal you need to achieve as a salesperson.
Doing The Groundwork By Researching
Understand what makes your customers tick, or whomever you are selling or presenting to. Know what their roles are, what their objectives may be, what’s in it for them.
Realize what if anything, is their primal motivation to buy the product from you today.
It’s also important you know your direct competition, what you’re up against, and know what their strengths and weaknesses are.
Know if they present any potential hurdles or challenges, you need to help your buyer overcome.
Know Your Product Inside Out
What’s also important, is product knowledge. Know all of the details of what you’re selling down stone cold, including all the statistics.
Make it a priority to know more about your product than anyone else, especially more than who your selling to.
There’s nothing more embarrassing and time consuming, than getting beat up by your customer or your boss because you’re not prepared.
This because you didn’t properly do your homework, so you’re wasting their time. Not being prepared is a certain kiss of death.
Sales In A Nutshell… Always Be Closing
Once you’re satisfied you did your homework, and feel you’ve prepared yourself and are passionate and eager to do your presentation. Then take a step back and breath.
Take a step back since you may risk coming across poorly, such as being too eager, aggressive, or too timid. People don’t need, want, or appreciate being annoyed.
Doing so makes it appear like it’s all about you, and it never is. It’s all about the buyer or the group of people you’re selling to. It’s about fulfilling their needs and goals.
So stop and ask yourself how you can help them. Begin by asking them what their concerns are.
Begin By Listening First
Listen intently, while asking leading questions and then observe how they respond. Watch their body language. Listen, until you know the complete picture.
Never badger them since you should be listening more, converse, go back and forth. You want to be as flexible as possible, while not coming across as pushy.
The key is finding a way to get your client to speak first, since information is king. Listen behind their words, to find what really matters to them.
They usually say a lot indirectly, so look for clues to find out what’s in it for them, the reason why they want your product. Determine which obstacles, you need to overcome.
Selling is similar to cracking a nut. You’re tempted to just get a hammer and shatter it into small pieces.
But if you can find its sweet spot, it will automatically open up clean. This is what sales is in a nutshell.
Need To Make That Connection
You may have the greatest idea, product, or service that’s available, but if you’re not able to make a genuine connection, then it’s worthless.
It doesn’t need to be a deep relationship, but there needs to be some type of mutual respect with you and your buyer.
The key to connecting with someone, is you need to get your message across in a way so it will resonate with them.
If you did your homework, you can push all the right buttons, while listening for feedback. Then you should understand exactly what they’re looking for.
This will give you an edge, on how you can overcome their concerns and objectives, while meeting their goals.
The Need To Communicate
The best way to communicate with them, is by presenting analogies and anecdotes, which cuts the ice.
This because most people are motivated by logic and factual information first, then they are wanting to relate to you emotionally. So you need to feed their ego.
People like to hear more about the benefits and the features of a product. The ideas, or the performance by they knowing the statistics. They’re wanting to hear about what it can do for them.
Once you put forth your best effort presenting the analytics, they’re closer to making a buying decision. It then comes down to the emotional connection of the stories you tell them.
That’s the motivational button you need to activate, the switch which triggers the buying process.
Making Sure You’re On Their Side
If you are sitting across from someone and there’s a barrier such as a desk for instance, you’re connecting with them physically but not mentally.
The way to solve this, is by you standing up and physically walking over to sit on the same side of the desk or table with them.
The sooner you adopt this mindset of being on their side, the more efficiently you’ll begin closing new deals.
Be On The Buyers Side
There are some who don’t understand they’re working for and with the customer. It’s their job to understand and serve to their needs.
It’s their duty, to make the buyer realize you’re there to help them. You’re there strictly to lead them towards achieving their goals, and not yours. Show them you’re willing to do whatever you can for them.
Once your buyer realizes you’ll jump through hoops for them, once they pick up this vibe, which is the genuine desire you want to help them become successful. That’s what gets the deal closed.