I saw these selling tips on a blog site and thought I would share them with you. The site is Sales tips for the Non-Sales person, that’s most of us then! There is some stuff you will know already and some that may get you thinking.
Every time I go on a course or read posts on selling I always pick up a tip or two that replayed my time investment over and over again.
Customers are just people, like you or I. Focus less on selling, and more on connecting personally – about weather, sports events, or other common ground. It will help customers feel more comfortable with you, and will make talking about your company’s offering easier.
Know who you’re talking to. How does the person you’re speaking with affect the purchase decision? Will this person use the product or service, or is this person a buyer? The more you know about your contacts within a company, the simpler it is to paint pictures specific to their roles.
Ask questions. Have a handful of pre-scripted questions that will help you understand which product or service will fit the customers’ needs, and allow the customer’s responses to guide you to the right solution.
Know the product or service. Make sure that everyone on your staff knows your products and services forwards and backwards, so that a sales presentation can be tailored to a customer’s application. Regular refresher training on more complicated products is a must!
People make decisions based on emotions. Listen to your customers and talk to them in a way that makes it clear that you were paying attention. Use their words and ideas when you explain how your product or service will benefit them.
Communicate the way your customers want. Ask each customer proactively how he or she prefers to communicate – by email, office phone, or cell phone. Some of your clients are so busy that taking time out for a phone call is nearly impossible, so email is the way to go. Other customers may prefer the flexibility of being contacted by cell phone – especially those that are constantly on-the-go. Be sure to record the customer’s communication preferences!
Put Google to work. Research your customer on the Internet. In just five minutes, you can get a good understanding of what your customers do from their websites. The better you understand a customer’s business, the easier it will be for you to see how your products and services fit in to their business. No need to become an expert – just be sure you understand the basics!
