| The Science of Selling | | | | Perhaps, "When would you like to start?", or, "How |
| Many people seem to believe that selling is the | | | | many items would you like as an initial shipment?", or |
| province of people with the "gift of the gab". Oddly | | | | "What colour would you prefer?". I'm sure you get the |
| enough, nothing could be further from the truth. Whilst a | | | | idea. One thing to notice however is that all these |
| sales person needs to be a good presenter, which can | | | | questions require a commitment from the customer or |
| involve talking, it is more important that they be a good | | | | prospect. They are not open ended questions like, |
| communicator. | | | | "What do you think?". Questions of that nature are |
| Communication is a two way street, not one way and | | | | way too general and destroy the process you have |
| if a sales person never shuts up, then they will never | | | | been building. |
| get to find out about the customer's needs, the | | | | With any luck, the customer or prospect may simply |
| customer's wants, the customer's expectations or | | | | order from you at this point and you can go on your |
| other matters of vital importance to the sales process. | | | | merry way towards your next sale. But if they don't |
| There are only two reasons why people won't buy | | | | then you move on to the next step which is............ |
| something. Either they don't need it or they can't afford | | | | 4. Answering Objections |
| it. Although you may have heard the saying that some | | | | Many sales people are terrified of objections, but the |
| salesperson could sell "sand to Arabs" or "ice to | | | | reality is that they should be welcomed with open |
| Eskimos", they are just sayings. Neither of these | | | | arms. If a prospect of customer raises an objection |
| groups "need" the product. Likewise, you aren't going | | | | then it means they are interested. Experience with |
| to sell a luxury yacht costing $3million to a battling | | | | your product or service will teach you over time every |
| family in the suburbs - they simply can't afford it. | | | | single objection that a prospect or customer could |
| Consequently good sales people "target" their market | | | | possibly raise. Granted, you may come up against the |
| so their time is spent effectively. That however is the | | | | odd surprise at some stage, but objections should |
| subject of a whole different article. | | | | always be regarded as a learning experience on your |
| Essentially there are five basic steps to a sale. | | | | part. The more objections raised, the greater the |
| 1. The Opening | | | | opportunity that you as a sales person has of |
| The opening of your presentation is one of the most | | | | displaying your expertise with the product or service |
| important parts. This is where you establish rapport | | | | which in turn builds the trust and confidence of the |
| with your customer if he/she/they are new. If they are | | | | prospect or customer in you. |
| an existing customer, then it will be a bit of a "catch up" | | | | Sadly, this is one area of sales that seems to be |
| since your last meeting or contact. Establishing rapport | | | | ignored by Internet Marketers. They put up a page and |
| is often underestimated by sales people. They blindly | | | | rely on someone hitting the order button. I have |
| rush in to trying to sell a prospect a product or service | | | | personally had questions about some products I have |
| without establishing essential ingredients in the sale. | | | | seen, but either there isn't an email address on the |
| These are the integrity of the sales person and also | | | | page or your emails are ignored! |
| establishing trust. Just because the person you are | | | | Now here is the important part. At the end of |
| talking to may be an existing client, these things are not | | | | answering every objection you go back to Step 3 and |
| to be taken lightly. It is a well established fact of selling | | | | do a Trial Close on the prospect or customer. Keep |
| that it is far easier to sell to an existing client than it is | | | | doing this until there are no more objections and then |
| to a new prospect. Overlooking a decent opening to | | | | move on to the last part of the process which is.......... |
| an existing client can leave them feeling "taken for | | | | 5. The Close |
| granted" and you could well end up losing their | | | | It is at this point that the pens and paper come out and |
| business. From the Opening, you move on to the...... | | | | the details of the sale are recorded. Once this has |
| 2. The Presentation | | | | been documented there are still two more important |
| This is where you move into the presentation of your | | | | things to do before packing your bag and heading off. |
| product or service to the prospect of client. Make sure | | | | The first is to recap and go over the details of the |
| it is well thought out and rehearsed. Let me repeat that | | | | order with the prospect or customer. Have them |
| - Make sure your presentation is well thought out and | | | | confirm to you verbally that all is in order. You can do |
| rehearsed. There is nothing worse than a presentation | | | | this several time regarding key points if relevant. |
| that is full of stumbles, errs...aahhhhs and pauses. What | | | | The last thing to do is to thank the prospect or |
| you are really saying to the customer or prospect is | | | | customer for their business. Remember, you are in the |
| that you don't really know your product or service that | | | | trust and relationship building business and treating |
| well. If this is what you are conveying, how can you | | | | people with respect and appreciation will go a long |
| possibly expect the prospect or customer to buy from | | | | way to building these integral parts of the relationship. |
| you? From the Presentation you move on to the......... | | | | Despite what many sales people think, price is not the |
| 3. The Trial Close | | | | primary consideration or factor in a client's mind. This |
| The sad fact about selling is that many sales people | | | | does apply for some of course, but they are in the |
| do not know how to close. They get to the end of | | | | minority. Price is only one of many considerations |
| their Presentation and don't know what to say next. | | | | taken into account by buyers and is in fact only one of |
| The conversation can deteriorate into small talk about | | | | many objections you may have to overcome in |
| the weather or other inane subjects and they leave | | | | achieving a sale. |
| with the customer or prospect saying that they will | | | | Apply and refine these techniques and you can be |
| think about it. If you want the order, then you have to | | | | assured of success in sales. |
| ask for it! So what is a trial close? It is a question. | | | | |