There are no magic formulas or easy solutions. But here is a list of sales tips and sales techniques that a successful salesperson, who was also my sales manager, shared with me to boost your closing rate to 30%:
The first sales tip comes directly from me.
You’re offering a solution. You’re not just trying to sell something. Your customer has a need. You have a product or service to fulfill their need or solve their problem. If you remember this, it should also help you move forward if you ever get “cold feet.”
Be Obsessed: Learn to love what you do for a living and have fun.
Use a presentation book with lots of pictures and you with smiling customers.
Listen to your customer. As Walter Haley said, “If you want to sell, ask don’t tell.”
Listen, listen, listen. Ask questions, ask questions, ask questions.
Develop empathy for your customer’s viewpoint: “I understand . . .”
Another Walter Haley saying was “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”
See the prospect as your partner in the project. Sit beside them whenever possible.
Give the prospect all your attention and don’t get distracted.
Use a Talking Pad to take notes when your customer is talking and draw out ideas. It’s good to draw out ideas to illustrate a point as well. Once they see you writing, and then you pull out the agreement, it will also be natural to keep filling in the paperwork.
Some people learn best when they see something, others learn best by hearing you speak. You don't know which customer has the best method of learning. So, combine the two approaches.
When I sold roofing for Home Depot, which has been the only time in my career I’ve been hired strictly for a salesposition, I learned to use a talking pad to list Home Depot’s competitive advantages, the number of people Home Depot used on a project versus competitors. It helped me when I got to the paperwork since I had already been writing. I moved easily into completing the paperwork and closing the sale.
Send thank you notes to everyone. Call all your customers who you did not close.
Keep in contact with past clients. On occasion, send cards to everyone who has purchased from you.
Plan your day efficiently. Use your free time to generate more business.
You can read more sales tips in this complete article.
Marketing yourself is an important part of prospecting. Here is a useful article on why you should try to be world-famous . . . in your neighborhood!
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