Would you like to be the kind of salesman who could sell ice at the North Pole? The first thing you have to do is stop selling ice. I’m serious. The folks at the North Pole don’t need it. It may sound counter-intuitive but if you can find out what they do need, want and like you can charm them into buying that new ice maker every time.
Target people, not your product
You can probably tell a potential customer everything there is to know about what you sell. You can rattle off every feature, you can justify its price or tell us when it will be on sale, and you know exactly how it compares to other products like it. The problem with making your product the most important focus in your sales pitch is that you’ve missed the one desire that every customer has: The desire to be the most important focus.
Plan your selling strategy with their goal in mind
Instead of reading a script, or making a rehearsed pitch, ask open ended questions in order to find out what is most important to your customer. For example, if you are selling cookware, before you mention a single pot you should ask your potential buyer if they like to cook. Follow their answer with more questions: Why do they like or dislike cooking? What do they like to cook? What do they wish they could cook?
Now that you know what they really want, sell them their heart’s desire. If they hate to cook because they hate to wash dishes, point out how the cookware’s non-stick coating is a breeze to clean. If they want to make pot roast like their mom used to make, suggest a nice heavy pot with lid that is a lot like the one their mother would have used. It only takes a few well asked questions to get to know your customer. Once you do, you can sell them just about anything.
Put on your game face
When you meet someone face-to-face 90% of how they perceive you is based on what they can see. When it comes to sales, people do judge a book by the cover and first impressions can make or break a sale. Smile and mean it. Your customers are watching you.
Its also important to dress appropriately. Again, knowing your customer is key. What do they wear? If you are selling tricked-out skate boards to extreme-sports fans, a suit and tie will not help you make your quota. Likewise, you aren’t likely to sell many insurance policies wearing sneakers, baggy pants, and a t-shirt that says Skate-R-Die.
Sell your self from head-to-toe
The first two things people notice when they meet you is your head and shoes. Don’t put off a needed haircut or shave. Wear clean, new shoes and make sure your pants aren’t too short or too long. Avoid bad hair days and sloppy apparel at all costs.
Train to win
Professional athletes practice every single day. They train for years and invest an enormous amount of time and money into their athletic careers. The same tactics work in sales. Practice your techniques and be open to learning new ones. Anybody can play the game of sales, but only the best will win.
Start your sales training today and be the best at what you do. Visit Ultimate Sales University for a FREE SEMINAR and more sales tips and techniques.