HAVE YOU DESTROYED THE SALES SCRIPT AND STOPPED PITCHING?
Helping the prospect through the buying process should be a conversation not a one person narrative. If you are using a script you are probably not listening to the customer nor understanding their wants… you are just pitching and pitching isn’t selling.
Are you working very very hard and still not making the sales?
THEY KEY TO BETTER SALES IS TRAINING YOUSELF TO BECOME THE CUSTOMER’S ‘ASSISTANT BUYER’
Do you look for the five steps of the buying process?
ATTENTION
INTEREST
CONVICTION
DESIRE
PURCHASE
Do you know how to respond effectively to the prospects state of mind and emotions at each of the five stages?
Have you done a sales training course, read a book or even an article on sales in the last 30 days?
If you want to be a real “SALESPERSON” which of the following phrases describe you…
1. long term associate
2. partnership seeker
3. trustworthy individual
4. communicative and a good listener
5. human relations expert
6. product/service expert
7. problem solver
8. referral getter
9. lead generator
10. attractive and well presented
11. caring and considerate
12. often with the customer
13. welcome if you call in unexpectedly,
14. always positive and active
15. someone to respect.
FLOGGING OR PITCHING IS NOT SELLING, IT’S A CON, SELLING IS KNOWING HOW TO BEST SOLVE A CUSTOMERS PROBLEM WITH THE APPROPRIATE SOLUTION
If you need the sales script you have not reached the level of selling competence in the product knowledge area (features, advantages and benefits) that you will need to succeed!
DO YOU UNDERSTAND AND PRACTICE THE “DON’T SELL, LISTEN” PRINCIPLE?
Being sold makes us all uncomfortable; pressure is pressure no matter how slickly it’s applied.
The book ‘High Probability Selling’ (Abba Publishing Company), by Ruben & Werth, proposes that the salesperson’s objective is ‘not to get the prospect to buy, rather to find out if there is a mutually acceptable basis to do business’. Sales success comes from being an expert in human relations; it’s about earning respect, using effective communication and particularly it’s about listening.
LISTENING to what you are being told during a sales appointment is still the best way to find a sale. By listening rather than talking you can uncover what the prospect is looking for and then you can provide the ‘fix’.
Just before I finish…
*Here is the link for direct page viewers return to main career success blog to check out other posts!
While you’re here take a look at the free blank resume form just in case after the last two posts you think selling as a career is just a bit too hard!
REMEMBER it is hard if not impossible to listen, think and talk all at the same time!
Finally: If you do stay in sales and practice long and hard enough it can be on of the most personally rewarding and financially rewarding careers you can have.
AND
Its the product of the product that your customer is seeking… they don’t want your ALKA SELTZER nor even relief from pain they want to get on with what is important to them!
