Regardless of whether you’re selling sprockets, widgets, ice cream or smartphones, you can be sure you’re not the only one selling it.
Here’s two sure-fire steps you can take that will keep you ahead of your competition. Why two steps? Simple. Your competition is probably trying to stay one step ahead of you. By taking the extra step, you’ll always be in the forefront.
There are many steps required to close a sale. And within each step there are elements that can help accelerate the decision-making process.
Decisions open doors, close sales or let you move on to the next prospect. Though a “no” is just as good as a yes because it saves time and effort, it’s the “yeses” that you take to the bank.
Of course, there is one thing you have that nobody else has – you. But unless you know how to effectively sell yourself, you could wind up hearing “no” more frequently.
The old axiom, “people buy from people they like”, still holds. Learning how to get people to like you, and you to like others is the cornerstone to sales success. Keep in mind that no one is so big or important that their presence alone will get them the sale.
How many times have you walked into a store to buy something, only to find that the salesperson was such a jerk that you’d rather forego the purchase than deal with that kind of person?
Taking a caring, nurturing approach when interacting with prospects or clients is one way to increase the probability that they will listen to what you have to say. And what you have to say about what you’re selling should be short and sweet! What’s the other axiom? “If you’re telling you’re not selling”.
Listening goes hand-in-hand with nurturing. From your first encounter to your last always go for a response from your prospect rather than merely dumping volumes of information on them, most of which either doesn’t apply or is more than they really need or ask for.
Let’s take a look at the following examples that illustrate a first encounter that will get your prospect responding.
Joe Smith is in line at the supermarket. During the wait, amidst the small talk, he gets the other party talking about work. He then says “I’m Joe Smith, I work with people who have problems with their air conditioning systems. Sometimes they’re utility bills are through the roof or their units make too much noise. Sometimes, for one reason or another, one room is too warm while the rest of the house is too cold. I don’t suppose any of those issues effect you or anyone you know?”
I call this little message by Joe his thirty-second spot. If you can develop one along Joe’s lines to use with your prospect, you’ve accomplished a number of things:
- You’ve got the person thinking.
- You’re not overtly selling.
- You’re asking for a response.
If they say no, it’s ok.
They or someone they know may need to speak with you.
In a situation like this, you’re nurturing rather than telling them, “Hey, listen to me, I’m the greatest thing since sliced bread. Here’s what I can do for you”, which invariably leads into the typical “features and benefits” way to sell
Try it. They could wind up liking you much better and it could pave the way for a sale.
Are you interested in selling Verizon Wireless services? Call us at (855) SELL-VZW or fill out the form below. We look forward to talking to you soon!
