This article is the 2nd article in the Sales Training 101 article series.
Are you struggling to drive new sales in your business?
You have a great internet consulting business and you regularly prospect people with your services. You did all the research, write a fantastic blog, and are an expert in your field, but none of this seems to matter.
You just can’t get people to buy.
Well, I’m here to tell you that there are no “secrets” to selling, but there is a sure-fire method.
The world’s best salesman Joe Girard once said, “The elevator to success is out of order. You’ll have to use the stairs, one step at a time.”
Selling is no different. Follow each one of these steps and you will be a sales rockstar.
Step 1: Dress The Part
Would you fork over your hard-earned money to someone wearing a sweat suit? Would you actually take out your wallet, pull out your credit card, and hand it to some guy who looks like he might run off and steal your wallet?
Absolutely not.
Now, just imagine stumbling across a website selling something you really wanted for a great price. Would you buy from the website if it looked like some kid threw it together in five minutes?
Absolutely not.
People judge people and businesses on first impressions. So, make sure you show up looking like the person the client wants to see.
Step 2: Make the Connection
Do you realize the power has been taken away from businesses? Instead of businesses deciding where people buy, people are telling businesses where they want to buy.
With the internet making the world a much smaller place, we do not have to put up with being treated poorly by our local snake of a car salesman.
We now have unlimited options.
But how can a salesman be successful in today’s sales environment?
You need to make connections.
Expert salesmen know people no longer buy products or ideas from businesses. We buy into the people selling the products or ideas. So, make sure you make an initial connection with each prospect.
(Do you need a way to easily connect with a prospect? Understanding “Why We Buy Anything,” would be a great start).
Step 3: The Discovery
If you watched a movie about law or lawyers, you know a “Discovery” is the process by which each lawyer is entitled to the facts in the opposing lawyers case. The lawyers then use these facts in trial.
A salesman needs to conduct a discovery as well. They need to find the “facts” and “needs” of each prospect so they can determine the best product for their needs.
This process is much easier than it sounds. Once you properly made the connection, all you need to do is ask questions like:
- “What brings you here today?”
- “How can I help you?”
Expert salesmen know the prospect will be forthcoming. After all, they did show up to buy something.
Step 4: Develop the Connection
Your prospect is now interested in your product or your business. You know what they’re looking for and you made the initial connection. Your next step is to develop this connection so you can convert your prospect into a client.
Here are a couple of ways you can do this:
Storytelling – Do you remember learning about the origins of storytelling? People used stories to convey the right way to live your life, so you can be safe and successful.
Expert salesmen use stories to develop connections with prospects. For example, Leo Babauta, author of Zenhabits, used this tactic, inadvertently, when he wrote about all of his recent failures. He connected with his readers by showing them he was just like them.
Love Your Job - Do you know how Steve Jobs woos the audience with every one of his presentations? His excitement is contagious. He absolutely loves to be on stage, and the audience loves it as well.
Expert salesmen love what they do and what they sell. While the money is a motivator, many salesman are happy to help their clients because they know it will lead to additional sales.
Step 5: Handle Objections Carefully
Despite building a strong connection, some people will object to the sale. You could be childhood friends and it still wouldn’t be enough because some people just can’t commit.
Luckily, there is a way to convince skeptical people to commit to your vision or product.
Expert salesmen know the worst way to handle opposition is through brute force, so they handle all objections positively. You do this by supporting and/or agreeing with their objection.
It is your job to flip the situation, and you can do this by asking the prospect “the reason” behind their reservation. Once you get them to commit to a reason, you simply ask, “how can we handle this?”
This is when you shut up and listen because everything the client says is an opportunity to turn the client into a believer or paying customer.
Step 6: Close The Deal
When you hear something along the lines of “how many do you have left,” “what colors are available,” or “what other features do I get if I buy?” It is your job to stop selling and close the sale.
These questions are known as buying signals, and nothing is worse than trying to sell to someone who is ready to buy.
Unfortunately, not all prospects offer clear buying signals like I mentioned above.
I promise all is not lost. You can still help your prospect realize he wants to close the sale. You just need to give him a few pushes in the right direction.
Here are a couple ways how you can help your prospect realize they want to buy:
Be Direct - If you feel like you developed a great connection and handled all of the objections, you should directly ask, “Are we ready to take this to the next step?”
Assume Agreement - You can say something along the lines of “Would you like this in black or white” or “I’m glad to have you on board, let me grab the final papers.” You just want to say something that sounds like you are assuming the prospect is going ahead with the sale.
Expert salesmen use these two tactics regularly and it works. Just remember, people don’t like to part with their hard-earned money, but as long as you focus on the benefits, you should be doing great.
Bonus Tip: Ask For Referrals
Expert salesmen are both experts at selling and having an endless supply of prospects. For every one sale you get, you should ask for at least 2 referrals, but 4 referrals would be better. Not only does this help keep your supply of prospects up, warm sources convert better than cold sources.
What Do You Think?
Do you have any tried and true processes that help you increase sales? How about you share them in the comments?
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
#6 is the most important one I feel. Sometimes I’m at a store ready to buy, and the person keeps telling me the benefits. Just sell me the product already! I’m literally handing over my cash and I keep hearing on and on about the product.
When this happens, I end up buying, but decide not to come back to the store because the people are annoying.
Great advice!
- Jun Loayza
Nice article again Derek.
I think Step 3: The Discovery is the turning point. You make something so it can be discovered and sold and if people can’t find it, then it’s not a good product.
An entire class in a blog post. This is beautifully put together. Thank you. If you don’t dress the part, you won’t make the connection. I very much love the idea you call “discovery.” It makes the connection one of reciprocity not of hunting a sale. Bravo.
@Jun: I totally agree. Some people don’t realize when it’s time to just process the sale.
@Trevor and @Liz: I’ve spoke with a few professional salesman and they all agree that the sales/client relationship needs to be a win-win one. If either party walks away feeling like they got a “great” deal, the other party received a “fair.”
The trick is, both parties need to feel like they received “good” deals.
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