|
Favorits •
Web Domain Directory •
ODP •
Annuaire FR •
Directorio ES •
Directory EN •
Diretório PT •
IT Katalog •
Czech Katalog •
Polski Katalog •
Maps •
Satellite Photos •
View Card
|
||
|
|
Sales Training |
|
|
| ||
 |
Sales 101
For many individuals in business the hardest part is selling. For the majority of business owners, the jobs they had before don't prepare them for dealing with selling products. So, this article will deal with some basic tips to help you with sales. Always be sure to go to the head honcho. Ask to see the person in charge, the individual who makes the decisions. This avoids hearing, "let me ask my supervisor, my boss, etc." Also you project an image of confidence in yourself and your abilities. Don't be long winded. Remember the KISS principle. Time is a big factor today for all of us and the quicker you get to the point the better. So be sure your sales pitch is short, sweet and to the point. Have 3-5 benefits, don't bore them with all the features. Remember, always to turn features into benefits. One of the most important things to do, is to listen. Think of yourself as a problem solver. To solve problems you need to know what your prospect needs. So ask them a question and then listen, and I mean really listen. By listening you will be finding out what will make them buy. Listen to what they say and take it in. Be sure to write down the points they are making, don't rely on your memory. This also helps when you are closing the sale because you can refer to each point they made that this is how you can solve this concern. This is how you get sales, by solving their concerns and problems. When you are making your pitch or answering questions, you also need to be sure to make eye contact with your prospect and to be aware of their body language. Good sales people know when they have lost someone. The prospect eyes glaze over, they don't maintain eye contact with you, they are looking everywhere else, but at you. They readjust themselves, push their chair back, feet on the desk. At this point you need to be able to bring them with back with a question or a different voice pattern. Don't acknowledge you lost them, just get them back on track. Good sales people can change at a moments notice. Since this is not going to happen to you overnight, always be sure that your presentation is well organized, covers all the basic points, you know it forward and backwards, and you ask for the sale. Initially, you are not going to be able to shift gears at a moments notice, but with practice and experience you eventually will. So that if your client asks a question in the middle of your presentation, or makes an objection, you will be able to answer him and then pick up where you left off. You will also eventually be able to pick up on the silent signals that people give off. So until you hone these skills, always be sure to have a brief outline of your presentation on a index card. Remember, it is always more important to be responsive to your prospect, and talk spontaneously than reverting to your prepared speech. So be sure to prepare. Be careful, though, remember, over preparation can make your presentation sound stale and robotic. Keep it fresh. For many, the moment a prospect has an objection, they assume the sale is lost. Sometimes they come up with an objection to see how you will handle it. Again, we are back to good listening habits. You need to be able to respond to their objections in a truthful but positive way. Most of the time you will be able to deal with their objections and convince them of the benefits of your product or services. Sometimes however, there will be objections you can't get rid of. Last, but not least is closing the sale. You should be able to sense when to do so. Remember to be aware of your prospects body language. The impatient tapping of fingers people do. Some people lean forward in anticipation of your completion of your presentation. It is very hard to say exactly when to ask, as it is a very subjective thing. Seasoned sales people will tell you that usually there is a moment, you need to seize the opportunity and close the sale, or it is gone. Eventually after you have done it enough you will be able to recognize when this moment occurs. Eventually you will develop a mental check list of your meeting, that you will go over in your head after you have closed the sale and are saying good-bye or thanks to your prospect. After you have done it enough certain traits or characteristics of your prospects behavior will stay with you and you will know when to seize the opportunity. Copyright 2004 DeFiore Enterprises Interested in having your own successful, home based creative real estate investing business? Chuck and Sue have been helping folks start successful home based businesses for over 19 years, and we can help you too! To see how, visit http://www.homebusinesssolutions.com for the latest FREE tips and tricks, educational products and coaching in creative real estate investing and home based businesses. No time to visit the site? Subscribe to our "how to" Home Business Solutions Digest, it's like having your own personal coach: mailto:subscribeHBS@homebusinesssolutions.com
MORE RESOURCES: |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Sharpening Your Sales Skills Making a living in sales can be very rewarding, however, it can also be tough at times. That is why it is very important to stay on top of your game at all times. Peak Performance One of the best books I have ever read is a 1986 classic written by Charles Garfield; Peak Performers: The New Heroes of American Business. Garfield spent nearly twenty years trying to figure out what causes some people to excel to amazing successes, while others bask in the glow of mediocrity. Whats Your Sales Training Goal - Exposure or Behavioral Change? When your company invests in sales training, what is the expected outcome? Is it a change in how your salespeople perform their daily activities - in other words, a change in behavior?Unfortunately, most companies drastically underestimate the amount of time and effort that must be invested to accomplish behavioral change. Sitting in a class for a couple of hours or days is a good way to expose salespeople to new skills and techniques. Closing The Sale So -- you've just gotten off of the phone with a potential client. You've explained what you do and how you can help them -- and they still didn't end up hiring you. Ideal Clients - Who are They and Where Do You Find Them? Ideal clients are the ones who are perfect for you. They are the clients who understand your offering, are happy with your services, are willing to refer you to their friends, return for repeat appointments themselves (where appropriate), who pay their bills on time, who show up on time for their appointments, who give you 24 hours notice when they need to cancel their appointment. How to Sell a Feeling To be totally in tune with the needs of your customers or prospective customers you have to listen to them. Listen to them - it sounds easy enough to do but not everybody gets it right. Yikes - My Feet Hurt! 8 Tips for Trade Show Exhibitors Yikes - My Feet Hurt!Concrete. Tiles. How Pareto's Principle Impacts Your Sales Success Pareto's Principle {the 80/20 rule) is vividly illustrated in the sales statistics of most industries, companies and professional service organiizations. Eighty percent of all products or services are sold by just 20 percent of the sales professionals in the United States and Canada. Direct Sales and the Use of Clipboards Do you ever feel that when you are doing direct sales you find yourself not getting respect from the local businesses? They are busy and you are an interruption of course, yet at the same time, it does slow you down. Smart direct sales marketers carry clipboards into offices to sell and take orders. Anticipating the Audiences Reaction Obviously, you can not know all of the things that will set off an individual person. But you can know and base your actions on far more specific information about them than you probably now are using. Customers - Always be Focused on Them I was looking at some promotional literature and web sites the other day and it was interesting to note the number of times the words - "We" and "Our" was used in this material.Lots of statements such as: "We are a leading supplier of__" "Our products do__" "We research__" "We have 50 years experience__" Very rarely did I read anything that stated what these businesses did for the customer. You Dont Need Health Insurance! Seems almost every situation in our lives is centered on communication. Good or bad, the way we express our thoughts, wants, and needs to each other determines how we live, love, and learn together. How to Maximize Sales by Minimizing Windshield Time During the late 1980's I was a field sales representative for a computer distributor, selling computer systems and peripherals in and around Los Angeles, California. The traffic was horrendous, and the time I wasted driving to and from appointments just drove me crazy (no pun intended). Sell Yourself, As Well As Your Product When selling a product to a consumer, one of the things we tend to overlook, is that it is as equally important to sell ourselves.A consumer wants to know that the person behind the product believes in what they are saying, and they want to be convinced that the person making the presentation would use this product themselves. A Stupid Question This is a stupid question but it has to be asked.Does your sales letter create as many sales as you would like?What proportion of them respond to your advert?What is just as important, how many of those that responded actually purchased your product?How can you improve the response rate?How many new email addresses did you capture?Do you have an 'opt in' strategy so that you can mail them later with more offers without being accused of spamming?Let us look at the sales letter first. How To Master The Art And Science Of Super Salesmanship In 3˝ Minutes Flat! Dear Friend,You #1 weapon in advertising will always be.. 7 Sales Skills to Improve On The following 7 sales skills are what I have found to be the most important skills for professional salespeople. Get good at these, and you'll be able to make a lot of money no matter how the economy is doing. Why More Sales Training Comes Before More Marketing Expenditure In most businesses, when sales are slow or low, the first reaction is to spend more on marketing. Create better adverts, more adverts; direct sales letters is the cry. Boost Buyer Confidence By Assuming The Sale I saw something in town the other day that just really struck me as funny. Not only that, however, it really nailed home a strong lesson for me about how to make more money. Customers Do Not Know How To Ask Good Questions - That Is Your Job Customers will ask you a question and you'll proceed to talk about your product. That is why you are not making more sales.
|