If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to our RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!
Feel like your marketing tires are spinning in the mud? The amount of literature on how to be a good salesperson is so voluminous you might think that it’s nearly impossible to compete with other salespeople who have read all the books and listened to all the tapes. However, being a good salesperson comes down to being an approachable person who knows their product. Even if you’re a seasoned sales veteran, it never hurts to review and polish up on what works best. We’ve put together 5 top sales tips to get you unstuck, so you can get started on being an outrageously successful salesperson.
1. Speak with Confidence
Starting right now, eliminate every wishy-washy word from your vocabulary. No more saying ‘might,’ ‘probably,’ ‘maybe,’ ‘seems,’ or any other similar words. These words all indicate that you are uncertain about the prospect’s question. If you don’t know the answer to what they’re asking then simply say so. Respect your prospect as a knowledgeable individual and they will respect you back with their consideration of your offer. Try to schmooze over their questions with these roundabout responses and they will see right through you. And there’s nothing worse than getting caught acting like you know exactly what you’re talking about when you have absolutely no clue.
Plus, the words mentioned above also soften the strength of your pitch without adding anything. Eliminate them immediately and you’ll see the difference. As added practice for adding poignancy to your pitch, present your sales pitch to a business associate or friend and have them count how many times you say “um.” If it’s more than one it’s too many.
Use the Custumer’s Words
When you sit down with customers, they’re going to tell you what they want and what they are looking for. Instead of giving them your usual pitch, use their words within your pitch. This means listen to the terms they use and repeat them. You’ll be answering their needs specifically and it shows you’re attentive as well. Plus, you’ll be meeting customers on their terms, not yours, which makes them feel better about the sale.
This all falls under the classic approach of the two ears to one mouth ratio—listen to your prospects at least twice as much as you talk to them. Of course your prospects want to know how you can help them, but they also want to feel like you will give them attention and care on a personal and individual basis. Thoroughly listening to them will help you accomplish this.
Diversify Your Communications Portfolio
Most salespeople grew up making phone calls and doing in-person contacts. In this day, people use all sorts of different media platforms on the Web and through other means to reach and maintain contact with customers. Learn to use these low-cost tools as one of many ways to reach new customers and maintain contact with old ones.
Set Yourself Up as an Authority
You may already be working hard as a salesperson, but part of doing your job is positioning yourself to be a trustworthy resource for customers to come to. Write articles for websites and other sources to demonstrate your knowledge of business and to give to customers as an example of your acumen.
Stay Current
Of course, be aware of the changes in your business, but also stay conscious of the changes in your customers’ business as well. Remember to also keep up on the personal lives of your customers, sending them well wishes throughout the year and whenever they see big successes as well. It’ll show you’re not just about sales, but an interested and caring person who is well worth keeping in contact with.
To your success,
Andrew Rossillo
Andrew Rossillo is Content Crooner’s Marketing Blogger and Staff Writer. He’s ready to put his years of copywriting and online marketing experience to work for your business—he’ll help you get noticed!
