Where is a salesperson when you need one? Last year, a former classmate of mine sent a friend request to me on Facebook. He worked for our local cable company. Shortly after catching up on our lives after high school, he went right into business mode and started pitching his cable service. I had just moved into my new place, but decided to forgo cable while I get settled into my new home, new employer, and a new business. Fast forward to now, and here I am having cable, phone, and internet service installed.
If you’re wondering if I signed up for service through my old classmate, then the answer is no. Why? Because he was no where to be found. When selling a product, it is imperative that you stay consistent with your promotional efforts. Just because someone is not ready to buy your product or service now, doesn’t mean that they are not going to in the future. Sales is all about building a relationship. I tend to use marriage as an example of a sales approach. Would you marry a person that has not courted you and showed that they were genuinely interested in you and wanted to provide you with what they had to offer? I hope not. But if you show consistency and a genuine interest in offering a prospect the best service and/or product possible, then they will come to you first when they are ready to buy.
I have over 10 years of experience in sales. The skills I’ve learned over the years proved to be extremely valuable to me, and I hope that they are valuable to you as well:
- Always offer the benefit of your service/product and how it will improve one’s life or productivity.
- Never talk down the competition. If your product/service is the best, let it speak for itself.
- Be consistent in your approach, but don’t overwhelm your prospect with too many calls and too many emails. It’s all about balance and being considerate of your prospect’s time.
- Sell the value, not the price.
- Be confident, not arrogant. The only way to succeed at being confident is if you strongly believe in the product/service you are selling. Nowadays, people can spot a con-man a mile away.
- Be personable. Show how the product/service has helped you in your endeavors.
- Always be punctual. This shows that you value your prospect’s time..
- Don’t be afraid of objections. Be ready to probe prospects to see why they are hesitant in buying from you. It may be something you’re able to assist with.
- Good customer service goes a long way. Always keep a smile on your face and in your voice.
- Be an expert! Know your product/service, study your product/service and become their go-to person.
What sales tactics have you used that was proven successful?