INNOVATIVE SELLING TECHNIQUES By Abel Kabiru Enhanced Performance & Innovation Centre Selling quietly regardless of department Be punctual; Be courteous; Ensure your appearance is neat Don’t take alcohol until after your last call – one smells as much as several; Likewise, don’t smoke Smile confidently and look optimistic Let the customer offer first to shake hands/Sit upright and alert Avoid irritating and distracting mannerisms Use the customers first name only when invited to, otherwise stick to his surname Talk distinctly, don’t swallow words Think first, talk last Don’t talk too much Include the prospect and the prospect’s interest in the conversation right from the start Emphasize the ‘you’ angle Don’t try to be superior- the prospective customer knows the business better than you do Don’t discuss the prospect’s competitors or criticize other purchases the prospect has made Always tell the truth Don’t exaggerate or tell white lies Demonstrate the highest respect and loyalty for your own company By all means show you have a sense of humour, but don’t try to be a comedian And finally, listen, listen and then listen. That way you will learn much about the customer, the customer’s business and the needs of the moment which ordinary questioning might not reveal REMEMBER You only have one opportunity to make a first impression – ensure it is positive (It takes less than a minute for people to size you up and make judgments) Sources of benefits All these aspects of products, services, company and staff can produce benefits to customers: Products – delivery, workmanship, mobility, design, operation, stocks, components, credit, packaging, appearance Services – speed, pre-sales advice, installation, availability, maintenance, training, guarantees, credit, merchandising, advertising, aftersales service Company – length of time established, philosophy, reputation, labor relations, policies, location, size, financial standing Staff – knowledge, availability, skill, training, character, specialists Remember to sell company benefits as well E.g. Feature: We are a well established company The benefit of this is that we have a track record of dealing with this type of work. We have an established reputation in this field. What you are in fact saying is that your company is reliable and trustworthy. E.g. Feature: We have a very comprehensive product range The benefit of this means that we have something to suit all tastes and budgets and availability is not a problem Know your marketplace & competitors Effective selling means knowing who else is in the market and what they are selling Know the size of your market, who else is operating in it and what they are offering Know where and how you are positioned in relation to them Exercise on competitor intelligence List five of your competitors in one of your main product or service areas What are their strengths What are their weaknesses Where are you positioned in relation to them What makes you better than or different to your competition Most common mistakes of salespeople Lack of preparation, lack of product knowledge No knowledge and understanding of the features and benefits Misjudges the decision maker and ignores completely the other party in the sales process Poor grooming, sloppy and inappropriate for the target audience Likes to talk usually about themselves and their products Doesn’t ask open questions Poor summarizing skills, keeps on speaking Overuse of prospects name – insincere Doesn’t listen and cant answer the question the client is asking Is patronizing, misjudges the level of communication Ignores the objection or treats them defensively, then starts to preach to the prospect Wont take no for an answer! Checklist for good salesperson Is genuine and sincere Knows his/her products Is interested in people Listens and asks open questions Uses silences to good effect Treats objections sincerely and the prospect as an intelligent, interesting individual Helps people to buy by closing effectively Always leaves on a positive note
