YOU CAN SELL
Who is not selling?
A candidate for a job interview. The candidate is selling his candidature and the interviewer his company.
Why has selling become a bigger challenge today?
Today the buyer has many options.
Competition has become sophisticated.
Media/ social sites have made people more knowledgeable and aware.
There is a terminology called “Caveat Emptor” which means “Buyer Beware.” This was the old thinking. Today the scenario is Seller Beware.”
Why seller beware?
This is because the seller is perceived as an expert in his field. The buyer is relying on the seller’s character and competence to sell him the right product. This is where the seller’s integrity is put to test.
Qualities of a successful seller -
Pleasing Personality – To create a positive impact, you need to have a pleasing personality.
It is a composite of overall behavior, appearance, verbal & non- verbal communication, dressing, grooming, etiquettes, manners etc.
This reflects in our people skills important for rapport building.Everyone is a salesperson for their company or their country.
A company having an office in Singapore. An employee coming from outstation told the taxi driver to take to a particular address. When he arrived, the meter read $11.1.
The employee pulled out $11 but he took only $10 and said Sir, as a taxi driver, I am supposed to take you straight to your destination. Since I don’t know the last spot, I had to circle around the building. Had I brought you straight, the meter would have read $10.
What he said thereafter touched him the most. He said, “legally I can claim$11, but ethically I am entitled only to $10.He then added, “I am not a taxi driver, I am an ambassador of Singapore.” This is the first impression which matters a lot.
Sincerity & genuineness with integrity is winning combination.
Good Communicator/ Listener-
Persistence – but don’t become a pest.
Respect & Recognition – By paying attention to a person’s emotional needs you’ll pull the customer towards you.
Transparency – Don’t make buyers feel that you are hiding information's or you don’t deliver what you promised.
How to become a good seller?
Sales Motivational Video Sales Training & Techniques in Hindi by Vivek Bindra.mp4
1. Sales are 90% conviction and 10% Communication of your Conviction.
a. How many of you believe in your product?
b. How many of you would buy it yourself?
c. How many of you are excited /passionate about your profession of selling?
d. People will say yes to your belief, your conviction than that to your technical skills. You have to sell it convincing their emotions.
e. I could not sell a product in which I myself did not believe in. So realization of your product. That’s the key to professionalism.
It is done at the physical level, intellectual level or mental level and spiritual or realization level.
Selling is nothing but the transfer of enthusiasm from the seller to the buyer. You end up buying it.
2. Connect with the customer’s problems and goals.
a. Either you solve his problem or help him achieve his goal. You will be essential for him. Understand his gap to be his gap partner.
b. Help people to take a good decision. (You are going to thank me in future for listening to you and buying it.
c. Ability to like you, trust you and believe in you.
d. Make everybody feel important.
e. Empathy for them – is putting your own self in their shoe.
f. Fear of making mistake - Prejudiced by the third party.
3. If you want to increase your sell, give more than what you get. A positive attitude determines success.
a. Law of increasing returns –When you give more than what you get, soon you get more than you gave in the past.
Story – 2 salesmen went to Africa. Both went to sell shoes in different parts of the country. They both saw villagers without shoes. One immediately sent a message back to his manager saying, “There is no market here. Nobody wears shoe.
The other sent a message saying, “Get ready for big sales. There is a huge market here. Nobody wears shoes and we can make everyone wear them. Gear up production.
The story of the Vacuum Cleaner in a snowstorm - There was one employee who was one of the top salespersons in the country. He narrated an incident where on one day alone he made 24 sales, something many salespeople don't do even in a few months. One day there was a major snowstorm and there was close to 12 inches of snow. In Toronto, during the winter season, there are a few days like this every year. Schools and offices are closed because it becomes too risky to go out in such weather. Most salespeople look at this as a great opportunity to stay at home and watch TV, but this person saw a great opportunity for 2 reasons:
1. He realized that everyone would be at home that day. So his chances of getting people through cold calls would be close to 100%.
2. Normally, vacuum cleaner demonstrations are in the evening or on weekends because if one person sees it they don't take a decision till they have consulted their spouse and many times it may just be an excuse, but chances of losing the sale become higher. But that day both decision makers would be there. If the client is serious then it would save him a second trip to give another demonstration. Hence, he saves time.
He also realized that all his neighbors were prospects. They all had the same need. They were buying the same thing from somewhere else and he too was driving 10 - 30 miles away on appointments for demos. Why not sell in his own neighborhood?
He put on his snowshoes, clad himself well to walk in the snow storm and carried his vacuum cleaner. He knocked on his neighbor's door and said 'Hello, I am John your neighbor. It's a shame that we haven't met earlier. We help families like yours live in a good healthy environment. Would you mind if I came in and shared some ideas with you or gave you a short demonstration?
9 out of 10 invited him in and since they were not doing much and were indoors anyway, they said go ahead. Then he did his full demo without being rushed and since both partners were there, decision making was easy.
Just analyze the above scenario or approach:
1. He knocks on the door, he is outside and they are inside. A natural human tendency is that if there is a person standing outside your door in the storm and especially if he is your neighbor, you ask him to come in. The entry was much easier and on favorable grounds.
2. HIs introduction was more of a neighbor than a salesman.
3. He said'We help families like yours stay in a good healthy environment' - Who is not interested in living in a good healthy environment? If you analyze the words he said - he didn't say I am from XYZ Company selling vacuum cleaners.
4. He takes permission to come in and do the demo.
5. Now, he demonstrates to them, letting them touch and feel. He shows them the advantage of owning a vacuum cleaner by actually using it to pull out hidden dirt from their carpets, curtains, mattresses, etc. that could be injurious to their children.
He collects all dirt in a bowl, hands the bowl to them and asks the question.
As a loving parent or spouse, I am sure you would want your family to live in a healthy environment, wouldn't you? The most obvious answer was yes.
7. Then, of course, he answers objections in case there are any.
He finally ends up closing the sale.
PROSPECTING
Prospecting is the lifeblood and key to success in sales.
A prospect is a person who meets the following 3 criteria:
A need for your product.
Ability to take a decision.
Money to buy your product.
To maintain a constant flow of new prospects, one needs to have multiple approaches as one method cannot be relied upon exclusively.
Methods Of Prospecting
1. Direct mail Marketing – A salesperson who was amongst the top producers. He consistently sent 10 emails a day. After 5 days he made phone calls to follow up. Ten mailers per day became 50 mailers a week. The cumulative impact will be a lot more in the following weeks. The reason for success or closing a sale is a commitment, self-discipline, and consistency.
Trade Shows - Can be a tremendous source of business.Exposure to show presence.Getting leads to follow up later. Close deals on the spot.
Distribute samples.
Organize a show.
Re-establish contact with your existing customers.
Trade shows will be fruitful only if the leads are followed up immediately & professionally.
Existing customers - The best source of new prospects is through referrals from existing customers - provided you have built a relationship.
Cold Calling –
Signature Presentation - A good sales person creates a sixty second grabber.
E.g. I am calling from XYZ company. We have come up with a machine that can save you 20% of your running cost.
Develop your target market - Niche market is our selected market. Return of time to invest was much higher.
The natural market – The people whom you call friends, relatives or acquaintances.
Getting an appointment is easier.
They may be buying that product from someone else so why not you.
Can give your referrals much more easily even if they don’t buy your product.
Approach - Your opening statement must grab the prospect’s attention.
Get to the point.
Your opening statement must be a benefit statement.
Always put yourself in the receiver’s position as you develop your script.
Anticipate response from the receivers prospective.
No one method can be relied upon. A good sales professional always prioritizes their prospects into:
Hot - They are the ones who are excited about your product and are likely to do business in the near future.
Warm – They are the fence sitters. They want the product but are non committal but also do not say no.
Cold – They are not excited or sold on your product. They are indifferent and need a lot of effort to be sold.
A professional seller should spend 80% of time on hot leads, 15% on warm leads and 5% on cold leads. This is because 80% of revenue comes from hot leads.
