No matter how much technology changes the way we do business, there are certain fundamentals of sales and marketing that are timeless. Surveys done among consumer to consumer sales professionals found the following seven  tactics to be the most successful at getting your prospects to say "yes" to your sales presentation.

1. Asking Probing Questions To Identify Your Prospects
Concerns and Desires - In my opinion selling is a lot about using your products and services to solve people’s problems or satisfy their wants and needs. But before you can start offering solutions you must identify what issues or challenges are preventing your prospects and customers from achieving their objectives. Ask open ended questions.

In medical practice, issuing prescriptions without diagnosis can lead to charges of malpractice. In selling, offering solutions without asking probing questions to diagnose your customers and prospects situation will most often lead to no sale. Ask probing questions to flush out their needs, wants and desires and then listen intently for their answers.

2. Personal Observation – There is a lot to be said for spending time researching and planning  before you meet face to face with your potential customers. When you do get the opportunity to meet with your prospects you should spend most of your time listening and observing. Respected sales trainers suggest that you spend 70% of your time listening to your prospects. Too many sales people forget this and end up monopolizing the conversation by talking about how great their products or services are. And never getting around to finding out what problems or challenges their prospects are having.

3. Focus On Selling Benefits – Most people don’t really care about you or your company. What they really care about is how your products or services are going to benefit them. How is it going to make them feel better, save time and money, make them look good in the eyes of their boss and co-workers? These are the issues you should be focusing on in your sales presentations.

4. Simplicity Is Best – No matter how technical the product or service you offer is, you must resist the temptation to “go techno” on your prospects. Conduct your presentations like you were talking to a fifth grader. I’m not suggesting you talk down to or be condescending to your prospects. But stay away from all the “techno babble”. Use short non technical words. Don’t use acronyms or industry lingo and assume everyone knows what they mean. Chances are they don’t and all you end up doing is putting them in an uncomfortable position or worse, making them feel dumb. I think we can all agree that making your prospects feel dumb is not a good way to start a relationship.

5. Answer All Questions from Your Clients Or Prospects In An Honest, Straight Forward Manner – When I first got into sales and marketing in the early 90’s I was taught to view people’s questions as objections to fear and avoid answering. Today we all know that questions from your prospects can often be a sign of interest and an opportunity for you to focus on the specific issues that they’re concerned about.

Here’s a simple, but effective idea. Make a list of the 10-15 most commonly asked questions you encounter and make sure you have honest, direct answers to them. It’s ok to say you don’t know, but you will try to find out. No one expects you to know everything or have all the answers.

6. Ask For The Business – Almost every sales book I’ve ever read talks about how many sales people don’t ask for the sale because they are afraid of hearing no for an answer. If you follow all the steps above and don’t ask for the order you have wasted your time. When you ask for the sale and you get a no, it’s nothing personal. Asking a few more probing questions might help you find out why they are holding back.

7. Follow-up ! Follow up! – A lack of a proper follow-up process is the number one reason for lost sales. Some research has found that over 60% of all sales are lost due to a lack of follow-up by sales people. A “no” answer today doesn’t always mean a “no” forever. Most sales are not made until after seven contacts with prospects, so if you hear a no and never stay in touch with that customer or prospect you take yourself out of the running.

If you do hear a yes when you ask for the order, you still have to follow-up to make sure the client is happy with you. This should be the beginning of a lasting relationship. Don’t be a “one hit wonder”.

There are many other factors that contribute to acquiring new sales orders, but if you adopt these seven I guarantee that you will achieve a significant increase in your sales. Go forth and serve your customers and prospects with pride and confidence.

I invite you to email me your comments and feedback on all my articles or call me to find out how my product and services can help you find and attract new clients.
E-Mail: TheMarketingCoach@PrimetimePromotions.ca