American Express

Posts Tagged ‘selling’

A common belief is that a good sales person can sell anything. We have all heard the expression ‘He or she could sell fridges to Eskimos.’ I take issue with the statement that good sales people can sell anything. They can’t. Good and successful sales people can sell only what they believe in. It is therefore worth establishing at the outset what good sales people actually do.

Very simply it is that, given the chance of meeting a prospective customer, they will complete the transaction and close the sale. Equally they must create an environment and experience that will make the customer come and buy again. Once a sales person has built that trust and relationship, the customer will recommend the sales person or the company to friends, family and connections.

This is what professional selling can achieve. This is what you can do comparatively easily. Therefore it is imperative that you have belief in your product or service. You must convince yourself of the value and the results that your product or service will achieve for your customers. Now it is essential at this stage to mention price, though this will be covered in more detail in Chapter 9. There will be many occasions when your product or service will not be the cheapest, but this must not impede your belief in it.What matters here is that your product or service delivers what you state it will, what is claimed or what the customer is looking for. If it does that, the price is of less importance.

The sales person should be able to converse with clients or customers on all aspects of the business climate and marketing trends. This information is of course gleaned from the world’s press and media.

• Industry knowledge

To be effective, sellers must be familiar with their industry and with their competitors’ products, prices and positioning. They should be aware of people and personalities within their industry and trade bodies. They must be aware of their competitors’ main selling points and new product releases. This information is readily available in the trade press.

• Company knowledge

Sales people should be aware of company policy and people.They should be informed about their company’s marketing and advertising and should know the right departments and people to go to for advice and support.

• Product knowledge

Now this is really crucial in today’s marketplace. Sales people must be able to give excellent and accurate information on their product portfolio. They must be credible, and their job is to impart to prospective customers answers to questions and concerns.

• Sales skills

It is essential to have the sales skills of this millennium and not the last. These will need continuing refreshment.

• Attitude

This is of course the ultimate characteristic that distinguishes the superstars from the also-rans. A positive and enthusiastic attitude will become the major ingredient not only in developing relationships but also in winning a great deal of new business and earning your clients’ trust, which will lead to recommendations and referrals. A positive attitude is the single most desired attribute of a successful sales person. So, once again, can you sell? Yes, of course you can if you really want to and are willing to spend a little time developing the skills.

The emphasis of modern selling is to develop what is known as relationship and consultative selling. Both of those adjectives will be explained in more detail in the following chapters. Suffice to say at this stage that it is much easier to win new business from a person who you have developed a relationship with rather than a complete stranger.

We have all heard sales people brag that they do business with X, Y and Z company. I have tried over the years to sell to companies, to the private sector and the public sector, to government bodies and institutions, to homes and flats, and I have never achieved a sale. I have only ever made a sale to another person. So your marketplace is no different from mine.Selling is about relationships, trust and earning respect. In building relationships you must become a good ambassador of your product or your company, and to do this you will need six vital ingredients:

1. Business knowledge
2. Industry knowledge
3. Company knowledge
4. Product knowledge
5. Sales skills
6. Attitude