Selling Skills

Selling Skills

by Andrew Patricio

The lifeblood of any small business is sales. You might have the best product or service in the world, but if you don't sell enough you will never realise your full potential. Face to face selling requires a lot of time and preparation but it still beats any other method of selling. Always try and get in front of the customer where you can do a presentation.

Becoming a successful Sales person is all about:

· Having excellent product knowledge
· Recruiting the right prospects
· Preparing for your presentation
· Learning how to close the sale.
· Developing the personality traits required for success in sales.
· Gaining experience.
· Developing the right attitude.

Before you begin you need to get the basics Right. You must:

· Be committed to excellence.

· Love customers.

· Be fanatical about service and quality.

· Develop relationships.

· Know why people should buy from you.

· Find a market niche.

· You need mega credibility.

· Find Prospects.

· Remember before you go out and get new customers that the best customer's are the one's you have already. They know about you so don't neglect them.

· Pareto's law - 80% of your sales usually comes from 20% of your customers so ensure that you know who the 20% are in your business.

· Ask for referrals - always remember to ask for referrals.

· Re-activate old customers. Check your database and contact customers that haven't bought from you in a while.

· Develop a network of businesses. Associate with people that are potential customers. Customers like buying from people they know and like

· Use a database.

· Telesales and mail-shots. Use telesales and mail-shots to open the door to an appointment with your potential client

· Use the Internet. The Internet can be used as a means of sending valuable information or a newsletter to your customers via email, or for developing a website where customers can view your products or place orders.

The Sales Plan

Before you visit the Client

· Have information about all products, services you offer and their prices.

· Know exactly what your competitors offer.

· Have a well-rehearsed basic sales pitch.

· Ensure that you do as much research as possible about the customer's business before you call on the customer.

· Ensure that your products are neat and tidy and well presented.

· Ensure that you are appropriately dressed.

· Ensure that you are on time for appointments.

· Ensure that your written sales presentation, proposal or quotation looks professional.

· Set yourself specific targets that you would like to achieve.

· Motivate yourself to achieve them.

· Believe in your product.

Determine: What are the customer's needs?

· Ask questions in order to find out what the customers needs are.

· Listen to the customer - follow the 70/30 rule: listen 70% of the time and talk 30% of the time. If you talk too much, you will not be able to satisfy your customer's needs because you will not hear them.

The presentation

· Ensure that you have a well-structured and well-rehearsed presentation.

· When doing presentations be as visual as possible. If you want to create a professional presentation for a group it is a good idea to use computer visuals or at least good overheads to get your point across.

· Sell the Benefits and Features of your Products or Services.

Handling Objections

Handling customer objections and complaints requires a certain skill. Learn how to handle difficult customers.

Close the Sale

Closing the sale is an art that can be learnt; it all depends on timing and technique.
With experience, you will develop a fine sense for closing the sale.

Follow-up

This is often the glue that keeps the relationship going. Diarise when you are going to make your follow up call.

Try and get referrals.

· Gather as much info as possible about the referral.
· Ask your customer's permission to use their name.
· Ask your customer to help you get an appointment with the referral.
· Contact the referral as soon as possible.
· Inform the customer about the outcome of the referral.
· Keep in regular contact with your customers.

Personality traits of successful sales people

· They have a burning desire to make money.
· They look and act professional.
· They radiate confidence.
· They have a genuine concern for customers.
· They are enthusiastic.
· They have charisma.
· They believe in what they are doing.
· They are excellent listeners.
· They are good communicators.
· They have excellent presentation skills.
· They don't take rejection personally.
· They search for sales opportunities everywhere.
· They are eternal optimists.
· They know how to interpret body language.
· They network all the time.
· They work on developing a positive self-image or attitude.
· They have a sense of humour.
· They persevere until they succeed.

Back to www.bizland.co.za

·	Be committed to excellence.
·	Love customers.
·	Be fanatical about service and quality.
·	Develop relationships.
·	Know why people should buy from you.
·	Find a market niche.
·	You need mega credibility.
·	Find Prospects.
·	Remember before you go out and get new customers that the best customer's are the one's you have already. They know about you so don't neglect them.
·	Pareto's law - 80% of your sales usually comes from 20% of your customers so ensure that you know who the 20% are in your business.
·	Ask for referrals - always remember to ask for referrals.
·	Re-activate old customers. Check your database and contact customers that haven't bought from you in a while.
·	Develop a network of businesses. Associate with people that are potential customers. Customers like buying from people they know and like
·	Use a database.
·	Telesales and mail-shots. Use telesales and mail-shots to open the door to an appointment with your potential client
·	Use the Internet. The Internet can be used as a means of sending valuable information or a newsletter to your customers via email, or for developing a website where customers can view your products or place orders.

·	Have information about all products, services you offer and their prices.
·	Know exactly what your competitors offer.
·	Have a well-rehearsed basic sales pitch.
·	Ensure that you do as much research as possible about the customer's business before you call on the customer.
·	Ensure that your products are neat and tidy and well presented.
·	Ensure that you are appropriately dressed.
·	Ensure that you are on time for appointments.
·	Ensure that your written sales presentation, proposal or quotation looks professional.
·	Set yourself specific targets that you would like to achieve.
·	Motivate yourself to achieve them.
·	Believe in your product.

·	Ask questions in order to find out what the customers needs are.
·	Listen to the customer - follow the 70/30 rule: listen 70% of the time and talk 30% of the time. If you talk too much, you will not be able to satisfy your customer's needs because you will not hear them.

·	Ensure that you have a well-structured and well-rehearsed presentation.
·	When doing presentations be as visual as possible. If you want to create a professional presentation for a group it is a good idea to use computer visuals or at least good overheads to get your point across.
·	Sell the Benefits and Features of your Products or Services.