Step 3: Presenting your solutions
With a complete understanding of the needs of the customer, you are now in a position to present your solutions. You will present both features and benefits.
Features are the characteristics of the product or service, such as
the nature of the product
the way it works
its purpose
its physical characteristics
Benefits describe the satisfaction the customer will derive from your offering. A benefit is most effective when you relate it to a need that the customer has described and provide proof that the benefit will be secured.
Step 4: Dealing with objections
At this stage you are looking for signs of interest, dealing with concerns, and generating commitment.
Objections are good. They give you insight into the concerns of the customer, and once you remove the roadblocks, you will legitimately be able to close. In overcoming objections, you must
acknowledge the buyer’s concern
probe to make sure that you fully understand
respond to the concern
confirm that you have dealt satisfactorily with the concern
Step 5: Closing
Closing the sale is a natural outcome of handling the previous four steps effectively.
Closing the sale is best done if you
summarize key points, focusing on benefits
ask for a commitment
If the response is positive, nail down the details of the sale such as specifications and delivery. If you get a negative response, go back to Step 4 and deal with any remaining objections before attempting to close again.
First Impressions
First impressions are the most lasting.
TRADITIONAL PROVERB
The first few minutes of a meeting will either endear you to a potential buyer or turn him off. Your chances of impressing him can be increased dramatically if you keep the following principles in mind:
Be conscious of your body language.
Shake hands firmly — but don’t break any bones! A caution though: not all cultures shake hands, let alone firmly. Be conscious of who you are dealing with. Generally the more prolonged the handshake, the stronger the signal that you have been accepted.
Maintain eye contact. Focus on the person’s eyes without staring.
Smile warmly. Show your genuine happiness at meeting the person with a broad, relaxed smile.
You’ll know that your greeting has not been accepted if the person does any of the following:
leans away from you
looks puzzled
fails to smile
crosses arms
fidgets with hands
fails to reciprocate with a firm handshake
sits with legs crossed and moves away from you
If your first approach did not work, consider Plan B. You should
not begin to present ideas until you know there is interest in hearing what you have to say/show
ask open-ended questions to get them more involved and give you clues as to the reason for their lack of enthusiasm
listen to what they are saying — verbally and non-verbally
maintain your positive and enthusiastic approach — albeit somewhat toned down
behave as if you have been accepted so as not to show disappointment in any way
Dress appropriately. Dress codes differ widely depending on
the industry
the rank of the individual within the organization
the part of the country you are in
whether your customer is in a rural or urban area
the size of the organization
the age of the person you are visiting
For example:
People in the high-tech industry would probably feel comfortable meeting someone dressed in business casual.
If in doubt, dress conservatively. For example, a man from the Middle East might not take seriously a saleswoman wearing an above-the-knee skirt.
Some situations call for you to dress down. For example, a farmer might feel alienated by a salesman in a three-piece suit.
In summary, first impressions are best made when you
smile warmly
greet people with a firm handshake
look people in the eye
show interest in them as people, not just as prospects
dress similarly to them, or perhaps one notch more formal, but never more casual
wear clean, pressed clothes
are properly groomed
do not reek of cologne
look the part
The Top 10 Turn-ons
Customers are desperately looking for someone to be loyal to; a trusted and respected partner. Be that partner!
KEN IMRIE, SALES COACH, IBM CANADA
Here is a list of attributes that will ensure your career in sales is successful and rewarding:
Credibility. This is the ability to consistently demonstrate
a willingness to listen
enthusiasm to go the extra mile
commitment to complete what you undertake
Knowledge. Have accurate answers about your
industry
company
products
delivery capability
competitors’ products/services/strengths and weaknesses
If you don’t know, get as much information as possible and follow up with the answers. Ask questions that demonstrate interest and caring. Fully understand your client’s business and needs before sharing how you can help. Always keep your client up-to-date on the latest trends in their field. Send them notes and articles and invite them to seminars that will make them more knowledgeable.
Speed. Getting things done quickly will win you accolades galore. With communications capable of being sent around the world in seconds or milliseconds, and the availability of devices to stay constantly in touch, there is no excuse for tardiness. As a rule
return calls within two hours
return e-mails daily
process orders daily
Reliability. A true professional always delivers. Always meet your commitments or let people know well ahead of time if you may not be able to.
Attitude. Always think positively. See the glass as half full rather than half empty. Positive people are like magnets — they attract other positive people. Negative people, of course, do likewise. Thinking good thoughts will also make you feel good. And when you feel good, you perform well.
Empathy. Show that you care. Listen 80 percent of the time and speak only 20 percent.
Humanity. Get to know your clients as people. Learn to treat them as friends. Behave as a friend. Lean toward an informal relationship based on mutual help and trust.
Under-promising and over-delivering. Surprise your clients with unexpected levels of service and caring that will knock their socks off! Have them become your best advocates. Let them share news of your remarkable service to other potential clients.
Professionalism. Being friendly will never interfere with professionalism. Always keep promises, return communications quickly, avoid getting involved in the politics of the client organization, and avoid any sexist, racist, homophobic, or ethnic jokes.
Demonstrated caring. Follow up to make sure expectations have been met. And call before bad news might reach the client — before they call you!
The Top 10 Turnoffs
Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity.
UNKNOWN
Here is a list of things which, if done regularly, will ensure that your career in sales is short lived:
Inappropriate attire. Always dress smartly and neatly. Never dress to stand out or be so different from your potential buyer that your appearance distracts. Avoid
overuse of jewelry
provocative (revealing) clothing
Exaggeration. Certainly, you want to be enthusiastic about your product, service, and company. But buyers are not stupid. They can tell the difference between fantasy and truth. Comments such as “We never have returns” can be better said as “We have only a 2 percent return rate.” And “We are the best by far” can be better put as “A.C. Neilsen ranks us among the top 2 percent in our industry.”
Pressure tactics. Pushing for a sale is a sign of desperation. It suggests that you
are ignoring the needs of the potential buyer and are focusing purely on your own needs
have no empathy for the situation of the potential buyer
are putting up a smoke screen to cover weaknesses in your offering
Inattentiveness. Talking incessantly is a sure way to lose customers, because you’re not learning what their needs are. And trying to sell something that has no value to a potential buyer is arrogant. Either find something that the customer needs or find a customer who has a need compatible with what you have to offer.
Harassment. People hate being hounded mercilessly. They feel like they are being boxed into a corner. If you are able to get a sale in the short term, you will find that it may be of nominal value, just to get rid of you. And you will then find that a significant-sized sale will be that much more elusive.
Going over the buyer’s head. As difficult as it may be to get a sale from a buyer, it can be a death knell to go over her head to complain. Embarrassing someone will produce resentment and a permanent cold shoulder.
Unreliability. Keep all your promises. Follow through on all your commitments.
Too much information. Dumping is the process of listing all the features of your offering to the client before you are aware of their needs. This is a major turnoff. Selling is the art of defining needs by probing for information through questioning and listening.
Arrogance. Success sometimes goes to one’s head. When it does, it expresses itself in overconfidence, boasting, and exaggeration. Arrogance is insufferable, and will soon lead to strained relations and loss of business.