Google “How to sell?” and you will get millions of sites and articles. So I am not going to pretend that this is the best or even the definitive article on successful selling. Some of the items are pretty basic but you would be surprised how many entrepreneurs start a business with no selling skills. I hope one or two items provide an idea you can use.
1. Know your product or service.
Before you even have a preliminary conversation with a prospect, it is essential that you clearly understand what attributes make your product or service unique or desirable. Why should a potential customer want what you have to offer?
2. Make initial contact.
The actual sales conversations with people in your target market begin when you start letting them know you, and vice versa.
3. Exchange information.
This step consists of meeting with your prospects, and asking them questions, uncovering their needs, giving them information about your product or service, and determining how it might fill those stated needs. Don’t be afraid to acknowledge gaps in your knowledge or understanding; such sincerity comes through in a positive way.
4. Propose a solution.
Once you have ascertained that there is a good fit between you and the prospect, you can propose how your product or service would specifically solve a problem or handle a need. By understanding the features and benefits of competing products or services you can also prove at this point how what you offer is better.
5. Confirm the sale.
Rather than focusing on “closing the sale” a term that indicates the end of the process, confirming the sale means you are reviewing the customer’s willingness and ability to make a commitment. It is a natural extension of a sales relationship built on a foundation of trust, respect, and rapport.
6. Deliver.
Although actually delivering your product or service is not technically part of the sales process, it is a very critical step. If you don’t deliver, you don’t have a sale. In addition, during this step you have an excellent opportunity to continue to build trust and cement your relationship with your client.
7. Follow up.
This is the time to find out how your client likes your product or service. This stage provides an ideal chance to create repeat business or get referrals to new prospects. And if there is a problem, you have an opportunity to correct it.
These are some practical and effective steps to selling your product or service. Personal selling is as important as ever. The much-maligned car salesman is still moving the vast majority of new cars, despite carmakers’ efforts to sell online. You can have the best designed product, the most unique service, the highest quality production, but if it can’t sell, you have nothing.
