Four ways to increase your sales success
Thursday, July 7, 2022
The ideal salesperson is often described as a charismatic, enthusiastic, and personable individual who always comes prepared for every conversation and engagement. They leverage their extensive product knowledge to put themselves in their customers shoes and paint a picture of how the end-user can derive transformative value.
That said, this extensive expertise and energy may sometimes work against you if you don’t put customers before the bottom line.
Here are four client-facing sales strategies to try on for size.
1. Don’t reveal the whole picture just yet
It’s fascinating how the mind works, especially when processing information. As a salesperson, you need to be mindful of your prospect’s personal style of understanding what you’re offering them and why it makes sense for them to buy into your ideas. Instead of giving them the full story right away, break it down into manageable stages.
Additionally, strive for progress over perfection. It’s better to create something and receive feedback (which you will build on together with your prospect), than painstakingly perfecting something only to have your client resist it in the end.
2. Avoid overtalking
In your excitement, you may reveal too much as you present in front of your client. Overtalking undoubtedly comes with the best of intentions and a genuine desire to share something you love with everyone. However, it may overwhelm your client, and they may not grasp the value you’re trying to communicate – what’s in it for them, why they should care, what makes it unique, and how it will help them solve a problem that’s been keeping them up at night, etc.
In sales, you need to be a great storyteller as well. This means approaching your sales presentations with a clear start, middle, and end (the same sequence of a compelling story). It’s important to introduce the right play at the right time, recognize the right opportunity to bring in a new story arc, or leave some things unsaid.
3. Don’t ask for the sale too soon.
This may be the most common mistake that salespeople make. They get so excited about their product or service that they want to close the deal as soon as possible. The problem with this is that you may not have yet established a relationship of trust with your client.
You need to understand that in any kind of sale, the customer needs to feel like they can trust you first before they will invest in you. Take your time in getting to know them and understanding their needs before making a pitch. Once you’ve established that rapport, you’re set up for success in winning their business.
4. Give your client a simple takeaway
After a successful presentation, your client should clearly understand your value-add. However, it’s still helpful to leave them with a simple takeaway to spark intrigue, inspire allegiance and incite action.
This could be in the form of an article from the Harvard Business Review that’s relevant to their unique situation. This shows that you’re not just a salesperson trying to get a commission – you’re wholeheartedly committed to the relationship and in ensuring your client’s success. That makes you the kind of partner people want to work with.
