The word “SALES” has gotten a lot of negative connotations because of some amateur and unethical individuals who use pressure and manipulation techniques to sell you poor quality products and services that you either don’t need or isn’t the right solution for your specific problem. Hence, when you hear the word “SALES”, most people immediately cringe and think of door-to-door salesmen, insurance salesmen, telemarketers etc.
And this rather unfriendly image of a salesperson causes many new entrepreneurs and business owners to avoid selling at any cost which in turn stops the business from growing. Because the only way to grow the business is by improving sales. So here in this article, I present a rather unconventional understanding of sales which will help you boost sales without being pushy. But in truth, sales is not about pitching, presenting, pushing, manipulating, persuading or convincing. So let’s redefine Sales.
Sales means:
– To inspire the prospect to make a decision.
– To help them to think through their challenges.
Making a purchase decision is often a scary thing because it comes with a lot of responsibility. To most, it takes a long time to earn money and takes a moment to blow it away on the wrong things.
Hence it is your job as a sales person to facilitate that decision and convert them by giving them confidence and certainty. And to help you with that I have created this framework by turning the word SALES into a mnemonic device.
S = See
On the surface level, it just means seeing the client. Follow up on the leads because despite the popular belief having a good product or service is not enough to close sales.
Things don’t sell on their own, that’s why companies spend billions of dollars on getting people’s attention.
They spend on everything from billboard and shelf space to Google and Facebook ads everything just to get the eyeballs. Let’s face it if you are out of sight, you are out of mind.
So why would you not try to retain and convert the attention you have already got?
However, there’s a deeper connotation to “seeing” viz. perception.
Perceive the client’s situation:
What difficulties are they facing? or What amenities are they looking for? And what product or service do you offer that could satisfy their needs or solve their problems?
You should also try to understand:
What are they shopping for, are they shopping for the price? or Are they shopping for the best quality?
No point trying to sell a Mercedes to someone looking to buy a Prius.
A = Ask
Don’t assume, Ask! Validate your perception. Probe deeper to understand the problem better.
Always discover the root cause of any problem.
A simple technique to use is to ask “Why?” five times consecutively.
Here is an example:
🥺 Boy, I have a headache…
❓Why? Because I have a cold.
❓Why did you catch a cold? Because yesterday I spent time in the cold.
❓Why? Because I didn’t take my coat.
❓ Why? Because I didn’t think that it would be so cold outside.
❓ Why? Because in the morning I don’t check the weather forecast. (✅ )
Solution: Install a thermometer on the balcony and watch it before going out.
While a temporary solution would have been taking paracetamol or aspirin. It would not have tackled the problem at its root. And the problem would resurface again and again.
When you ask “what?” you are just asking for a command. When you ask “How” you are asking for a more specific command, even encouraging micromanagement. But when you ask “Why?” that opens the door to the unexplored land of ideas and solutions foreign to almost all. And this makes you stand out as a qualified and valuable salesperson!
You can read more about it in the How to start an impactful small business from scratch?!
You can even ask them what is their most important decision-making factor, is it the price? are they looking for someone with a great track record?
L = Listen
Sounds so simple but listening is sometimes the most difficult thing in the World. (Think: How many women complain that their partners don’t listen to them?)
Listening is also one of the most important skills for gaining influence Dale Carnegie would argue.
When in a client meeting, listen carefully, jot down and repeat occasionally, so they know you’re really listening.
Never interrupt the client while they are speaking, this breaks their flow and they might forget some crucial point.
Let them speak. The more they open up the better your understanding of the problem. This often works way better than surveys or focus groups.
If you’re a consultant you’ll see that more often than not they’ll hand you the solution themselves. Because they know their situation better than any outsider ever can.
But sometimes people just need someone to confirm their judgement and feed them some extra confidence from outside.
E = Empathise
Now as you have the whole picture, empathise, and try putting yourself in their shoes. But also lend them your glasses i.e. your perspective.
If you only empathise with them you understand their situation but when you show them their situation thought your lens, your expertise they get to see their situation on a whole new level. Sometimes this is enough to get you paid.
But empathy also helps you to understand whether you really have the right product or service for them.
If not can you recommend your friend who works in sales for another company that might have a product that’s better for the client?
This would not just improve your friendship but would also help build a lifelong relationship with that client.
I know in corporate culture sometimes this cannot be done so be careful but if you do this.
The prospect now sees you as a person of honour and value. They start seeing you as more than a mere sales person. They start seeing you as a consultant, an expert and perhaps even a friend.
And according to the psychological law of reciprocity when you do something for someone, they feel this inclination to do something for you in return.
And when you contribute to someone’s life and deliver tremendous value, they feel this obligation, almost an itch, even guilt if they don’t get the opportunity to do something in return!
S = Serve
To serve means to propose a solution and deliver (serve the client), it also means closing the deal.
After you summarise the whole thing and if the client agrees that you have understood the problem correctly show them the value your solution truly provides if possible in financial terms.
You can say something like:
“From what I understand this issue is causing you £10,000 in lost revenue? If that’s correct then if I send you a proposal worth £1500 then would you be willing to close the deal before this weekend?”.
“I see this problem has been stressing you out for months but thankfully this solution will truly bring you the must needed peace of mind. No more sleepless nights. Let’s close the deal, shall we?”
A question like that summarises everything and brings everything into the right context, also putting the client in the decision-making state.
And once he says yes then you are done ✅.
All that’s left is to do is deliver the product/service as promised.
The best part is that this method can be applied to more than just sales, it can applied to dating, in family relationships even parenting. It soon becomes a part of your life.
Let me know your thoughts on this approach to selling. Thanks for reading ☺️
If you like the article, share it with your family and friends so they can benefit from it too. After all, sharing is caring ;).
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.