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The simple part of selling is thinking that someone needs your product or service and is willing to buy it. Otherwise, you would not exist, because a company that does not sell, is extinguished. The tricky part is coming up with a strategy. For this, it is necessary to start from the premise that all the members of the organization have to be focused on this task, not only the members of the commercial department.
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The sales process can be as simple or complex as you want. This is related to the type of offer you have. Selling bottles of water is not the same as offering a tailor-made consulting service. In theory it is taught as a step-by-step linear method, where you have to introduce yourself to the client, make a presentation, and close the deal.
In practice there is nothing defined. Therefore, this activity is like a sphere that allows you to go from one place to another immediately. When you see it like this, you take a lot of pressure off yourself. It is worth making a mistake and returning to a point. It is no sin; Rather, you are covering a hole today that tomorrow could be a big hole.
7 strategies to sell more
1. Be effective
This means that whoever you want to sell to really buy from you. One of the big problems in sales is that you knock on doors or make calls hundreds of times and only rarely do you get a positive response.
How to increase the level of effectiveness? Although many people have a hard time doing it and do not have the habit, this is achieved in a simple way: you have to do your homework. Before you pick up the handset and randomly call a number, first find out who the person you are contacting is. If you prepare, people will notice and increase your chances of success.
This advice applies to email marketing , since in most cases companies send the same email to hundreds or thousands of recipients without first making sure if they really need what they offer. Instead of generating interest, this can be annoying for people.
The good news is that today you have more resources to learn more about your potential customers thanks to the Internet. In this way, you will obtain important data, for example, who is the person, what does he do, in which sector he develops and in which geographical areas his company operates. You can even give yourself an idea about what their needs or areas of opportunity are where you can become their new business partner.
2. Get to know your prospects more thoroughly
When you do the homework it means that you have an interest in the individual or company you are looking for, and it shows in the end. Take the consumer’s side: when someone pays attention to you, chances are that, without hesitation, in response you will take the time to listen to the offer they have prepared for you. Why? Simple. Because unfortunately few sellers do.
Therefore, you must be proactive and define the characteristics of the candidates to become your clients. This is called profiling. The issue is to find all this information before making contact. Here it is worth clarifying that what you offer is not for everyone.
When you make the first call, you have the opportunity to find certain data that you needed to complement the information gathered in your previous research. Now, if you get a date, it is a sign that the person is interested in seeing you. Do you know what the reason is? Find out in the interview they schedule.
3. Pay attention to details
Shut up and sell is the title of one of the best sellers on the topic of sales. In it, author Don Shehaan advises readers to “shut their mouths” and learn to listen , then ask smart questions to help determine why a prospect might become a future customer.
Salespeople (mostly) suffer from a problem: they talk, talk and talk. Big mistake. What you have to do is get to the point and tell it like it is. If you give the floor, in return the buyer will give you the flight log, that is, how he wants you to sell him step by step.
For example, that you give them a quick response or that you offer them a competitive price. So if you make a proposal that satisfies these points, you are ready to close the deal.
Not only do you focus on the need, there is also knowing the expectations. To do this, once again you must ask to know what people expect from you in exchange for the money they are going to pay you; you have to earn it.
4. Keep what you promise
If you dared to offer something in order to take the sale, you better follow through. Otherwise, don’t do it. If you lie or exaggerate, in the end this will cost you more than not closing the deal. One lie leads to another lie; It is a snowball that grows and crashes. In case you cannot solve all the problem that they pose to you, clarify it or give options – such as making alliances with other companies – to achieve the objective.
5. Work your smart questions
If a salesperson goes to an appointment unprepared it can mean two things: he is a sales expert or he does not know that he is making a serious mistake. To get the most out of an interview with a prospect, all part of a training that you must carry out with your collaborators in the commercial area.
During this process, it is necessary to define which are the intelligent questions that will help them to verify, validate, verify and clarify all the information received. The purpose is to close a business today, but also to project future transactions.
6. Charging is part of selling
The collection is seen from before you sell. Therefore, an example of a smart question is the following: do you have the money to meet the payment obligations that I propose? There is nothing worse than a customer who cannot pay you. This is part of the profile, so you have to confirm it from the beginning. Now that if you want to sell to sell, you will surely face problems to collect later.
7. It is worth diversifying
Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. It’s good that you have a very good client, but what will happen when they leave or no longer need you? Rule: a single buyer should not represent more than 20% of your total sales. If so, you will face great pressure to sell and that is when mistakes come.
Draw up a plan B where you contemplate both going out to find more consumers, as well as diversifying, expanding or complementing your catalog of products or services.