Being a successful salesperson is half art and half science. It may seem impossible to start generating sales or improve upon current performance, but putting the following inside tips into practice can help any salesperson or business stand out in the crowd and make sales today and into the future.
1) Make a Personal Connection – Remember that when customers have a choice about where they go to source needed materials and products, one of the important factors that they consciously and unconsciously take into account is the rapport they feel with the businesses and salespeople. By taking an interest in individuals and showing knowledge of their personal circumstances you make their shopping experience a social connection as well as a business transaction.
2) Understand the Customer’s Needs and Desires – No matter how revolutionary, competitively priced, or labour-saving your service or product is, customer’s will not purchase it unless they see a benefit for them. Focus not on what the product does in general, but on what it can do for this specific customer. To tailor this information to the customer you need to understand what they need and want and communicate to them how your products or services will help them.
3) Invest in a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Software Solution – In today’s business world, the amount of information available to businesses and salespeople is staggering. However, only by effectively managing that information can it be generated into increased sales. CRM software allows the tracking of every part of the sales process so that any weak links in the chain that are hampering closure of sales can be easily and quickly identified. They also include contact management systems that prevent any customers from being overlooked or leads not being followed up in a timely manner.
4) Become A Trusted Source of Advice – While a large sale now may be tempting, if you knowingly oversell a customer an expensive package that they do not need you run the risk of them later becoming aware of this. These customers are unlikely to return and you have sacrificed on-going business for a short-term reward. This unhappy customer is unlikely to recommend you and in fact will probably discourage others from purchasing from you. By developing a trusting relationship with a customer, not only will they return to you when they have further needs and recommend you to others, they will also likely be receptive if you contact them to inform them about new products.
5) Follow Up on Successful and Unsuccessful Sales – Whether a sale is closed or not, make sure to keep a record of the customer, their particular needs and their response. With successful sales you can contact them later to offer them further products and services based on their purchase. For unsuccessful sales, should there be a special offer or a new product that fills the needs that were not met during your previous meeting, you can inform them of this and turn an unsuccessful sale into a successful one.
This guest article was written by Workbooks, leading supplier of web-based CRM software.