Every profession has its systems, its way of doing things. The procedures of professional selling have evolved over the past 100 years. They embody processes that have proven sucessful time and again. For highly effective selling there are 12 clearly identifiable steps. Highly effective sales people don't try to take short cuts. They want to make money instead so they apply these steps because they work.
Although each step of the sales process will be discussed in detail later, the diagram on the next page provides an outline of the complate selling process. However, because of the nature of their products, some salespeople do not need to follow all 12 steps.
Step 1: Determine your Best Client Profile
The First step of the selling is to find markets that will produce the best possible result for your investment of time, effort and expense. It is pointless making heaps of sales if those sales produce such a small return that you barely earn a living. Consequently it is better to make fewer sales but produce in higher return. To achieve that you need to know who your best client are. In other words, 'who has the need, want anda money?'
When you know the type of person or business who producess your best earning sales, you can look for the markets in which they work, live and play. You can determine a 'profile'--that is, a description of the type of person or business who will vield the best result consistetly.
That description will be your Best Client Profile. When you have that, you search for people or business who fit that profile.
Step 2: Research your prospective clients
The idea of research is to compile a list of peoplewho fit your best client profile and to have as much as information about them as possible. They are your prospective clients.
Step 3: Approach for your prospective clients
When you have your list you will need to get in touch the people on it. You can do that by sending a pre-call letter, an introductory leaflet, a newsletter, or simply by phoning them. Whereverpossible, you should have a handwritten introduction from a client or third party.
Step 4: Prepare for your calls
When you have sent your introductory letter (or whichever of the approaches listed above you choose), you will need to follow it up a few days later to arrange a meeting. The idea of preparing yourself to make your calls is important because you want to ensure that as many calls as possible will produce a meeting. To achieve the maximum number of meetings, you will need to be organised and in the right frame of mind.
Step 5 : Call to set a time for an introductory meeting
Having sufficient introductory meetings every day is the most vital part of the sales process. That's because regardless of how effective you are at everything else, if you don't have people to see you can't complate any sales. The minimum number of introductory meetings for most salespeople is two each day
Step 6 : Attend your introductory meeting
Having sufficient introductory meetings every day is the most vital part of the sales process. That's because regardless of how effective you are at everything else, if you don't have people to see you can't complate any sales. The minimum number of introductory meetings fo most salespeople is two each day.
Step 7: Apply the prospect filter
The prospect filter ensures you stay in control of your job rather than let it control you. How? by choosing which prospects you want as clients. It's the point where you decide to sell right then, to arrange a planing meeting or simply not to proceed with that prospect.
Step 8 : Attend a planning meeting.
This step only upplies you have decided to set up a separate meeting, usually inh your office or in your client's office, to analyse your client's needs detail. Such analysis will enable you to consider your client's needs and wants carefully and to prepare several options that will meet those needs and wants best. It's the way of the highly effective professional.
Step 9: Present your options in person.
When you have worked out the option for your client you will arrange for a time to submit them. Almost always, you should present them in person because while written submissions can look highly professional, clients can't ask questions of submissions.
In those cases a client can form a negative judgment too quickly. Given the absence of anyone to explain issues or to assure the client, premature decisions are more likely.
Step 10: Get the order
Getting the order is the logical outcome of all your work to date. For highly successful salespeople, it gets the adrenaline flowing. For mediocre player it's the step they prefer to postpone. And so they find other things to say, more points to explain, and generally talk themselves past the sale, losing it completely.
Getting the order should flow smoothly. It is bit separate step. Provided you have presented your story professionally, high-lighted benefits for the client and pointed out how these benefits will satisfy their stated ideas, needs and wants, then getting the order is a matter of routine.
Nevertheless, it is also the point where we can encounter a client's 'procrastination barrier'. To encourage them to 'procrastinate later' we need a portfolio of proven responses, letters from satisfied clients, positive news articles relating to your product or service and true third-party stories that are relevant to their situation.
We also need communication and negotiation skill to:
- Identify areas of misunderstanding on the part of the client.
- Elicit any concerns, doubts or fear of what might go wrong after the purchase.
- Summarise the major benafits of the proposal in a logical and succinct way, showing how they will help your clients satisfy one or more of their major goals.
When you have the order, get it down on paper and have your client authorise it. In the meantime, the main thing to remember is obtain written recommendations.
Step 11: Obtain written recommendations
Where will your next clients come from? how can you ensure you will have a constant stream of clients to call? Written recommendations are the best way to build a profitable-and pleasurable-sales business.
Step 12: Apply an effective client service program.
To become a highly affective salesperson and to earn the highly effective income that goes with it you will need to take a long-term view of your profession. You will need to build a growing business a register of clients who are pleased to see you and who are happy to give you recommendations of their business associates, acquaintances, friends and relatives. The Key word is service. Provide an effective after-sales service by keeping in touch and attending to client enquiries and problems.
The Highly effrective salesperson
You can see the importance of developing an effective selling process. But that is not enough. You also need to work on developing the personal charateristics of a highly effective salesperson. For example:
Believing
Belief shows. The first sale you need to make is to yourself. You need to be sold on the company you represent. You need to believe in yourself, in your product and in its benefits for people. Client want to see that you believe in waht you are selling. If you don't, why should they?
Caring
It is not difficult to recognise salespeople who still sell to their own pockets. Your cleints have dreams, needs, problems and wants just like you. The old saying 'people want to know how much you care before they care how much you know' is as true today as ever. You need to develop a genuine liking for people. To do this you need a genuine liking for yourself. Knowing that you conduct all your business in a caring and honest way will reinforce yourself-esteem and help you achieve success through Personel Excellence.
Asking
One way to show you care is to ask about your client's ideas, goals and background. By asking questions you get information that helps you to help them. You determine your client's wants, then use your skills, knowledge and product or service to help fulfil their ideas, needs and wants.
Listening
Many salespeople listen, but do not hear. Highly effective salespeople listen with empathy. They listen to understand, not to reply. Some salespeople are so anxious to say what they want they complete their client's sentences. If that sound like you, try counting to five each time your client finishes a sentence. Then listen--really listen. Your client is telling you how can help them own and enjoy the benefits of your product or service. As someone said, 'God gave us one mouth and two ears, intending they be used in that proportion'.
Showing
Have you heard the cliche 'one picture is worth a thousand words'? As fas as learning, understanding and retaining information are concerned, it's true. We absorb far more information visually than we do aurally, and even more when it is shown and explained simultaneously.
Your presentation needs to show how your product or service meets the objectives of the client. (A simple diagram can explain a complex point far more effectively than can a torrent of words.)
Helping
Clients need to see what you aim is to help them get what they want at the best possible price. They Also need to see that what you are proposing will help them. If you approach each sale with the aim of helping yourself first, your poor closing and retention rates will soon show it. Help enough people get what they want first, and they will help you get you want.
Servicing
Providing after-sales service is one of the best way to grow your business. You get new business from your existing clients and recommendations to their friends and acquaintances. Also, you build a client register of people who are glad to see you. That is your security as a salesperson. But it needs to be a register of clients who are loyal to you and to your company. It's the best defence against foraging salespeople from your competitors.
Satisfying your client's needs and wants.
Whether it's and idea for a high-rise hotel, marina or restaurant, a new gadget or a personal goal, each reguires a service or product to be realised. Highly effective salespeople do not sell products. They sell ways to satisfy a client's idea, needs or wants through their product or service.
Theirs is a different approach to the one used by sales hacks (the discredited system of peddling by trying to fit the person or business to the product). Looking for (and suggesting) ideas to satisfy gives a wholly new dimension to selling ability. It puts the client first. it promotes Sales and Personal Excellence.
Adapting your personality: the 'p' factor
Each of us has a baggage of habits, prejudices, views and ways to do things. And many of us have traits that can be endearing so some people, but not so endearing to others. For example, if you have a forceful, brash, outgoing personality (direct) it might intimidate a more introverted, retiring client (indirect). As sale is unlikely under those circumtances.
We all have a main personality trait with a sprinkling of other traits. We also have the ability to move from one trait to another for brief periods. The important thing is to recognise your main personality trait and know how it enteracts with that of your clients, then adapt yours to be compatible.
The following personality trait descriptions will help you to identify your own major trait :
- Self-contained --direct. This type of person has a dominant personality, is business-like, formal, works and think fast, likes authority, gets on with the job, decisive, deals with facts, gets to the point, likes to set goals.
- Self-contained--indirect. This type of person likes to go with the flow, is conservative, slow, systematic, fears embarrassment, avoids stressful situations, likes to be prepared, protects credibility, likes to be correct, does not like surprises, makes deliberate decisions.
- Open--direct. This type of person likes to influence others, dresses fashionably, is fast, spontaneous, likes working/ dealing with people, likes respect, can be sarcastic, craves recognition, is flexible, dislikes routine, is easily bored.
- Open--indirect. This type of person is conforming, steady, friendly, works at relationships, avoids confrontation, goes along with the majority, wants attentioan, is pleasent, sensitive, patient.
Recognising highly effective salespeople
Highly effective salespeople are the 'quiet achievers'. You will know them because they :
- study
- practice
- apply
- are strong Self-leaders
- align themselves to markets
- sell concepts, not product
- concentrate effort on productive time
- package their recommendations to provide for their clients' ideas, needs and wants
- work to daily goals
- believe, care and help
- strive for Personal Excellence
- support others in the team with advice and encourragement
- attend sales meeting voluntarily to learn and to share their experience
- regard their job as their career
- place an emphasis on client service
- earn a consistently high income
- are respected by colleagues and clients alike
- work to a personal mission statement they have written down.
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