Carolyn McFann asked: No matter how you sell, whether it’s on the phone or in person, sales is all about persuading your customers to care about your product enough to want to buy it. By being sensitive to the buyers’ attitudes and preferences, the salesperson builds trust. Hidden within casual conversation, there are buying clues. As the salesperson, your job is to fill consumers’ needs, fitting your product into their lives, and convincing them that this is the best product for them.
First, try to get a feel for your customer’s interests and needs. Your job is to fulfill these needs with your products. For example, you are selling magazines and you find out your customer loves basketweaving and reptiles. Offer him whatever titles in your catalog that pertain to these subjects, such as “Basketweaving Today” or “Lizard Lovers Monthly”. Try to relate with the customer if they still provide resistance to the sale, even if the subjects they like bore you to tears. Find a common ground, so they will feel somewhat of a bond with you for that moment in time.
Be sensitive to the customer’s buying style. If the customer shows signs of wanting you to speed up the presentation, then by all means, speed it up. Stick to your presentation, and be friendly but not overly friendly. Think of how you would like to be approached by a salesperson when you are buying something. I remember going into a commissioned sales-driven, high-end clothing store with my mother as a young woman. My mom made the mistake of telling the salespeople she was buying me a bunch of clothes, so they bombarded me with syrupy-sweet suggestions on what they thought would look good to me. I was really annoyed with them, and walked out. My mother talked me back in, and the salespeople backed off with their overly pushy suggestions. By being free to choose without people hawking over me, I found clothing I liked, and they got their sale. I wanted to have my own say in what I was choosing, not be told what I “should” buy. Be sensitive to the customer and what they are saying to you nonverbally. Do they want your help or do they want to make the decision independently? Help them by providing facts and if warranted, support, but don’t overdo it or you can kill the sale.
In sales, I have consistently managed to have high conversions and sales throughout my career. Why? Because I do not get overly dramatic, sound fake, and I care about my customers. I take the time to listen to what they have to say, and how they say it. If you listen to your customers and show interest in them, then they will be more apt to listen to what you have to say, and relate to you. My customers are important to me. If they have questions, I listen and find the answers if I don’t know them.
If you know veteran salespeople who are high-achievers, learn from them, and watch how they treat people. They are generally upbeat, polite, firm and not over the top with their emotions. I prefer even keel emotions, no matter how the customer acts. Being overly emotional is discouraged, as it can spark the customer to become more emotional as well. Calm, cool and professional, with an air of down-to-earth friendliness does the trick for me. Find what style is best for you, and improve on it, the more presentations you do. Sales style and presentation is ever-evolving, so take your time to develop it. Each customer has his or her own ways of relating to you, so your job is to subtly adapt your presentation to their different personalities. That is the fun of sales, no sale is exactly the same.
Keep a positive attitude, even if you don’t make the sale. It is always possible that this customer may need time to think your presentation over and come back later to purchase. Or, they may be so impressed with your product or presentation (hopefully, both), and tell friends to come back and buy from you. Treat everyone with respect and be professional, to increase the likelihood of repeat sales and referrals. They are the life blood of business.
As a salesperson, it is your job to represent your company with the utmost respect and class. Be personable, helpful and go beyond your customer’s expectations. Make sure to think how you would want to be treated, and act accordingly. With sensitivity and product knowledge under your belt, you will watch your sales grow. Once you’ve established your style, improve on it whenever possible. Never stop learning, and your sales abilities will improve, as will your paychecks. Trust me, the extra effort is worth it. I wish you luck.
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