Whatever you want to sell, whether it's candles or cars, it will be easy if you know some of the fundamental selling techniques. Learn how to sell a product or service by following a few basic marketing rules.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Prepare for the Sale
Step 1. Sell something you are passionate about
People don't want to buy from a weak seller. While this doesn't mean you have to work miracles, make sure whatever choice you make is still something that excites you. Your feelings are perceived by the tone in your presentation.
Step 2. Check where you are
Be aware of how your product compares to others in the market, and how to convince the customer that yours is the best choice. You need to make your product or service more attractive than everyone else out there, and an important part is being prepared for the pros and cons of what you offer.
Step 3. Try to understand your interlocutor
If you want to sell something, you need to sell it to the right person. Not everyone wants a photo album or a particular phone service, so find the person who needs it.
- Advertise your product or service in areas where this type of buyer can see it.
- Don't force a sale with a customer if you understand that they are not interested in what you propose. Doing so can only annoy the customer and frustrate you.
Step 4. Get ready
You can't sell anything without knowing its main characteristics. Make sure you know every single detail of what you are selling so that no questions from the customer go unanswered.
Part 2 of 4: Making a Sale
Step 1. Make a short presentation
While it sounds like an incredibly interesting and persuasive presentation to you, you only have about 60 seconds to get someone's attention on what you're selling. You should be able to get someone involved in less than a minute.
Step 2. Don't try to manipulate the conversation
If it seems like you want to force the conversation, your interlocutor may lose interest or get bored.
- Give the person you are selling to the opportunity to ask questions and comments, and be sure to listen truthfully to what they say.
- Ask open-ended questions that require a complete response from the customer. Closed-ended questions turn off the conversation and make you seem uninterested in what your interlocutor might say.
- Don't manipulate their responses. Trying to put words in the customer's mouth will frustrate them and make them less interested in your presentation.
Step 3. Build a network of relationships
It's easier to sell something to a close friend or family member, isn't it? This is because you have a bond with them that makes them want to help you. If you can build a sincere relationship with someone, they will be more likely to buy something from you.
Step 4. Be honest
Even if telling the truth will involve acknowledging a flaw in your product or service, be honest. It is something that attracts a lot of people; honesty is a welcome and desired quality in a salesperson.
Step 5. Don't approach a sale with expectations
Believing that you know how a person will react or how a sale will go will in all likelihood turn out to be a disappointment. You would react mechanically and lack the flexibility needed for a good sale. Let your presentation be fluent, adapting to both the environment and the interlocutor.
Step 6. Indulge your interlocutor
Whoever you're selling to, whether it's a neighbor or the CEO of a company, will want their views confirmed. Whether or not the customer agrees with what you say, indulge them so that they feel their opinion is confirmed.
- If they disagree with what you say, confirm that the way they interpret things is correct. Simply help him change his point of view with good examples and sincere confrontation.
- Confirm their needs in relation to your product. Help him feel included in the purchase.
Part 3 of 4: Using Sales Techniques
Step 1. Change your language
Use vocabulary that engages your interlocutor. Instead of using phrases like "I think …" or "Let me explain …", direct the conversation towards them. Say something like "will love …" or "will find that …"
Step 2. Make the conclusions obvious
You want your product to be perceived as an obvious choice, and in order to do so you need to explain the reasons why it makes life easier, increases profits, saves time and money, etc. It must seem obvious that by buying from you the customer will improve their life significantly.
Step 3. Avoid sales of numerous products
If you offer too many products all at once, you risk overloading the customer with choices. This would make it almost impossible for him to answer yes or no to your proposal. Instead, focus on one product or service at a time and ask the customer if they are interested in purchasing it.
Step 4. Follow up with each sale with another proposal
Once you've made a successful sale, propose another product or service. Your customer will be more receptive having already agreed to buy from you, and you will have to do a lot less work the second time around.
Step 5. Make the purchase process simple
If you have elaborate purchasing and shipping procedures, your customer may be frustrated with the amount of work involved. Simplify it as much as possible so that the burden of the work falls on you, not the customer.
Step 6. Make a supply agreement with the customer
It is when you make a deal with your customer to meet again in the future or buy more products from you. Try to make an appointment for the future meeting after the customer has agreed to buy from you. That way, you'll have at least one more chance to sell it again.
Step 7. Make it clear that time is running out
To push a sale, it makes it seem like there is little time to make the purchase. The reason could be that the stock is running out, prices will rise, or the quantity of product and service is limited.
Part 4 of 4: Closing the Sale
Step 1. Use a direct closure
The most basic and direct of the closing techniques, direct closing is simply asking the customer for a final answer. Without being blunt, look for the answer for a single sale.
Step 2. Make a supply agreement
To do this, you will close the sale with an offer of a discount or an additional product at a reduced price. This will not only help you to realize your current sale, but perhaps also lead to an additional sale.
Step 3. Make a trial offer
If the customer seems interested in the product, overcome their hesitation by offering a trial period of the product. This could be a number of days of using what you sell. If the customer gets the chance to use it and finds it useful, you've secured the sale and opened a door to others in the future.
Step 4. Use an ultimatum closure
In this case, it shows how purchasing the product is the only good choice possible. Show how not buying it yourself would be counterproductive over time, or how similar products or services don't even remotely match your own.
Step 5. Show him the cost per day
Close by showing how much your product or service costs per day. It will probably be a low figure and it will seem reasonable to the customer, stimulating his interest in buying.
Step 6. Make a complementary closure
Show how by buying your product or service, your interlocutor does something smart, logical, useful, etc. This will support her self-esteem, putting both of you in a good mood.
