For any product or service, only one business will have the cheapest price. While your customers may start by seeking the lowest cost, what they really want is the best value. When value exceeds the price, price is no longer the issue.
Here are some ideas to make yourself the best value in the sales process:
Sell Yourself First
In any transaction, you must build a relationship with your client. Whatever the product or service, if the person you’re dealing with doesn’t like you, they won’t listen to you and the sale is over. If you can present yourself as someone with their best interests in mind, though, they’ll be open to listening to you, and they’ll take your ideas to heart. Whatever you’re offering, make sure you understand it backwards and forwards, inside and out. Present yourself well and put yourself in their position; would you want to do business with you?
Listen More, Talk Less
Knowledge of your product is essential, but it’s not the only factor in your success. Many low-producing salespeople know their product well — and can’t get over telling you how amazing it is. They won’t shut up about it. Exceptional salespeople ask questions and listen to what their customers say. They take notes, summarize and then clarify that they understand what’s most important to the customer. Then, they do a personalized presentation of their product according to what meets or exceeds their customer’s expectations. When the customer understands that you care, you can forge a lasting relationship.
Understand Who You’re Dealing With
Get to know the person and see if you’re both in the right place. If you’re selling a $50,000 vehicle to a customer with a $20,000 budget, you’re wasting everyone’s time. A common mistake is trying to sell everything to everyone. If you can provide the correct product for the right person, you might earn a customer for life. If you can’t help them, help them find someone who can. Besides being the right thing to do, the kindness you show today could bring business tomorrow when their budget grows or they tell their friends about you.
Mind What You Say and How You Say It
When conveying your message, your words are only part of the equation. Neurolinguistic scientists have found your tone and your body language can be even more important than what you say. Studies have found that 55 percent of communication comes from body language, 38 percent from your tone of voice and only 7 percent from actual word choice. The most successful salespeople make sure they’re putting their message across in the most effective way possible. Keep this in mind when communicating through email, texts or any other medium where tone and body language are lacking. What might be a joke in person can come across as sarcastic or even hostile in a text conversation.
Make yourself the best in your field and become an expert in communicating your ideas. You’ll build a relationship and create customers for life.
Chris Saraceno
