Technology is changing the way we live our everyday lives. This has been known for quite some time now. However, more recently it has been such a huge impact on every single part of what we do. Sales is no exception to this. The digital era is changing everything from the way we find prospects to the way we close. With such advancements, it is completely possible to make a sale without actually ever meeting someone in person. This is all very exciting for our future, however, it can be easy to fall into the new and forget our basics. It is extremely important that we don’t forget about the skills that are crucial to face-to-face selling. Here are, in my experience, the most important steps when selling something in an in-person setting.
“Face-to-face selling is an art, and with the right tools, it can be mastered.”
Preparation is Key
Before you ever step foot into a prospect’s office, know who you are about to talk to. I don’t just mean know their name. Research who they are, what they do and how they got to where they are presently. More than just know them personally, get to know their company and understand how it works. Once you have finished all of your research, the next step is to take all of it and practice! If you have a partner, then role play. If you don’t, practice by looking in a mirror. Obviously, you can’t know exactly how the conversation is going to go, but practicing different scenarios will best prepare you for the real thing. When you go in, it is acceptable to bring in notes so that you don’t forget key points. However, be careful with notes. You don’t want to rely on that or use them as a script because you’ll be tempted to read directly off the paper and make you seem unprepared.
Ask The Right Questions
Asking questions is one of the most important parts of selling a product. If you bombard someone with facts that don’t matter to them, you are wasting both your time and theirs. At the end of the day, all people buy from people they know, they like and they trust. By asking questions and tailoring your pitch to what is most important to them, you will begin to build trust. You need to make your buyer feel important. Make them feel as if they are the only one you are wining and dining. As humans, we like to hear ourselves speak. Studies have shown that we feel that a meeting has been productive when we have spoken for a majority of the time. When you ask your buyer questions, this gives them the opportunity to open up. By asking the right questions, you can actually get your buyer to give you the answer you need to close them.
Courage In Your Convictions
I want you to think about a time that you made a buying decision. You were most likely thrilled about the new product and felt that it was exactly what you needed, right? Do you think you would’ve felt that way if the salesperson you worked with during that transaction thought you could’ve gotten something better? Absolutely not! You would’ve bought the better product. A key trait that successful salespeople have is confidence. You have to be passionate about what you do. This also ties in with doing your research. In order to sell a product successfully, you have to truly believe that this is the best thing for your customer because it will show. Now, there will be times where you are passionate about what you do and maybe your product is not the best fit for your customer. Just know that it is okay. You won’t always be the best answer for them, but if you can recognize that and help them they will respect you more in the end.
Lastly, Follow up!
This is possibly the most forgotten skill and it happens to be one of the most crucial. There is a lot of work that goes into making a sale – research, initial pitch, objections, negotiation, etc. By the time you finally close it feels like such a huge relief. You finally did it, now you can relax and go on that vacation you’ve been dreaming about! This is not the case. I’m not telling you not to breathe and enjoy the vacation you’ve been planning for a year. Just don’t go MIA. So many salespeople make a sale and forget about their customer. If you do, you’ve just lost yourself a future renewal. Remember to work your account. Check-in on them and make sure that product you just sold them is doing everything you said it would. Be there for them because this is how they will grow to trust you and again, people buy from people they know, they like, and they trust.
Face-to-face selling is an art, and with the right tools, it can be mastered. Although it takes a lot of work, these four steps will definitely help you maintain and uphold the profession. As I’m sure you’ve heard, change is the only thing constant in life. Be prepared to learn new skills and new technologies, but don’t forget to incorporate those skills that have proven successful. Good luck and go close those opportunities!
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