A QUESTION I’m asked all the time is: ‘Jeffrey, what’s the best way to make a sale?’
When I’m asked this question, what the salesperson’s really asking is: ‘What’s the easiest way to make a sale?’
Easy answer: The easiest way to make a sale is lower your price to a point that you make no profit. Not a good option.
Real answer: There is no easiest way to make a sale.
And, just like there is no easiest way to make a sale, there is no best way to make a sale; but there are several elements that contain the word best that you must self-evaluate in order to discover why the sales takes place, or why not.
Key point of understanding: Selling is not manipulating; selling is harmonising.
Oh, you can occasionally make a manipulative sale. But if you’re still in the 1970s trying to ‘find the pain’, or ‘sell an up-front contract’, or ‘close the sale’, you’re toast. Sales toast.
Here are the best ways to make a sale ...
• The best way to make a sale is to have your reputation precede you by word of mouth from your Google ranking, and from your business social media presence.
• The best way to make a sale is to be known as a valued resource before you start.
• The best way to make a sale is to be friendly before you start.
• The best way to make a sale is to meet with the CEO or actual decision maker.
• The best way to make a sale is not to be ‘salesey’, or cocky, or condescending.
• The best way to make a sale is to find some common ground before you start the selling process.
• The best way to make a sale is to ask intelligent, emotionally engaging questions that draw out both needs and buying motives.
• The best way to make a sale is to walk into the meeting with two ideas in favour of the customer.
• The best way to make a sale is to have done pre-call preparation in terms of the customer.
• The best way to make a sale is to convey value rather than features and benefits.
• The best way to make a sale is to focus on how they profit and produce.
• The best way to make a sale is to focus on outcomes and ownership.
• The best way to make a sale is to relax throughout the entire sales conversation.
• The best way to make a sale is to respond in a heartbeat.
• The best way to make a sale is to make yourself available when a customer needs you.
• The best way to make a sale is to support and prove all your claims with video testimonials from existing customers who love you and are loyal to you.
• The best way to make a sale is to ask for a date of beginning, or some type of commitment to move forward, after you are certain you have removed all risks and removed all barriers from your prospect’s buying process.
• The best way to make a sale is to have multiple relationships at different levels and departments within the same company.
• The best way to make a sale is to earn the status of trusted adviser.
• The best way to make a sale is to create the atmosphere where the customer wants to buy.
• The best way to make a sale is to make the passion of your belief transferrable.
And there are questions you must ask yourself that enable the list of the best ways to make a sale.
• Am I always achieving my personal best?
• Am I always preparing my best for every sales call?
• Is my attitude set on positive, and positive outcome?
• Is my belief in product, company, and self always at the highest level?
• Do I believe in my heart that the customer is better off having purchased from me?
• Am I always doing my best for every customer, every time?
Reality: As a customer, I do not need a salesman. I need productivity, an idea, morale, a profit provider, and a trusted adviser.
Is that you?
