Now More Than Ever
With the current events that have shaken
the country recently there is, no doubt, a feeling of fear among
all of us. There is fear regarding our personal and business futures,
the futures of our families and friends, the economic future of
the country, the unemployment rate, and the actions that the government
must take. Uncertainty and feelings of insecurity are in everyone.
This holds true for the small businessperson as well. Fear and optimism
abound among small businesspersons as they wonder what the future
will bring. Hoping sales will be good, yet even the most optimistic
are unsure. The economy, the immediate future, the distant future,
the attitude of the country and the shopper are all up in the air.
All the factors that affect personal lives and businesses are all
going through previously uncharted waters. However, things are not totally out of the small businessperson's control, as I know people will still be shopping. I know that people will still be buying. They just may not have as much money to spend as in previous years. I know that people are feeling closer to one another, more so than at any other time in our history. They will want to feel the benefits of their purchases. Purchasing products is and has always been a way for people to entertain themselves. People buy for all kinds of reasons one of which is emotion and emotions between people right now are running high. I also know that people will be more frugal in their buying decisions. I know that now is the time, more so than at any other time in our history, sales people have to work harder and smarter to maximize every possible selling opportunity. No longer can we assume that customer's will simply come into the stores and buy. There may be more people shopping online due to a fear of going into the malls and shopping districts. No longer can we afford to have the mindset that if we don't sell this customer, we will sell the next one. Each and every customer is important to the success or failure of your company and your own productivity and income.
It is vitally important that each and every one of you maximize each selling opportunity. Even the most seasoned "shoppers" become "buyers". Many people go from "Looky Lou's" to "Hunters" on a mission to buy. For that reason this article is devoted to helping you maximize every selling opportunity. While it is impossible to cover all the techniques needed to maximize sales in one article, I thought I would give you a checklist of some of the basic strategies and techniques to institute throughout the sales process.
There are only three primary ways to increase and/or maximize sales. They are:
- To sell more of the people that you already have coming in.
- To sell more to the people you are already selling.
- Get more people to comeing that you can sell.
In order to sell more of the people
that you already have coming in, be sure that you are:
Focusing on the emotional reason that people
buy, not just the technical aspects of the product.
Sharing in the emotional excitement of the
event.
Establishing a relationship through meaningful
non-business conversation.
Asking quality open-ended questions to discover
the wants, needs and desires of the customer.
Asking quality questions to determine the
customer's perception of value.
Basing your demonstrations on the reasons
that the customer wants to buy.
Completing the communication cycle through
asking agreement questions.
Asking each and every customer that you
make a presentation to, to buy. In other words attempting to close
every customer.
Establishing trust in you, your company
and your products through telling Company Stories.
Attempting to capture the name, address,
and phone number of every potential customer.
Not being pushy and aggressive in your sales
approach, but effective through a customer service driven presentation.
Turning over customers that you can't sell
or that you are just not connecting with. Don't let your ego get
in the way; it is impossible to be all things to all people. Just
because you can't make the sale doesn't mean someone else can't
either.
In order to sell more to the people that
you are already selling be sure that you are:
Attempting to bump-up every customer.
The easiest way to bump up is through focusing on the emotional
reason that the customer is buying. For example: "It is the look
in her eye every time that she receives a compliment on the home
that will make all the difference in the world."
Always attempting to add-on. In order
to maximize every sale adding-on is essential. I assure you that
you will be more successful selling the customer more if you start
the adding-on process early in the presentation by asking these
types of questions.
What other purchases are you planning?
Tell me about the other similar items?
Tell me what types of ______ do you have now?
What did you have in mind for _______?
What else can I show you to help complete your needs?
How about a perfectly matching ______ to complete the _______?
These are just a few questions that
you can start with. There are just as many questions to ask, as
there are selling situations. I would look at every situation and
come up with your own list of add-on questions that work for you.
The better the questions the more successful you will be. Remember,
your job is to always think add-ons and to get your customer to
think of buying more from you and your company. Adding-on is great
customer service.
In order to get more people to come in
that you can sell, be sure that you are:
Promoting your business through passing
out your business card to everyone you come in contact with. Whether
it is a bank teller, auto mechanic, doctor, dentist, postal clerk
or whatever, they are all potential customers.
Calling your existing customer base
inviting them in for an appointment to see the exciting array of
new items that are available. When calling make sure you have a
customer based benefit reason to make the call.
Networking through your church, school,
sports teams, associations, chamber of commerce or other civic organizations.
Sending thank you notes to the people
that don't buy from you in order to get them to come in again.
Asking your existing customers if
you can call for other upcoming events.
Asking for referrals from your existing
customers.
In today's business environment you can't
sit back and wait for something to happen. It is up to each of us
to make something happen. We are all in control of our own destiny.
While we may not have as many people coming in to shop, or spending
as much as in the past, there are still opportunities available
to increase sales. As long as people live and entertain there will
be a desire to purchase. As a salesperson, sales manager, or business
owner take all necessary steps to maximize every opportunity that
you have.
These are just a few ideas, there are many
more. I realize the details of these strategies and techniques are
not explicitly laid out. It is impossible to do so in a magazine
article. Should you need further clarification or help in maximizing
sales, call us, we are here to help! We are all in this together
and together we will pull through by overcoming any obstacles that
we face. Now more than ever it is important to maximize every selling
opportunity.
_______________
Author, trainer, consultant and speaker Brad Huisken is President
of IAS Training. Mr. Huisken authored the book I'M a salesman! Not
a PhD. and developed the PMSA Relationship Selling Program, the
PSMC Professional Sales Management Course, The Mystery Shoppers
Kit, The Weekly Sales Training Meeting video series along with Aptitude
Tests and Proficiency Exams for new hires, current sales staff and
sales managers. In addition he publishes a free weekly newsletter
called "Sales Insight."
