Listen Your Way To Sales Success!
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"Listen Your Way to Sales Success"
There are many factors and variables that affect our sales on
any given day. There is however, one key skill that will
increase help you increase your sales immediately.
Listen to your customer!
That's it! That's all it takes to close more sales. Sounds
simple doesn't it? Unfortunately, the majority of salespeople
fail to do this.
In the countless sales transactions I watch, I notice that most
salespeople don't ask their customers enough questions. Sure,
they generally uncover a few basic needs that the customer has.
They know what they're looking for in a product with regard to
features, specifications, color, and price.
What they don't do is probe to uncover additional information
about the customer. They don't ask them why they want that
specific product, or why they're considering our store. They
don't learn where the customer has been shopping or what they've
seen. They don't ask what they like and/or dislike about the
other stores they've been in to. They don't find out what their
hot buttons are or what makes them tick or what will motivate
them to buy. They fail to gather enough information!
I believe that there are two primary reasons for this. First, we
don't believe that people will give us this information. The
fact is, people will tell you anything you want to know
providing they trust you and as long as you ask the right
questions in the appropriate manner. For example, if a customer
tells you that they are buying a product because they are going
on a vacation, do you ask where they are going? Do you show
interest in their holiday or are you too concerned with closing
the sale? Are you more interested in your personal problems or
watching the clock to care? In many cases, we are so preoccupied
with something else that we miss vital clues customers give us.
An amazing thing occurs if you demonstrate even a tiny bit of
interest in your customer. They'll begin to open up! They'll
provide you with information you may not have learned otherwise.
They'll talk. They'll tell you everything you need to know in
order to close the sale. People love to talk about themselves
and they'll start to feel more comfortable with you as they
talk. When people feel more comfortable they relax. We all know
that a prospect who is relaxed will be more likely to buy than
someone who is tense and uptight.
The second reason for not gathering sufficient information is
that we feel it takes too much time. In my training sessions I
frequently hear that this time is better used overcoming
objections. My response is that if we gain more information and
fully understand the customer's motives and needs, we can often
overcome objections before they occur. Use your time more
effectively during the sales process. Instead of spending so
much time overcoming objections find out what your customer's
true concerns are beforehand. This will help you adapt your
sales presentation to meet their specific needs, address their
concerns, and move you closer to closing the sale. Ask yourself,
"What information do I still need to help the customer make the
appropriate buying decision?"
We've all heard the expression that information is power. Gain
the extra leverage in the sales process by investing the time
gaining extra information from your customer. Do it consistently
and you'll develop stronger relationships with your customers,
which, in turn, will help you close more sales.