Here are 7 things you should know about selling
1) Don't confuse selling with marketing.
Marketing is everything you do leading up to the sales call. Advertising, writing, speaking, and networking are the major forms of marketing. The goal is to find a prospect with a need for the services you provide.
The sales process begins once you are in contact with the prospect on the phone or in person.
2) Avoid sending sales literature.
When a prospect says to you on the phone, "Why don't you send me some literature," you may be thinking that they must be interested in you and your services. That's probably not so.
Asking for sales literature is typically how prospects try to politely get off the phone. Instead of agreeing, be bold, and say something like this, "When people ask me to send sales literature, often it is just a polite way to end the call. Is that the case here or are you seriously interested in speaking with me about your situation and learning how I might help?"
3) Push for a meeting.
Most consultants are rarely able to close a sale without meeting the prospects. How will they be able to trust you without meeting you?
It is therefore important that you arrange a meeting, preferably at their place of business. If they are in a different part of the country, you will have to weigh the cost/benefit of the visit. Prospects rarely pay for sales calls.
4) How to begin the meeting.
You need to make certain that you are in control of the meeting. Now you may be thinking, "How is that possible? The prospect is always in control." Wrong! Here is how to take control.
First, ask how much time they have. If you're thinking they have reserved an hour but they tell you they only have 20 minutes and you know it will probably take longer, say this: "Typically a meeting like this lasts longer than 20 minutes. Can we agree that as we get close to 20 minutes, we will decide together whether it makes sense to continue our conversation, or would you like to reschedule?"
Next, say something like this. "Thank you again for inviting me in today. This meeting will provide us with an opportunity to see whether or not it makes sense for us to work together. During this meeting, I will ask you questions to learn about your situation, and please feel free to ask me anything you would like. Is that okay with you? Also, at the end of our time together, I will ask you if it makes sense for us to work together or for me to write you a letter of agreement. If it does not make sense, please tell me. You will save me lots of work and I won't be offended. Is that okay with you? Can we agree that at the end of the meeting, we will honestly and openly talk about whether we should proceed together?"
5) How to respond to the most difficult question you will be asked.
There is one common question that prospects typically ask near the beginning of the sales meeting. It may seem like the easiest question in the world to you, but it is not. The question is, "So, please tell me about your firm and the work you do."
Most beginning consultants see this as an opportunity to strut their stuff and tell the prospect about everything they do. But that is the absolute wrong way to handle the question for this reason: PROPSECTS DON'T WANT TO UNDERSTAND (anything about you), THEY WANT TO BE UNDERSTOOD.
The key to any successful sales meeting is for you to have the prospects talk about their needs, their pain, and what help they need. If you spend your precious time together talking about yourself, you won't learn about what the prospects really need, and you won't earn their trust.
So, here's how to handle the question. You want to politely, but very quickly, answer their question, but then turn the tables and get them to start talking. Say something like this, "Thank you again for inviting me in today. We provide a variety of ________ services for firms such as yours to help them improve or reduce ________. Please tell me more about why you invited me in today."
6) What to do during the meeting.
During the meeting you need to ask good questions and then just listen. All prospects want to be treated as if they are special, with unique problems requiring a unique solution. Be an active, empathetic listener and show prospects that you sincerely care about their situations, want to understand it, and do not have a one-size-fits-all solution. Periodically, restate what you have heard them say and ask them if you heard it correctly. Be sure to ask them about what would be the cost or danger of them doing nothing to solve the problem.
Once they have told you their situation and explained the problem to be solved, suggest a few ways that you might help them. Then, gauge their response.
7) How to go for the close.
Directly ask them which of the options you have suggested appeals to them. Then ask them why it appeals to them and if they would like to know what that option will cost. Then ask how they would like to proceed. This will provide them the perception of control they desire, but keep you in charge of the situation.
Bottom Line:
You CAN sell. It requires some learning and practice. You will need to get out of your comfort zone. Just because you have not sold things in the past does not mean you cannot do it in the future. If you need help, there are lots of people, including myself, who can lend you assistance.
© Copyright Bruce L. Katcher, Ph.D., 2012. All rights reserved. Used with permission.
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About This Author
Starting a Consulting Business Expert Bruce L. Katcher, Ph.D. is an Industrial/Organizational psychologist, president of Discovery Surveys, Inc. and Executive Director of The Center for Independent Consulting. He is author of "An Insider's Guide to Building a Successful Consulting Practice" (AMACOM) and "30 Reasons Employees Hate Their Managers" (AMACOM). Reach out to Dr. Katcher for consulting assistance at BKatcher@CenterforIndependentConsulting.com, 781-784-4367, on LinkedIn at Bruce Katcher PhD, or on Twitter @BruceKatcher.
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