What is Selling?
When we think of the word “Selling”, we instantly envision a typical sales transaction where services and/or goods are exchanged for money. And according to Webster’s Dictionary and Google the definition of selling is just that… “give or hand over (something) in exchange for money”. However, there’s much more to selling than a simple exchange. First, we must be the experts on the products and services we are offering. Secondly, we need to be able to identify our target audience in order to create the best integrated solution. Lastly, we need to incorporate a selling process into our customer interactions. Companies will also create a selling process in order to streamline their sales force with the customer’s needs. To be a great sales professional one must understand every vital step of this selling process and be able to incorporate it into their selling behavior.
The Selling Process
Step 1: Greet Customer
In today’s selling environment we are automatically programmed to say, “Welcome to XYZ, how may I Help you?” Our goal as sales professionals is to go above and beyond the typical “help.” We need to be true consultants in order to steer our customers buying decision. So moving forward let’s try using the following phrase when greeting your customers… “Welcome to XYZ, what brings you in today?” By using this open-ended phrase your customer is more prone to partake in a needs assessment conversation with you.
Step 2: Needs Assessment
Listen with the intent to understand, not respond and try not to assume. Qualifying questions at times can be rhetorical, therefore, switch your approach from predictable questions to having a qualifying conversation. This approach will give you all of the information needed in order to create the best integrated solution for your customer.
Step 3: Create an Integrated Solution
Rule number one, when attempting to create a solution for a customer you must know the products! Being well-versed on the products and services you sell will put you at an advantage of closing the sale over someone who is mediocre.
Step 4: Close Sale
Before closing the sale we must be confident that we’ve earned the right to ask for the sale. Customers hate to be sold, but they love to buy. If we follow the sales process in its entirety we will see our close ratio ultimately increase as we continue to perfect our selling techniques.
Step 5: Follow-up
This step is arguably the most underrated in the overall sales process. In the follow-up step, we have a tremendous opportunity to turn our customers into life-long repeat clientele and ultimately referrals. In B2B sales, following up with our customers is an essential part of growing the business. Applying this behavior to our collection of best practices would not only create more incoming traffic but we could also generate reoccurring flow of revenue.
“Selling is a very strategic and deliberate act of influencing one’s buying decision. What separates a good seller from a great one is putting the customer’s needs first while still being able to exceed your company’s sales objectives”-steve peters, 2017