How to sell like you have a plan
Leverage your intuition
You’re a salesperson, so of course, you know how to sell. It comes naturally, right? You could sell in your sleep, and sometimes you’re on such a natural roll that you may as well be driving this sales vehicle on auto-pilot.
No matter how good you are at selling, there’s always another sales professional ready to pounce when your guard is down. Don’t ever let your guard down. Sell like you have a plan.
Take your sales intuition to the next level with strategic intent.
Know your product
Even the most unlikely lead can be converted with a bit of know-how. There’s only one way to sell ice to the Inuit people – know your product! How is your ice different from the ice in Alaska? The more you know about your product, the more likely you are to qualify prospects successfully, and the better you’ll be able to segment your market. A good salesperson doesn’t wing it – even if they can. Every conversation you have about your product is a chance to come across as a thought leader, and to build brand reputation. Make the most of your opportunities by starting with a plan.
Benefits of product
Knowing your product doesn’t just mean understanding its benefits. It involves identifying its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Put yourself in a position to answer any question that may arise. Be transparent about the limitations of your product and position these shortcomings as strengths.
The potential customer will know if you haven’t thought things through. In 2018, people are discerning. They have information at their fingertips and can research your product, and compare it with your competitors’ products, at the click of a button.
Think solutions
What problem does your product solve? How does this align with your customer’s pain points? Sometimes, what your customer thinks they need and what they actually need are two different things. The sales journey can be educative, and your product has transformative features. Mapping out the features that suit each market is a far more valuable approach than hit-and-miss.
Document the sales process
What’s easier than winging it? Working to a plan! Know what’s coming next. Has your prospect / visitor already spoken to a Manager or another staff member? What did they talk about? What does your customer already know? You can only extend on what’s been said if you know where your customer is on the sales journey. For this, you need a reliable sales and customer relationship management (CRM) system tailored to your processes and business.
