Softer Side of Selling

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Sales Skills: Dealing with “NO”

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Great salespeople are expert and dealing with “no”. It’s part of the sales process. Not every prospect is going to want or need your product or service. Sometimes salespeople are dealing with “no” for reasons outside of the control of either the buyer or the seller. Think about a company supplying food to restaurants when they were shut down during the pandemic. Recently the Atlantic Coast Pipeline project was shut down. Something the contractors never wanted to happen but didn’t control. Airplane manufacturers are dealing with “no” aircraft deliveries since airline traffic is drastically reduced. So what do great salespeople know about dealing with “no”.

All great salespeople see NO on the way to YES

Great Salespeople Are Expert Dealing With “NO”
Image by Gordon Johnson from Pixabay

Get To “NO” Quickly

Prospecting is the art of finding good potential customers. Great salespeople know how to determine the quality of a prospect quickly. They are skilled at asking questions and actively listening to prospects answers. As soon as they find the prospect doesn’t have a need or want the product or service, doesn’t have the budget or the decision maker is apathetic about the project the salesperson has two choices. Either drop this sales pursuit and move on or determine how to overcome the barriers to this sale. Great salespeople are expert at evaluating a prospect….

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Sales Skills: Selling Virtually

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Every sales blog I read is tackling Selling Virtually; so I’m going to add my opinion to the discussion. Great salespeople know there is a fundamental selling process to winning and keeping good customers. That process doesn’t change just because we can’t meet in person. The challenge for salespeople during this pandemic is to practice the fundamentals while selling virtually.

Two characters popping out of laptop screens and shaking hands showing success in virtual selling

Virtual Selling Wins Business
Image from Pixabay

What’s Different Now?

Depending on how you sold the answer ranges from “not much” to “everything.” If you were already mostly selling virtually then the difference is minimal. But for the road warrior sales team now required to work from home it’s a major change. Even as the economy opens up companies are limiting face-to-face contact. Selling virtually, that is using video conferencing and the telephone to find, win and keep customers has become the new normal for old road warriors.

But we can learn from the Millennials who grew up in the digital age. Communicating online is their normal. As they move into decision making roles with their digital comfort we old road warriors need to change. The pandemic has just accelerated the change….

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Sales Skills: Talking About Money

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Great salespeople know that talking about money is an important skill. When the salesperson can align the price of the need or want with the budget or perceived value, closing the sale is easy. The best salespeople are comfortable talking about money. They have a positive attitude when asking questions to understand the cost of the problem and the depth of commitment to change.

Sales People Are Comfortable Talking About Money

Great Salespeople Get The Prospect Talking About Money
Image from Pixabay

First Discover The Problem

It doesn’t make any difference in what you are selling, unless there is a compelling reason to buy there won’t be a sale. So great salespeople ask questions to get the prospect talking about a problem the salesperson can solve. Since the prospect has committed to having a conversation with you they probably have a problem (or want or need or pain) they think you can solve. Your goal as a salesperson is to get the prospect to define the problem. (For more how to discover a problem click here.)…

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Sales Skills: All Buying Decisions Are Emotional

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“Yeah, right!” You’re thinking this is a bunch of hooey: “all buying decisions are emotional.” “My customers give a lot of thought about what they buy from me.” Or “It’s how I present the opportunity to prospects that convinces them to buy.” Or “When the price and benefits align, that’s when the customer buys.” These are all true statements. But think back to the beginning of a successful sales event. Didn’t you first have to earn the respect of the prospect. Wasn’t your first encounter all about building rapport; getting them to like you enough to be comfortable answering your tough questions? Great salespeople know prospects don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.

*A NOTE ABOUT SELLING DURING A PANDEMIC

All Buying Decisions Are Emotional

Even Remotely Great Salespeople Connect Emotionally
Image by Peggy und Marco Lachmann-Anke from Pixabay

All Buying Decisions Are Emotional

Yes, that’s true. It took a while for my “engineering mind” to understand it. But think about it. For consumer products marketing works hard to make an emotional attachment to a brand. I like Coca Cola. The real one made with sugar and sold in glass bottles. Now my ability to taste is not particularly well developed so I couldn’t discriminate between Coke or Pepsi in a blind taste test. In fact all colas taste pretty much the same to me. But I only buy Coca Cola made with sugar in glass bottles. This is emotional attachment to the brand is it not? Ever bought a home or a car? Didn’t how you felt about the vehicle or house tip the decision? True after you made the selection, then the rational mind cataloged all the reasons it was a good decision. Still wondering whether all buying decisions are emotional?…

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Sales Skills: Make A Great First Impression

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For the next several months my blog will focus on the attitudes, behaviors and knowledge that makes a great salesperson. Great salespeople know selling is a process. It begins with the first impression you make on a prospect and results in a mutually beneficial long-term relationship. You only get one chance to make the first impression. Whether by phone, video conference, written correspondence or a networking meeting, be prepared to make a great first impression.

Great salespeople make a great first impression

First Impressions Are Very Important
Image From Pixabay

*A Note About Selling During A Pandemic

The Importance Of Rapport

Prospects don’t care how much you know about a problem until they know how much you care about them. This first step in the selling process is called “rapport”. Great salespeople know the importance of the first impression. They are diligent in the preparation for the first meeting. Even before making the phone call to schedule a meeting, salespeople have done research on the company and the prospect. They seek to know whether there is potential opportunity here and the role the prospect has in the buying process. Armed with this information great salespeople are equipped to begin a dialog. Done well the rapport step builds respect for the salesperson and confidence they have the best interest of the buyer at heart….

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Sales Skills: Customer Management

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Great salespeople know about customer management. They have the skill to deal with customers upset with service, quality or price. An email from the Smithsonian Curiosity Council, presented the graphic associated with this blog post. It illustrates results from a survey of members when asked what they would most likely do once the stay-at-home order is lifted. The larger and bolder words indicate the most responses.

A list of words in different font sizes and colors reflecting patrons desire to do after stay-at-home is lifted

What Is The First Thing You Will Do When This Is All Over?
Source:Smithsonian Curiosity Council May 2020

While this blog usually focusses on face-to-face professional sales, I realized that helping customers regain their business is important. So we need to use our sales skills to help our customers reopen. The quicker our customers open for business, the sooner they resume purchasing.

In a recent discussion with the staff of our local Small Business Development Center the question came up of how to treat customers who object to the rules allowing businesses to open. So let’s think about the sales skill of customer management which great salespeople do well. Since this is a skill widely needed by all who interact with shoppers and diners we can help our customers with their customer management….

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Sales Skills: Buyers Need A Compelling Reason To Change

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For the next several months my blog will focus on the attitudes, behaviors and knowledge that makes a great salesperson. I believe that these are fundamental qualities of a great salesperson. And fundamentals are the basis of successful sales whether we are in “normal times” or dealing with a pandemic. Great salespeople know buyers make a decision when they have a compelling reason to change. One of the most valuable skills a salesperson has is the ability to help the buyer find a compelling reason to change.

Great salespeople Find or create the Pain a prospect sees in the current situation

Prospects Buy When Salespeople Show Them The Pain
Image From Pixabay

First Understand The Buyer’s Habits

We are all creatures of habit. Buyers keep placing orders with suppliers who they have come to trust because it’s easy. For years I went to the toothpaste display and grabbed a tube of Crest. Never gave any of the other brands even a glance. Then I developed tooth sensitivity. My dentist recommended I change to Sensodyne toothpaste. I now buy that brand. Think about your own purchasing decisions. What compels you to change? How can you relate this to changing a prospects buying habits?…

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Sales Skills: Empathy

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While most of the country is staying home and industries are trying to figure out the future, great salespeople are practicing empathy. To be sure we are all concerned about the future. Great salespeople are helping their A-list customers survive and plan to thrive again.

Great Salespeople are expert at dealing with disruption in sales

Rise To The Challenge Of Dealing With Disruption In Sales
Image by Vektor Kunst from Pixabay

Empathy

Great salespeople know that empathy is the ability “to walk in your customer’s shoes.” To engage the customer where they are right now. We are “people people”. We strive to understand our customers first then present our value proposition. COVID-19 pandemic is the “elephant in the room.” So don’t ignore it. Begin each sales call with a discussion about the pandemic. How does it affect your customer personally and professionally? Then move on to discuss your value proposition. Great salespeople have the ability to let their humanity lead them in asking good questions to connect on a personal level. They understand customers won’t care how much you know until they know how much you care….

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Sales Skills: Prospecting For New Business

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For the next several months my blog will focus on the attitudes, behaviors and knowledge that makes a great salesperson. I believe that these are fundamental qualities of a great salesperson. Prospecting for new business is important to success in selling. Great salespeople know there are several skills involved in prospecting: getting the attention of the prospect, checking the level of interest or need and setting the first meeting.

Great Salespeople are always asking what's next and then prospecting to find it

Prospecting For New Business Answers The Question Of What’s Next
Image From Pixabay

When Are Salespeople Prospecting for New Business?

The short answer is: “all the time.” The best source of new business is by getting referrals from your best customers. A referral can be to a colleague in a different business or within the customer’s own company. Great salespeople keep their antennae up for potential opportunities. When casual conversation at a social event strikes an interest, the great salesperson says something like: “I’m interested in knowing more about this. But now is not the time. Might I call you to schedule a time to meet?” Read something interesting in a trade magazine, on-line, or in the paper? Make the call to see who the best person is to talk with about the opportunity. Great salespeople keep the prospecting pipeline filled….

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Sales Skills In Times of Uncertainty

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We great salespeople in outside sales typically fill workdays meeting with customers and prospects. The Corona virus pandemic has radically changed that. To stop the pandemic we need to eliminate face-to-face contact.

So what’s a great salesperson to do. My father who was a “traveling salesman” always said: “Son if they have a recession you don’t have to participate.” What he meant was that all of the economy wasn’t affected the same. With this pandemic, it might be more complicated but I think the philosophy is still valid. There are opportunities to be had.

Great Salespeople are expert at dealing with disruption in sales

Rise To The Challenge Of Dealing With Disruption In Sales
Image by Vektor Kunst from Pixabay

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