In a technologically advanced world where information, reviews, and products are received instantly, it’s hard to imagine that “selling” even exists anymore. But strong sales people are still a vital part of our teams and business strategies, and sales techniques have had to grow and change as our markets have grown and changed. The greatest thing about sales techniques is that they are generally universal across any industry, big or small, new or old. If you’re looking to get ahead of the competition and strike a deal with a strong sales pitch, you’ll want to follow these 5 tips before someone else closes in on your profits.
Research
It is absolutely essential that research is done before any sales pitch takes place. Research might sound general, but there are truly no limits on what you should be researching before you head in to sell a product or service. You must be able to connect with the client in any way that you can. You won’t want to sound like this is the tenth time you’ve run this pitch, so try focusing on researching each client’s history of work within their current company, what their company has accomplished in the last 20 years, and try to uncover any vulnerabilities where you may be able to present a solution with your product. Once you’re able to make your sales techniques unique for each pitch while maintaining the overall agenda, you’ll start being known as an essential closer on your team.
Pressure
While intimidation tactics are unnecessary and often in poor taste, there is sometimes a need to add some artful pressure into your pitch. This is a technique that has been around for decades and certainly won’t be going away anytime soon, no matter how educated the public is. According to a recent collection of the top 50 sales strategies from professionals and executives, creating “FUD,” otherwise known as fear, uncertainty, and doubt, is one of most important tactics that a seller can have in their arsenal. You want to be sensitive to the client’s newfound doubt and keep them confident that your service or product will be able to fill the void they’ve been missing.
Referrals
Forbes, one of the biggest business moguls out there, gives a unique tip when it comes to sales that will prove useful when trying to build a ton of potential sales- look for the power of referrals. This will require a lot of research and planning to ensure that you’re making the most out of your sales wins. Pick your top 10 or so potential closes and create a map of who their connections are. By mapping out these different relationships, you’ll be making a plan that reaches far beyond just the closing of your pitch, giving you a bigger profit.
Don’t Talk Too Much
This piece of advice is pretty simple- just don’t do it. You don’t want to over-educate, you don’t want to drown out their opinion, and you don’t want anyone to get bored. If your client is doing most of the talking, they won’t feel like you’re selling them anything at all, simply listening to their needs and offering a solution.
Closing with Questions
One of the most popular modern sales techniques, according to Hubspot, is closing with a question. This isn’t a simple yes or no question, but something that gets the client to reveal information allowing you to pivot your sales techniques as needed. For example, Hubspot suggests asking questions such as, “In Your opinion, does what I am offering solve your problem?” or, “Is there any reason why we can’t proceed with the shipment?” This will deter your client from giving a hard no and will allow you to draw selling inspiration on the information given to you.
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