Gone are the days when outdated selling methods and traditional marketing were popular. Now, new tools are generated to do niche-based advertising and building strong PR.
But, sales is something I see a debated everywhere. Something is working for someone, and everyone just follows suit. Nobody stops to think about the technique or method. And, as a result, the deal either collapses, or you lose a potential client.
Sales is demanding.
So, what can you do to make the process even? The sale itself is a very demanding job, and building relationship is even harder.
I’ve been able to draft some useful tips after going through some serious negotiations with my PR agency. And, here are some insights to balance both: your sales process and a relationship with your customer.
Once Upon A Time: The Story Of A Seller
Every big brand, company or small-medium business face drop-down in sales once or twice in their long-running. But, what they all do to get back on track is quite different than your understanding.
They stop selling and start talking with their customers. This in return, gets them a lifelong loyal customer.
Ronnie Teja, CEO of www.softwarekeep.com Softwarekeep is one of my most trusted computer software gurus, and he was able to share his insights on building a relationship while making a seemingly impossible sale.
It’s not how you sell, but what you talk about that makes the closing easy.
“Dealing with thousands of customers daily has taught me something. It’s not how you sell, but what you talk about that makes the closing easy. Nowadays, customers want you to talk with them. Discuss their concerns, and then sell them something they really need,” says Teja.
This insight from a CEO is something all sellers need to jump on. Always sell something that your customers need, not want.
I’ll come to need-based buying to want-based buying later in this article.
Your Chit-Chat Will Save Your Deal.
We all face those times in sales when even after being assertive we fail to save the deal. Things turn out ugly within just minutes of making the wrong move at the right time.
And, at the end of the day, closing also bounces back. So, my next tip is based on being personalized in sales, instead of just selling.
Effective selling will only give you one or two clients, but the 98-percent will be lost because of the assertive pitch you’re head-over-heels about.
So, go slow and steady. Stop your sales pitch in order to build a relationship. That doesn’t mean that you’ve to be slow in closing the deal. I’m just suggesting to hear out your customers first, and then sell. You’ll make a deal that is a ten-time better with this attitude.
Try this technique and see how word of mouth spreads out.
Make Them Feel Special.
Undeniably, your attitude towards your customers defines it all. You can influence your personal relationships and human touch to make your customers feel special.
If you succeed to put customer services at the core of your approach and show that your company actually cares, you will build a genuine and a long-lasting relationship with your customers.
It is only the positive customer experience that sets you apart from the virtually identical outlets down the road, and it’s vital for small businesses.
If you do it right, it can provide your business with a competitive superiority and benefit you to survive in the strong economic competition that we all live in.
Customer Services Is For Sales.
In order to keep millennial customers content and loyal, your business needs to cross the generational division and focus on providing customer services that meet their requirements.
Your product and marketing approach should fulfill the needs of today’s clients while maintaining your old customers on the go. I assemble my business around my customers. And, this allows me to turn every product into an opportunity. This suggestion is something that you and your marketing team need to study, build and bring into action as well.
Here, I’m also talking about small businesses that don’t have the huge marketing analysis department. They too need to keep a tab on their performances. To improve your customer services it’s not mandatory to have a team within small businesses.
Approaching and understanding your customers directly will maintain the key towards success. You have to know your customers’ needs in order to furnish them with their requirements.
Determine If Your Client Is The Right Fit
You need to understand the global mindset of marketing towards closing deals with your customers. I always draw a shape and recognize their approach towards staying fixated on my brand.
Customers are more likely going to stay with the brands they trust, hence I press on Building Trust with your customers to keep them engaged.
Sound customer services are exceptionally important for growing a sustainable business, but before we look at some strategies to use it, let's put an effort to understand the fundamental concept of what a customer is in terms of sales.
For Loyalty defined customer activity, your company is obliged to prevent customers from deflecting alternative transactions.
Your competitors are all over, no matter how big or how small. Customer loyalty begins with the first interaction and continues throughout the duration of the association.
Research Is Here To Support My Quote.
As per current researchers on business bulletins, retaining loyal customers can increase profits by up to 95 percent. Focusing on customer retention pays off in every phase of a business. Let it be a new sale, after-sale, or a brand new deal.
Some of these may even surprise us.
Having a customer services strategy in place is very important, but there may be more benefits to employing these strategies than many business owners know.
Thus, customer retention should become a part of the strategic marketing and sales planning process.
Harvard Business School.
According to a report from Harvard Business School, on average, 25% to 95% of profit increases, even if you just add 5% effort in customer retention. This demonstrates the standing of finding new consumers but keeping the old ones too.
And, turning those new customers into loyal buyers is even more important from a sales perspective.
Remember, your satisfied customers become your loyal customers. This builds the sale opportunity for almost every client. I’ve personally tried and tested this research. And, my results were great.
Don’t Deliver The Negative Sales Stereotype Pitch.
We all face the pressure of sales. Sometimes, it’s a huge deal success and sometimes it’s plain-flat rejection. But, have you ever traced your communication with the clients that rejected you?
I did.
And, what I found was even more troubling than the sales pressure itself. The usual cat-and-mouse chasing line is the cause of rejection. Trust is something that lets your client believe in your product, service, and brand.
Once I moved away from that pitching style, I saw an increase in sales and potentially happy clients. Moving your mindset away from “want to buy something that your competitors seek?” to “Tell me more about the issue that your business is facing and let us together see what we can do to stop it.”
Do you see the difference in both of these selling pitches?
The first one is only building rejection as you were so clear in making a deal. Whereas, the second one is showing that you “care”. Simply making grand sales or above millions in monthly revenue is not based on awesome sales tactics. It is solely based on how you interact with your customer.
Pitch your brand in a way that your client feels the need to trust your company or expertise. Let them see that you’re here to help not sell. This will ultimately lead to a successful deal closing package.
Let Your Client Choose You.
This is the bottom line of my article. The obvious response to the question, “Why should we choose you?” is what kills the deal. Because, all of us start to defend what we and our brand, product or service can do.
This is a big NO-NO for making a positive sale. My research and client rejections have taught me to do the opposite instead. I start exploring their issues with what I can do to improve the situation. I don’t stress on “hire me”, instead I show them “what my expertise can do for their concern.”
This, allows my clients to choose me and my brand and explore possibilities. The trust lets them have the freedom of not being “sold.”
Thus, if you divert away from the traditional selling approach and build more around closing the deal with trust – you’ll see an increase in your sales. Being an entrepreneur has taught me to value my time and efforts. This is what I show to my clients too.
Do try my suggestion in your sales lineup, and tell me more about your experience with it. If something is not working, we’ll sit together to determine the cause.