Everybody can sell. It’s really quite simple. You learned the basic skills before you could talk. Just add some insight. You’ll feel comfortable doing it. So what is that insight?
Selling is simply a matter of showing buyers what they’re looking for, and asking them to buy it. When they see what they want, they’ll buy for sure. This isn’t difficult. There are no clever tricks. There are no secrets.
It gets complicated when you try to sell to somebody something they aren’t looking for. That isn’t going to work, so there’s no point in trying. On the other hand, making them want something they hadn’t previously considered is possible, provided there’s a real benefit, honestly presented, with expertise in the the subject, and an within a process of discovery and alignment of interests.
That’s where the insight comes in.
There are three fundamental principles sales professionals understand and abide by – Integrity, Expertise and Process. Anybody with the natural talents of empathy and communication can be successful at selling, provided they add those fundamentals to their tool bag.
Integrity
You can fool some of the people, some of the time, but not fool everybody, all of the time. Sales people who mislead customers soon get found out. Do not do it. Ultimately a sales professionals only asset is integrity. Hell hath no fury like a customer made foolish by a fast talker.
Expertise
Customers expect you to know more about your product, or service, than they do. They expect you to know more about the alternatives. They expect you to know more about what will best suit their needs and how that will be delivered. They need to trust you, before they’ll buy.
Process
You have to have a sales process – a series of actions each of which needs to be completed before you move on to the next. That process must start with understanding what the customer really wants – the aspiration. (The discovery, by both parties, of what the customer really wants is the secret sauce in selling, if there is one). Now showing how your value proposition delivers to that aspiration is critical. Once buyers and sellers agree on the scope of whatever will achieve the goal, and how, the next step follows naturally. The Close. Asking for the order is the step both parties have worked toward. Now it’s simply a matter of negotiating the terms.
You already knew this stuff. You buy things all of the time. You know infinitely more about buying than selling.
All you have to do is sell the way you like to be sold to. Stand in the customer’s shoes and you can’t go wrong.
