How attentive are others to what you have to say?
As I observed the speaker deliver his message, it appeared he had taken lessons. Compared to previous talks, the latest delivery flowed better and included specific points for the audience to remember. However, the entire speech was over-acted; the arm motions appeared exaggerated, and the choice of words were too strong for the message he was attempting to make. In short, I couldn’t “buy-in” to what was being said.
The simple truth is when you do not excel or are a newbie in a particular area, just be yourself. People buy you before they buy what you have to offer. By coming across as genuine and not play-acting, you stand with integrity. This is the essence of building your personal brand.
Should you be fairly new at business and aren’t quite certain how to begin a conversation, the best place to start is to ask others how they got started. When on your initial appointments, ask the people with whom you are meeting how they too got started. Ask what they did prior to their business and what motivated them to take the plunge.
This line of questioning is more heartfelt allowing for a more in-depth dialogue between two humans versus a salesperson trying to get money from someone. In the process you will make a friend as well as a client. And as you uncover the answers to even more detailed questions, you will find the secretive wants and desires revealed. This is an area that most are unable to reach and will distinguish you from the pack.
When you approach business in this manner, others take note that you are quite different from everyone else. Your genuine interest and caring become abundantly clear moving your likeability meter up several notches. As your meter reading increases so does the trust factor. And when your trust factor advances and holds steady, as a newer businessperson, you do not need to know a thing about sales but people will ask permission to buy from you.
And you be more advanced in your field, you should easily be able to help new potential clients immediately feel comfortable with you. Approaching appointments as if you are about to make a new friend is what makes a small percentage of salespeople successful. On the first appointment, rather than concentrating on everything you have to offer, focus instead on everything that concerns your client-to-be. In this way you will be able to provide more options when it comes time for presenting a proposal, and your odds for making the sale will substantially increase.
By the time you get to know one another fairly well and believe you have answered all questions to your prospective client’s satisfaction, you will see a steady increase in the percentage of sales made.
Following this unique approach, you will be building momentum for repeat business, good word of mouth buzz in the marketplace, referrals and testimonials – the definition of the Smooth Sale!
Author:
Elinor Stutz, CEO of Smooth Sale, (800) 704-1499; was designated as a “Top 25 Sales Influencer for 2012.” Elinor authored the International Best-Selling book, “Nice Girls DO Get the Sale: Relationship Building That Gets Results”, Sourcebooks and best selling, “HIRED! How to Use Sales Techniques to Sell Yourself On Interviews”, Career Press.
