One of the biggest errors salespeople and entrepreneurs tend to make is to believe spending time defining a troubling detail for prospective clients is a time waster. The lack of explanation will greatly diminish credibility, lessening your likeability factor, and decrease a person’s desire to work with you. Ultimately the trust will vanish. Sales are based upon being liked, competent, and trusted. To make that special sale, it is time to embrace the fact the sale is in the detail.
Why detail is key
Below are a few tips to help you through the process from both perspectives, yours and that of the client:
1. If something does not sound right or associated with the conversation, ask for further explanation. Their details may resolve all uncertainty on your end. But if it doesn’t, keep asking questions until you fully understand the entire picture. Strive to understand how all of the pieces interact for the congruent end result. This goes to the expression, “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts”.
2. When you are told flat out, “No, I’m not interested”, without having heard all of your reasoning, ask for their history. Questions to ask might include, “What has been your experience?” or “Why do you believe that?” This is where playing detective comes in very handy. Uncovering the facts behind the unexpected will reveal much and very possibly save that portion of the sale.
3. Take careful notes in your Prospect’s own words. This is a sales technique that works extraordinarily well. Everyone recognizes their own vocabulary, and no one will argue when they hear their own words repeated back. When some of their vocabulary is captured and included on the proposal, you will substantially increase the possibility of getting the sale.
Fine-tuning
Prior to presenting your proposal, treat it as an upcoming performance. Review what you are going to say, and read the proposal out loud to check for possible grammatical errors. Ask another to also read the proposal for possible additions or corrections. Use dress rehearsals for fine-tuning your delivery.
Speak in front of a mirror for practice. See for yourself how you will come across to other people. Do you smile, appear poised and speak with confidence? While you do not want to memorize a proposal as the reading needs to demonstrate concern and sincerity, how you express the words will leave a definitive mark. How you look will have significant impact.
Upon recognizing multiple people will be involved in the decision making process, do your best to coordinate everyone attending the meetings. The ultimate goal is to have everyone associated in attendance for the delivery of your proposal. For example, should there be team members, associates, or counterparts elsewhere, ask they be included in the meeting too. While moving through your set agenda, be certain to include input of everyone in the room. By hearing everyone’s voice and gaining agreement from all those involved, you will be more certain to hear a “Yes!” to your proposal.
Upon personally delivering and reading your proposal, suggest those in attendance consider it a working document. After you read each section, you are able to ask for questions, comments and/or additions or deletions. This demonstrates your willingness to find perfection for everyone.
Using these techniques, you build a great case for moving forward with the sale. Your prospects will be grateful and deem your personal brand to be one who rises beyond expectations to deliver their best.
You will be well on your way to securing more sales, larger sales, and enjoying the Smooth Sale!
Author:
Elinor Stutz, CEO of Smooth Sale, LLC, was included in the international list of “Top 25 Sales Influencers for 2012” by Open View Labs and is the author of the International Best-Selling book, “Nice Girls DO Get the Sale: Relationship Building That Gets Results”, Sourcebooks.
