The Truth Doesn’t Hurt!
Ok, so what do I mean by “The Truth Doesn’t Hurt”?
We’ve all heard the comment “The Truth Hurts”, right. That may be so in certain cases, but not in sales!!
I’m gonna make this post short and sweet. Do yourself a favor. Do your customer(s) a favor. Do the company you represent a favor. Never ever tell a customer or potential customer a lie in order to “get” the sale. It will ALWAYS come back to bite you where the sun doesn’t shine.
Prior to writing a proposal, I always cover everything verbally to see if my customer does indeed agree with my proposal. If they don’t agree, I don’t write a proposal until they do. I cover every aspect of the sale.
When I write out a proposal for a customer, I always turn the paper where the customer can read it, then I read each and every word to them while scanning the written lines with my pen.(It will help you to learn to read upside down too lol). I do this because I don’t want there to be any misunderstanding. If my customer is financing the sale, I always give them the big picture on the loan on the proposal as well. You know, the big number. I write it just like this $83.27/mo X 120 mos = $9,992.20 - $7,500 = $2,492.40 (Interest). Yea, I know they will see it again in the repayment agreement, but again, I want there to be ZERO misunderstanding.
Bottom line….Always be brutally open, up front, and honest with your customer(s). Even if they don’t buy from you, they WILL remember you. I’ve lost sales in the past, only to have those very customers refer people (that did buy) to me. Doesn’t make any sense, but it’s what happens.
Like what you’ve read? Let me know!
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Successfully filling the need..
Selling is about building relationships, however, there must be a need to be filled. Yes, a need! let me ask you something. You are in your local wally word doing some shopping. You know that you need to get some soap because you’re on your last bar, so you make your way to the “soap” section, and you find yourself faced with dozens and dozens of different brands, same brands with different packaging, and almost every color in the rainbow being displayed. Which one do you get? Do you buy the same ole’ brand that you have always used, or do you buy what attracts you? Chances are that you’ll buy the same brand that you’ve always bought, but something happened during your decision making process. You though about making a change in your soap! You may not have realized it, but you did!
You see, wally world and most other major retailers have figured you out. They know that you are going to buy soap, but they hope that you’ll change your mind on the type of soap you buy!! They present you with many different brands including the brand you currently use. What they don’t tell you, and the way they manipulate your buying making decision is brilliant yet so simple. The brand that you bought; was it located on the bottom rows? Ill bet it was! Try to remember where it was located, or next time your in wally world, remember to look.
See, we are in sales. And sales people think alike for the most part. When we find something that works, we stick with it. We look at the different packaging and the creative color schemes used to try to change our buying habits, but we usually buy the same ole’ thing. However, the rest of the buying world thinks differently. They will buy the products with the bright stickers that have a higher profit margin because they were given the option to. Not every person will buy the same soap, but most will in fact, purchase the products that are most convenient (ie: right in front of them so they don’t have to stoop down or reach up) and catch their eye.
When you bought your soap, did you buy it, or were you sold on it? You and I (because we are sales people) probably just bought it, but most people were sold the brand they bought, and wally world made an increased profit because of it.
Lesson: For the most part, people will gladly spend more money in order to fulfill a need. It’s up to us to find out what that need is. Is it a simple bar of soap, or one with the latest fragrence and color? Ask questions! Find out what your customer wants to buy. Chances are they WILL buy. Will they buy from you? They will if their need is filled.
Example: I am a dealer for the Trane and Carrier brands. I also sell a less common known brand; Frigidaire. Although Trane and Carrier have a higher level of name recognition, 98% of my sales are Frigidaire. My closing ratio varies from 50-90%. My “competition” also offer the brands with a higher level of name recognition. I sell more than my competition at a higher level of profit because I SELL. I find out what my customers needs are, and fulfill those needs vs. the competition offering what they think the customer needs.
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The economy is down. We are in a depression. Times are rough. All true statements, but if you are using these as excuses as to why YOUR sales are down, why YOUR income has dropped, why YOUR wallet is more thin today that it was this time last year, you need to do one of two things. You need to quit your “sales” job and find an hourly position where you will know what your income will be every single month, or you need to change your mindset and learn how to sell.
You see, we (Salespeople) have been taught that selling is a process. You fill in one blank then move to the next line on the agenda. I beg to differ! Now before you click the little red “X” on the top right corner of the browser, hear me out. Sales is about one thing. Yes ONE simple thing! It matters not what you are selling. From peanuts to Porsche’s, there is one common component. Take a moment and think. Change your mindset for just a moment. When you “sell” something to someone, what are you really doing? You are filling a need!
I have been in sales for over 10 years in the residential and commercial heating and cooling industry. My price is higher than anyone else in my area, yet people still continue to buy AND refer their friends, family members, and co-workers! How am I doing it? Well, the answer to that question is not one that can be answered with a single response, but with my coaching (if you are coach-able), you will find out what I am doing. You’ll find out how I fill the needs of my customers differently than “the other guys”.
Let’s face it. If you keep doing the same thing, do you really expect different results?
Yes, you can make more money! Yes, you can dramatically change your income! Yes, you can be a successful sales person! Yes, you can change your life! But in order for this to happen, you HAVE to change your mindset. You HAVE to change your “process”! You HAVE to do things totally different!