“Jeffrey, what’s the BEST way to make a sale?”
When I’m asked this question (I’m asked it all the time), what the salesperson’s really asking is, “What’s the EASIEST way to make a sale?”
EASY ANSWER: The easiest way to make a sale is lower your price to a point that you make no profit. Not a good option.
REAL ANSWER: There is no EASIEST way to make a sale.
And, just like there is no easiest way to make a sale, there is no BEST way to make a sale – BUT there are several elements that contain the word BEST that you must self-evaluate in order to discover why the sales takes place, or why not.
KEY POINT OF UNDERSTANDING: Selling is NOT manipulating. Selling is harmonizing.
Oh, you can occasionally make a manipulative sale. But if you’re still in the 1970s trying to “find the pain,” or “sell an up-front contract,” or “make a cold call,” or “close the sale,” you’re toast. Sales toast.
Here are the BEST ways to make a sale:
• The best way to make a sale is to have your reputation precede you by word of mouth from your Google ranking, and from your business social media presence.
• The best way to make a sale is to be known as a valued resource before you start.
• The best way to make a sale is to be friendly before you start.
• The best way to make a sale is to meet with the CEO or actual decision maker.
• The best way to make a sale is not to be salesy, or cocky, or condescending.
• The best way to make a sale is to find some common ground before you start the selling process.
• The best way to make a sale is to ask intelligent, emotionally engaging questions that draw out both needs and buying motives.
• The best way to make a sale is to walk into the meeting with two ideas in favor of the customer.
• The best way to make a sale is to have done pre-call preparation in terms of the customer.
• The best way to make a sale is to convey value rather than features and benefits. I know how it works and what it does. Tell me how I win.
• The best way to make a sale is to focus on how they profit and produce.
• The best way to make a sale is to focus on outcomes and ownership.
• The best way to make a sale is to relax throughout the entire sales conversation.
• The best way to make a sale is to respond in a heartbeat.
• The best way to make a sale is to make yourself available when a customer needs you.
• The best way to make a sale is to support and prove all your claims with video testimonials from existing customers who love you and are loyal to you.
• The best way to make a sale is to ask for a date of beginning, or some type of commitment to move forward, AFTER you are certain you have removed all risks and removed all barriers from your prospect’s buying process.
• The best way to make a sale is to have multiple relationships at different levels and departments within the same company.
• The best way to make a sale is to earn the status of trusted advisor.
• The best way to make a sale is to create the atmosphere where the customer wants to buy.
• The best way to make a sale is to make the passion of your belief transferrable.
And there are questions you must ask yourself that enable the list of the BEST ways to make a sale:
• Am I always achieving my PERSONAL best?
• Am I always PREPARING my best for every sales call?
• Is my ATTITUDE set on positive, and positive outcome?
• Is my BELIEF in product, company, and self always at the highest level?
• Do I believe in my HEART that the customer is better off having purchased from me?
• Am I always doing my BEST for every customer, every time?
REALITY: As a customer, I do NOT need a salesman. I need greater productivity, an idea that helps me grow, improved morale, a profit provider, and a trusted advisor.
Is that you?
Jeffrey Gitomer is the author of 12 bestselling books including The Sales Bible, The Little Red Book of Selling, The Little Gold Book of Yes! Attitude, and 21.5 Unbreakable Laws of Selling. His real-world ideas and content are also available as online courses at www.GitomerVT.com. For information about training and seminars visit www.Gitomer.com or www.GitomerCertifiedAdvisors.com, or email Jeffrey personally at salesman@gitomer.com.
