If You Want to Sell Start to Listen

People have been selling everything from food to services and jewelry for a millennia, but most sellers end up with less success than they want. A main issue is unwise sales techniques or a lack of sales training altogether.

One of the most common and most overlooked problems is poor listening skills and the belief that your sales pitch will work. This is true even though the best sales coaches have preached reflective listening as the best way to make sales for decades. The reality is that most people like to talk, including salespeople. But the best advice we can give at sales closing techniques utah is to simply shut up and listen to your prospects' feelings and motivators.

You are the most important thing you ever talk about, and its true for others also: your prospects like to talk about their own businesses or lives. Consider the ideas below to improve your own sales or to pass on to with your coworkers and the salespeople you oversee.

The first step in any winning sale, though, is to think about your prospects. Do they know they could use your product or service or are they experiencing a problem you can solve? Are any other options available and are they good?

Now it's time to begin hearing your customers. Keep these expert sales tips in mind:

  • Learn what your customers want. If they are pleased with their own solutions to the problem you think you can solve, find out why. If they aren't, find out what's missing. If they want parts of your products, understand that as well. At the end of the day, closing the deal is a one-on-one transaction. People who don't feel understood, will probably not continue a business relationship with you.
  • Seriously consider what the customer is saying and rephrase it. Known as reflective listening, this habit lets the client know that you are hearing what they say, that you are concerned about it and are considering it, and that you are clear on the facts. Furthermore, this method clarifies their expectations.
  • Emotions close sales.Facts and figures have their purpose, but selling is ultimately about whether your client likes you and trusts you. This is the reality whether they know it or not. Try to ferret out signs of stress, worry and fatigue, as these are issues you could help solve. It's also smart to listen for positive emotions such as happiness, because this can get you closer to realizing your prospect's true needs.
  • Know their motivations. In addition to hearing what the prospect says he or she needs, find out what the actual motivations are. Often, this means saving money but it can also be something like improving speed, reducing work for them and more.
  • Don't be demanding. No one likes to be ordered around, but a lot of would-be sellers essentially do this when they just go over their presentations without listening properly. Instead, talk about the benefits of your solution and listen while the client speaks aloud, coming to understand why, in the process, your solution is the best one. You can guide the prospect along, but don't go further or you could lose it all.
  • Close your mouth!! Most would-be sellers go on forever, not considering that they have already lost the sale, who is now just trying to get off the phone as soon as they can. You can discuss the benefits of your service or solution and briefly go over how you can offer solutions, but only if you know what they are looking for.
  • You and your product are not as great as you probably think, at least not to people who don't know you. Give your ego a break and remember that you can rarely know how anyone else is feeling and what they want without listening to them. Ask clarifying questions often, and don't forget that selling isn't about anything more than building relationships. If you really want to sell, you should probably get out of the way more often.

These sales skills might not be intuitive at first, but if you just give them a chance you will see that they are very effective. Remember that most would-be sellers just rush through with their pre-written speeches, not considering these aspects. These salespeople are never successful. Realize sales victory by closing your mouth and showing that you care.