Significantly increasing your sales does not have to be painful. You don’t have to work harder. In fact, if you would just relax more and go with the flow, you’d probably close more sales!
Let me give you an example. I was recently referred to meet with someone new by a strategic partner who thought we might be able to support each other in business. So I went into the conversation thinking that was the purpose.
The second I sat down, however, I knew I was in trouble. Within two minutes flat, they were doing a “hard sell” on me. Yes, a hard sell! He hadn’t asked me any questions about my business to even know if I had a reason to care about what he was pitching. It goes against everything that I teach, so I was in complete shock as I sat there for 30 minutes and let him speak. I hadn’t been sold to like that in years!
If he hadn’t been a referral, I probably would have stopped him. But all I kept thinking was how great of an example it was of what not to do that I let him keep going! And my next thought was, “I will have to write about this in my next ezine”! (By the way, I have changed many of the details to protect the innocent!)
Eventually, he stopped talking. I sat there for a second to make sure he was done. He was. He took a deep breath, looked at me and said, “So, what do you think?”
Really?
I think he talked too much. He didn’t ask me any questions. He didn’t appear to want to get to know me or even understand if I was a fit for his services or products. I don’t think his ears work. And, long term, I don’t think he’s going to make it in his business unless he changes some things. I wasn’t able to share all of those things with him, though, because it
wasn’t my place and he wasn’t paying me for coaching (and I don’t think he would have listened, anyway). So instead, I’d love to share with you what I wanted to share with him. I hope it helps!
7 Ways to Significantly Increase Your Sales by Being in Service and On Purpose:
- Remember, it’s not about you: First and foremost, focus on the other person and whether or not you can help them.
Ask great questions to see if there is a match-if not, let them know that you can refer them to someone else if you can’t help. You can even start the conversation by saying, “My goal is to get to know more about you today. I’m not sure if I can help you, but if I can great, and if not, I will be happy to refer you to someone else.” That question is disarming and will allow the other person to be fully present because they aren’t worried that you are going to try to “sell them something.”!
- Connect with Intention: Connecting with Intention is all about getting to know someone. After all, you cannot offer
someone a product or service if you don’t know anything about them or their business. Be present and don’t let your mind wander. - Practice active listening: Not letting your mind wander is key in making the connection. By being fully present
and in the “now”, you will not miss the important things that this person is trying to convey to you. The best way to practice active listening is to repeat back to the person what they just said to you. That way they will know that you are listening. Nodding at them and keeping full eye contact also indicates that you are actively listening to what they are saying. - Be the Problem Solver: Your product or service solves an important problem for your prospects and clients. Your job
is to solve as many problems as you can because the more you solve, the more people you will help and the more your sales will grow. Your prospects will be grateful that you showed up to solve their problem. Remember, selling is not telling. Selling is solving problems!
- Offer to help first: Show up in the spirit of giving and you will have people buying your products and services
simply because they like you! Have you ever had the experience of buying something and not even knowing why? That’s what I am talking about! New York Times Bestselling author,Dr. Ivan Misner, teaches us through BNI that “Givers gain”. Begin with a spirit of giving. - Be empathetic: Sympathy means that you feel pity for someone. Being empathetic means that you can stand in another person’s shoes and imagine what it might be like to be them. Others will appreciate your empathetic and caring ways (it must be genuine) and want to connect with you even more!
- Set another time to meet: Finally, after you connected with intention, offer to schedule a meeting with them to see
if there are additional ways that you can help. This allows you to have more time to explore whether or not you can serve
them.
As you can see, by Connecting with Intention and taking someone through this process, you can ease them through the sales process. Plus, you are coming from a place of integrity and by asking meaningful questions and being empathetic, you can truly
determine whether or not you can help serve.
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE? You can use this article in your e-zine or web-site as long as you include the following complete statement: Ursula Mentjes, M.S., ACC is the founder of Sales Coach Now, and the author of Selling with Intention and One
Great Goal. Ms. Mentjes has helped clients double and triple their sales revenue in as short as two months! If you want to do the same, then visit her web-site at www.salescoachnow.com and subscribe to her e-zine by clicking on the sign up box and typing in your email address. You will receive a FREE downloadable MP3 recording, “7 Ways to Sell More in a Doom and Gloom Economy”.
