Regardless of the company or industry, every salesperson has competitors. It’s up to you to leverage your knowledge and sales expertise in order to set yourself apart in the eyes of prospective customers. Here are five sales techniques to help achieve this goal and provide excellent customer service.
1. Know your prospect inside and out.
Every sales professional knows not to embark on a presentation without some advance knowledge of the prospect’s business. The best salespeople take this a step further; they work to know their ideal customers inside out and—their goals and objectives, challenges and pain points, everything that’s important to them. Then, they refine their presentation to address the specific requirements of their prospective client.
2. Focus on benefits, not features.
All too often, sales reps emphasize their product’s many bells and whistles, only to walk away dumbfounded that they didn’t close the sale on the spot. That’s because clients are far more interested in the benefits a product offers and how that product will solve their unique challenges. Whether the benefits are an unsurpassed level of reliability or include a low-cost alternative to similar products on the market, the presentation should be tailored to answer every client’s unspoken question, “What’s in it for me?”
3. Demonstrate passion for your offering.
How can you expect a prospect to get excited about your product or service if you’re not passionate about it yourself? The best sales reps care deeply about what they’re selling, and this comes across in the way they speak, the gestures made during a presentation, the eye-contact they make, all of the elements of positive body language that make the nonverbal point: I’m very excited about how my product or service can help you meet your needs.
4. Connect with prospects during your presentation.
Following up on tip number three, look for ways to involve your prospects in your sales pitch. A conversation is always better than a monologue. Ask questions and listen to the answers. If you’re thoroughly prepared, you should be able to successfully field such questions. Healthy interaction demonstrates to the prospect that you’re not bombarding them with a generic, one-size-fits-all sales presentation.
5. Keep your presentation succinct.
Nothing will discourage prospects more than sitting through a long, drawn-out sales presentation. Your presentation must be focused and short (no more than 15-20 minutes), and factual yet liberally sprinkled with visual elements that keep them interested (images, video testimonials, easy-to-grasp charts, etc.). Hone your presentation down to the bare essentials with a focus on how your product or service benefits the prospect—a sign that you respect the potential client’s valuable time. Invariably, prospects will appreciate a concise, well-crafted presentation.
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