Strategic Planning Information

Push Through; Make the Sale

Sometimes salespeople drive us out of our minds. Have you ever had a bad experience with a salesperson? One who just wouldn't leave you alone, and desperately kept trying to sell you something you never had any interest in to begin with? If it hasn't happened to you, you've heard about it happening to someone else. And no one is ever happy about these experiences.

Hearing how everybody feels about these experiences with salespeople makes a lot of people nervous about trying to make sales. You hear the horror stories and start to think no one ever wants you to try to sell them anything. You're afraid that if you try, you'll just get on their nerves and then they'll end up refusing to buy, and you might get some bad publicity.

So now you're terrified to ever try out a sales pitch, because you don't want to be one of "those" salespeople. A good solution? Not at all.

Sometimes people are interested

It's true that we all hate it when people offer us something we never wanted and won't take no for an answer. But is that what you're doing? If it is, maybe you're right to be nervous. But maybe that's not how you operate. Maybe you are genuinely trying to solve a problem that you know people have. And you happen to be speaking to a person or a group of people who very well may have that exact problem. You're not talking to people who are trying to have their dinner and just want you to leave them alone. You're talking to people who probably have a reason to buy your product. In fact, they might even be halfway towards a decision to make the purchase.

If this is your audience, you don't want to avoid being a salesperson. Because a salesperson is exactly what they need. They want to know what you have, what it can do for them, and why they should have it. It's your job to answer those questions. If you avoid making the sales pitch now, you'll be avoiding lots of potential sales.

Why not give it a try?

Ok, maybe your audience isn't already halfway decided. It's just someone whose attention you happen to have, who's not sitting there waiting for you to sell to them. Does that mean you shouldn't? Not necessarily. You don't have to wait until people are about to make a final decision before you dare to make a sales pitch. What's stopping you? Is it fear? What is it you're afraid of?

Be genuine

If you're just afraid the customer will consider you an annoying pest, then the solution is to not act like a pest. Be genuine and considerate, and do your best to really figure out what the person wants and if there's a real chance you can help. Have a real human conversation; listen to their needs or concerns. If you're doing that, there's nothing wrong with mentioning what you happen to be selling that can be of assistance.

Gain people's confidence by being likeable. Show them that you are a friend who really wants to help. If people like you, they're more likely to buy from you. So don't be an annoying salesperson. Be a friend.

Make sure your offer is a good one

Afraid your product won't actually help the customer as advertised? Get feedback from your customers to see if they're happy with what you gave them. If they are, you can start to feel a little more confident in your offer. If they're not, listen sincerely to the complaints and do your best to fix them. Your product can evolve based on feedback until it truly is the best.

Face your fears

Still afraid your sales pitch won't be successful? That ok. You won't always be successful. But that shouldn't stop you from trying. In fact, you should look at a failed pitch as an opportunity to learn and improve. Why didn't they buy? Did you do something wrong? Was your offer not good enough? Does your product need improvement? Learn from each failed sale, and improve your chances of success on the next one.

Don't let your fears stop you from being a successful salesperson. Learn how to make a pitch the right way, and make sure what you're offering is worth it to the customer. You'll gain confidence with every successful sale. For more details visit http://www.manonymous.com/

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For more details visit http://www.manonymous.com/

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