Sales & Service Tip Of The Week

So far so good!  You are “paying the price” to become a sales and service professional by following the 6 A’s – your guide or road map to sales success.  You have properly greeted or Approached the customer and asked the right questions to qualify in the Analysis step.  Now, you are ready to proceed to the next “A”, step 3 – Active Presentation.  The Active Presentation is the very heart of the sale where you showcase your knowledge and professionalism.  Finally, you get to talk!  If you have discovered the customer’s needs and wants in the Analysis step your job becomes much easier.  Match your products and services to the customer’s needs and wants and create the desire to buy.  Appeal to the customer’s emotions and feelings during the interaction and sell perceived value – sell benefits.  Benefits explain how the customer gains, which is the end result that creates a want or satisfies a need as perceived by the customer.  Without a gain the customer doesn’t perceive value and won’t buy.  The key is PERCEPTION!  Perception is “real” to me, how about you?  How good are you at communicating this “perception” to your customers?  Benefit selling is another sales fundamental that must be mastered and is a critical part of the Active Presentation.  Get in the habit of selling benefits and you will close more sales!

Sales & Service Tip Of The Week

Your sales success in questioning customers is based on how well you can qualify.  Qualifying demands evaluation of your information.  Is there a need, desire or want?  Or, does the customer trust and respect you?  In order to truly master the art of questioning, close-ended questions must be “layered” in between open-ended questions, that we talked about last week.  Close-ended questions typically begin with “is, do, will, how many, how much, how often and should.”  These questions elicit “yes” or  “no” answers, help obtain specific information and allow you to stay in control.  “Is that enough to cover all of your units?” or “Do you prefer pickup or delivery service?” or “Will Wednesday delivery be soon enough?” or “How many do you want?” or “How much do you want to spend?” or, “How often do you use this?” or “Should we go ahead and write up the order?”  Close-ended questions typically ask for an action and/or commitment and “surface” where the customers are in their thought process.  The answers signal the customer’s acceptance so you can complete your transaction swiftly and move on to the next customer.  Remember, the Analysis step is most important as a sales and service professional, so always be prepared to ask the “right” questions.

Sales & Service Tip Of The Week

The art of questioning is a sales fundamental that is often lacking in sales and service professionals, as we discussed last week.  The “art” or “science” of questioning relates to how well you can create customer interaction without being too pushy or forward with the customer.  Do you ask questions like a servant or like an attorney?  Some people have the ability and tact to question in a normal conversation that’s non-threatening, while others “cross-examine” and put the customer on the defensive immediately.

Probing is like a funnel where you start out “wide” and “funnel” or narrow down.  Start out wide by using open-ended questions which begin with “who, what, when, where, how and why”.  These questions are not easily answered yes or no and surface opinions, needs, feelings and emotions.  “Who are your customer issues for today?” or “What purchases are you considering this year?” or “When will you be ready to buy?” or “Where will your sales come from?” or “How does your business look this year?” or “Why are you having problems?”  These types of questions get the customer talking which help you to understand their needs, wants and desires.  Only then can you formulate your suggestions, ideas and recommendations in the best interests of your customers.

Sales & Service Tip Of The Week

Successful interaction is based on your ability to question the customer, which leads us to the next “A” – Analysis.  The ability to ask questions is one of the finest sales fundamentals available, but often lacking in sales associates.  Are we too quick to recommend our products and services without finding out what the customer really wants?  This is the step that separates the few from the many and is where we “pay the price” as a service and sales professional.  Taking the time to uncover needs may take longer initially, but pays big dividends later by increasing the sales opportunity with each customer.  As “doctors of selling” how can we suggest or “prescribe” without doing a diagnosis?  We can’t!  So, take the needed time to help your customers, as they want to buy from you.  By creating a “want” first and then matching your products and services to that want, will provide greater customer satisfaction.  And, that’s what keeps them coming back.  Now, learn and master the art of questioning!