Selling 101

Basic Sales 101

By  Scott Hammond
“Nothing happens until something is sold.”—Unknown

Sales as the backbone of the free market enterprise system.  It is the core of commerce.
It can be the quintessential win win-win scenario.  Everybody wins; you, your family, the customer, your company, your community, the nation, and the world at large. … If it is done correctly.

What is a sale?  What is it we do?  What is it we sell?  And what is a sales job?
The definition of sales is the transference of a feeling.  Persuasion requires empathy with others and listening to their needs, wants, and desires. Enthusiasm and empathy are key in selling.
Belief in yourself, your product, your customer and the selling process is vital to being a successful salesperson.
The fundamentals of selling include appearance.
First impressions really do count!
1. Clothing is important. You must wear decent/clean clothing.
2. How you look is also important in sales. Your hair, makeup, scent, and cleanliness all make a difference.
3. Your speech is also vital. Is it pleasant, kind, logical, and gracious?
4. Mannerisms and expressions. Demeanor is crucial. Greeting people correctly is vital.
5. Attitude. Your nature: Are you helpful, listening, empathetic, and truly caring?
6. Ask and listen. You must be able to ask great questions.  Then really listen to the answers.

The selling sequence goes something like this:
it is sequential… it has an opening, body, and close.
The opening has to do with asking questions and general conversation.
Ask a good question: probe for dissatisfactions and for problems for you to present solutions to.
Qualifying, a prospect has to do with looking for buying signals, and probing for buying objections.
The next step in the sequence would be solving the objections.
Can you solve an objection with your product features, advantages, and benefits?
The close of the sale is vital. You must always ask for the order and get approval to go forward.

Old vs. New School

The old school method of selling as much to do with being selfish, money based, steered by the salesperson, and isn’t always effective. It is blatantly one-sided and disingenuous.
It is telling versus selling.  It is usually salesperson driven and doesn’t always have the customer’s best interests in mind. The consultant of sales model is new school, and we will talk about that now.

Relationship driven sales has more to do with the customer needs, wants, and motivation.
A sales consultant is able to customize for specific customer needs.
1. It all starts with the customer needs analysis. These are questions designed to really get into the nuts and bolts of a client’s needs and desires.  Done in an informal style, the CNA is discovery based in discerns needs, trends, wants, desires and offers solutions and opportunities to it both customer and sales person.
It helps you create tailored solutions for customer’s needs.

2. Creating solutions from your customer questionnaire. The survey looks for weaknesses and offers strengths.
It can help you highlight your core competencies. You can propose concrete plans, ideas, and solutions.
You can propose out-of-the-box, customized, tailored solutions, ideas, and compelling offers to your client.

3. Compelling offers. Compelling offers are not always dollar-based.
After you gather your data you can now process, and create a customized proposal.
You’re now ready to propose your ideas to your client and ask for their agreement.
Compelling offers are unique, individualized, and tailored to the client. They’re like having a personal shopper at Nordstrom’s.

4. Closing the sale.
If the above is done correctly, closing the sale becomes natural, no pressure exercise.
It’s easy to ask for the sale because of it flows from an assumed culmination of the aforementioned process.
The sale is assumed.  Therefore the closing is low-key, and a natural end to the exercise.

The benefits of the consultant of sales style.
The style offers everyone a partnership approach.
Customer’s tell you their needs, and you present solutions in a relaxed, nonthreatening style that builds relationship quickly. The style focuses energy and resources and carries with it reasonable expectations of success.

In conclusion, the Old versus New schools of sales have fundamental differences and benefits and the new consultant style should certainly be part of one’s sales lexicon. Remember, “Nothing happens till there is a sale.”

We are all in sales in way….Therefore, be the best salesperson you can be.

12 Essential Elements for a Done Business

Master these 12 elements/behaviors, and you will have done business…

1. Mission-Defining purpose and legacy.
2. Vision-Educating, sharing philosophy, pointing in the direction.
3. Marketing-Planning benefits value to emphasize and showcase.
4. Sales-Advertising and taking dynamic action with your marketing plan.
5. Operations-Doing the work, project management and execution.
6. Customer Service-earning trust, respect, and loyalty.
7. Score keeping- Systemization with accountability and measurement.
8. Communication-Expressing ideas and conclusions effectively.
9. Finance-Managing the money, budgeting, allocating resources.
10. Human Resources-Nurturing your primary asset…people.
11. Legal-Complying, staying within the rules and regulations.
12. Future Planning-Forecasting trends, preparing for what might come next.

Courtesy of my friend and Mentor Dr. Richard Borough (Mastermind Alliance)