Sales Strategies for Success
Strategy #31
Have you ever tried to talk with a potential customer and you couldn’t get them to “warm up” to you? It’s frustrating and can lengthen your sales process exponentially, or even result in no sale and no follow up opportunity. Sometimes it seems as if you are each speaking a different language!
If you have not found some common ground on which to relate to your prospect, you ARE speaking a different language. Until you can find something to which your lead can relate, you have no common language. If your prospect isn’t immediately interested in your product or service, or you are meeting them at a networking event and not within a sales call setting, it can be particularly difficult to find that common ground.
You need to be observant to the clues you are being given. Who did the person come in with? What do you have in common with that person? Do they have an accent you recognize? Clues may be subtle, but they are always there. Train yourself to recognize and react to them.
Of course you need to practice your skills in asking leading questions. The kind of questions that draw out the information you seek. “Chatting” is not the same thing. You may appear to be only chatting, but in fact, you are leading the conversation in the direction you desire.
There is always one sure-fire way to relate to any prospect. It’s powerful and it works. I’ll tell you what it is, but you MUST be sure that it is always a true statement and that you are sincere when you offer it. Ready?
Find something about the person that you can compliment – and then do so. Everyone has something about themselves that you can admire or appreciate. This sometimes requires being extra observant, but if you practice this skill, you can always find something.
Why is this so powerful? When you compliment someone on their appearance, style, accessories, manners, etc. you are demonstrating to them how smart you are. Think about it from their point of view. If you compliment me, you are observing something about me that I have purchased, worn or in some way created about myself. If you notice and appreciate it, I’ll agree with you (of course!) and think you’re brilliant for noticing. And now we have common ground.
Sometimes the best business building skills are subtle. But subtle is no less powerful. If you don’t make the connection, you never get the opportunity to get the business.
Call me today at 831-241-1545, or visit my website at www.SecureYourSuccessInc.com for help in fine-tuning your business building skills.
Tags: business building, sales coaching, sales skills, sales training
