Communication and sales go hand in hand. Selling a product or service requires a proper plan to specifically communicate the reasons that the product meets the needs of the consumer. If you can effectively illustrate the need for your product or service – more times than not, your communication (or sales pitch) will lead a customer to buy what you are selling.
Here are a few tips to help communicate to obtain the sale:
- It is not about your product, but listening to the customer’s needs: Listen to what the customer is saying and also what they are not saying. Reflect on what they say to show that you were truly listening to their needs and desires. Don’t sell just to sell – but to provide an answer for the consumer. A potential customer may not always need to buy what you are selling. In these instances, don’t force it. Listen to them to decipher if your product or service can assist them in finding a solution for their need.
- It is not about eye contact, but personal space: Although eye contact is important, body movement and space is often overlooked. By using gestures and movement, you keep the attention of the customer without having a stare-down. Be aware of your surroundings and the distance between you and the customer. With distance make sure you are in a personable distance without popping anyone’s bubble. (For all of you Seinfeld fans – keep the “buffer zone” in mind.)
- Establish two things with your customer – credibility and trust: Credibility should be the first attribute you strive for in your product or service. By demonstrating that the customer’s problem or need can be solved by your product you are showcasing credibility. This, in turn, leads to the customer trusting you because of your product or service.
- Understand how the customer makes decisions: By listening to your customer, you can better understand their decision-making process. This allows you to understand whether they want the facts and statistics, purchase comparisons or visual representations of the product or service. Each customer or client has unique desires.
