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Wayne Smith Scott Sparks Susan Toler Don Hindman Sharon McMinn Brooks McRae Janice Muse Michael Clayton Janie Warner Betty Barnhardt Kelly Osborne Keith Owen Nita Pilkington Larry Roberts Jessica Rodgers Ann Russell Becki Vassar Tom Brooks Steve Cobb Ex-Officio Members: Mayor Virginia Hillman Police Chief Kel Nicholson Fire Chief David Teague Printed by A.B & Son Printing Stasha Brewer Marina Brooks Shelly Laws Calhoun Butch Davis Valerie Davis Joe Dunn Alan Eastep Butch Hale Steve Perry Joey Parker Marcia Cook Sandy Ledbetter Michael Boston Michael Anderson Sheila Sulcer Sam Swayze Board of Directors Officers & President Elect Vice President Treasurer Past President President April 2011 It seems like small business owners often avoid being salespeople. However, they’re usually the ones that know their product or service the best. If they’re not selling, many times the revenue isn’t coming in. Even though we’re not all professional salespersons, we all perform sales functions from time to time - whether we’re helping out our church group or Rotary Club by selling raffle tickets or we’re inviting someone to a trade show, we’re “selling” in a manner of speaking. Of course, each sale doesn’t require such a lengthy process that I’m going to describe, but let’s just pretend that today we’re all in a sales career and that we’ve made an appointment with a potential customer (prospect) to sell our product or service. So, after reading this, you should be able to see how a successful sale is one that focuses on the customer. Few people today want anything to do with the pushy, fast-talking, overbearing, salesper- son. That type of individual tends to convey the message that he’s just trying to make a sale for the money – for himself! In fact, it’s been said that people don’t want to be sold at all, but people do love to buy. So to be successful in sales, one must help his customers buy, by concentrating on their particular wants & needs. There are 6 major steps in this kind of sales process. As I explain them, you’ll notice the focus on the customer continues throughout each step. 1. The Introduction: First impressions count. Review your mental checklist before you arrive at that meeting. Are you properly groomed? People are buying you. Remember that smile, eye contact, firm handshake, confident self-assured posture, and call the prospect by name. Focus on the prospect. Remember the 80/20 rule about listening. “It’s so nice to meet you, Alice.” 2. Gaining Favorable Attention: Show interest by asking questions. Focus on them and observe verbal and nonverbal signs. The goal here is to build credibility. Occasionally do a time check, so as not to take up more of his time than you scheduled. “Jim, I know we scheduled an hour for this meeting. Are we still okay?” 3. Discovering Wants & Needs: Not only do you want to discover these wants and needs, but why they are important to him or her. Ask questions to discover areas of dissatisfaction (What are you trying to accomplish, what sort of challenges are you facing?) Needs can be either active or latent. Prospects are aware of active needs and have a desire to take action. The latent need is not as pressing; it has no sense of urgency. You must turn latent needs into active needs so that the prospect will be ready to take action. Needs are the motivation for people to make decisions to buy. “We must reduce customer complaints” is an active need; whereas, “Our customer complaints have certainly increased since last year” is a latent need. 4. Presenting Benefits & Consequences: Remain customer-focused. Make it easy for them to do business with you by focusing only on those issues, features, and benefits that are important to them. Involve the prospect in a participative process that is specifically tailored to match his or her needs and wants with you, your company, and your products or services. “How much of an increase in revenues will this process help you to realize?” 5. Getting commitment: If you want more clients and if you want a long-term relationship with your customers, it may be more appropriate to think in terms of getting commitment rather than closing. If the prospect believes you are trying to help them make the best decision and they recognize that you are genuinely interested in them, then you have a high probability of getting the business. If you’ve executed all the other steps in the process well, the natural conclusion is that you now ask for the business and get it. “It seems like we have a good fit here. When can we get started?” or “It looks like this will work fine for you. How many would you like to start with.” 6. Follow-Up: Be thorough. Be prompt. Be careful to promise less than you deliver and deliver more than you promise. Develop the habit of exceeding expectations. The objective in this type of buying/selling process is WIN/WIN. This process encourages you to sell your product or service by concentrating on its contribution to the customers. By focusing on the customer and his needs, you’re likely to bring more value to that prospect or customer than his investment in you represents. Helping the Customer Buy By Sherwood Chamber Vice President Marcia Cook
