Sales secrets you can use

Sales secrets you can use

You don’t have to be a salesperson to use techniques of
persuasion that work. After all, most of us have to present
ideas to committees or Boards of Directors, lobby for a
promotion, or even talk someone into trying a new restaurant.

Selling is a science, and you can benefit from its proven
methods. You may even be selling without realizing it.
Here are some tips to help you deliver the perfect presentation.

Know who you are selling to. If you’re doing a presentation
before a Board of Directors, research how it has reacted to
past proposals. Spend some time collecting details that
address any issues that could be raised. What are the
Board’s values and attitudes? Do the Directors behave
consistently, such as always choosing the least expensive
option? Do your homework then develop a set of objectives
and strategies.

Tailor your behavior. If the people you are presenting to relate
best to verbal information, don’t come in armed with piles of
graphs and other information. If you’re speaking to people
you don’t know much about, watch their reactions. If they sit
up straighter when you start citing statistics, modify your
presentation to be less emotional and forthright.

Listen. Most people think “selling” is the same as “talking”.
But the most effective salespeople know that listening is the
most important part of their job. Pay attention to what your
audience says and the questions they ask. If particular words
or phrases keep coming up, use variations of them when you
respond.

Welcome worries. Anyone who doesn’t have some questions
or concerns about what you’re saying probably isn’t serious
about considering it. Objections are your chance to emphasize
the strongest points.

Prepare for anything. This can mean bulbs that burn out on
the slide projector, a dozen more people at a meeting than
you’d expected, or someone who wants to talk about a
completely new subject. Revise your plan as you’re met
with changes and, above all, stay calm. A sense of humor
doesn’t hurt either.

Close the sale. When you’ve made your speech, get to the
point. People are expecting it. Conventional wisdom holds
that you shouldn’t come right out and demand a signature;
likewise, in an interview with your boss, you shouldn’t
demand to be made a manager. But you can ask the same
question in more subtle ways, such as “What’s the next step?”
or “How close am I to reaching my goal of being departmental
manager?”

Foremost, the key to selling yourself, your idea, or your
company is presenting the subject in a way that’s appealing
to the prospect. Study the techniques, and you’ll find that even
if you didn’t win the prize for most raffle tickets sold when you
were back in school, you can make sales work for you now.

By: Roy Bartell
http://www.RBar67.ccom
Copyright (c) 2003