Marketing Innovation:

Sales Success

The Endgame to Selling

Overcoming Customer Skepticism and Gaining Commitment

Customer Success 360

In golf, there is a saying that, "You drive for show, but you put for dough." In selling, you prospect and present for show, but you overcome customer skepticism and gain commitment for dough. Your ability to answer objections and get the sale is the true test of how good you really are as a salesperson.

How To Be a Great Salesperson

1. The true test of selling. It's where the rubber meets the road. It's your ability to connect with people and answer the questions that the prospect puts to you and overcome his natural reluctance to make a commitment that wraps up the sales process.

2. Plan it in advance so that you are thoroughly prepared to bring the sales conversation to its natural conclusion at the earliest and most appropriate moment.

3. Handle objections and remove the obstacles. Just as there are reasons why people buy a product, there are reasons why they don't.

4. Make it a reason to buy. Objections can be turned into reasons for buying. Just as there is a primary reason for buying a product, a hot button, there is a primary objection that stops the person from buying it. If you can emphasis the one and remove the other, the sale falls together naturally.

5. Use different closing tactics for smaller and larger products. In selling smaller products or services, where you can prospect and make a complete presentation in the first meeting, your approach to closing will be different from that required if you are selling a larger product in a multi-call sale that stretches over several weeks or months.

6. Ask for the order. In the shorter, smaller sale, the prospect knows everything necessary to make a buying decision at the end of your presentation. Your aim should be to answer any lingering questions and then ask for the order. In the larger sale, you may have to meet with the prospect several times before the prospect is in a position to make a buying decision. You will have to be more patient and persistent.

Here are two things you can do immediately to put these ideas into action.

First, prepare yourself in advance for the endgame of selling by anticipating anything the customer might offer as a reason for not buying. Be ready.

Second, look for the hot button, the reason the customer will buy, and press it. Meanwhile, find out his major reason for not buying and remove it.