Are your Sales Skills Outdated?

Sunday 14th Dec 2008

Buy it now because it’s the last one!

This deal is only for you!

You have to buy it now because tomorrow the price will go up by 50%!

Buy now or PAY PAY PAY!

 The 80’s and 90’s were all about the product, the price and paying up fast.  

 Today this type of sales strategy is not only off putting for the customer, but completely contradictory of the current sales approach. Today’s sales strategies are more about the client, building rapport and identifying what each individual customer needs and wants. This is done through effective communication.

 The ability to communicate is by far the most important aspect of sales, and quite frankly any job. Every customer is different and the way you communicate with them should reflect just that. Previously sales people concerned themselves with the Now, getting the sale meant a job well done. Without realising that the means by which that sale was acquired meant the customer would never ever purchase again. Old school sales people are the reason today’s consumers are sales skeptic.

 Just take a look at the differences between the Sales Pyramid of the 80’s and 90’s and the Sales Pyramid of today.

From 70% of time spent on price and product compared to 75% now spent on building rapport and really listening to the customer’s needs and wants, you can pretty much see that sales are all about effectively communicating with your audience. The National Sales Academy has devised five tips to help you improve your communication and sales skills.

 1-    Take the time to actively listen to what your customer wants and needs. Don’t go for the same pitch every time. Write down all their needs and wants so that you are able to tick each box when explaining why your product/services are worth purchasing. You can’t fight the facts!

 2-    Believe in your product. Selling something that you believe in is easy. If customers are going to spend their money on your product, they want to know that you would too.

 3-    Make sure what you’re saying and doing is congruent. Never promise something that you can’t provide for the sake of the sale - a happy customer is a return customer and an angry customer is a walking bad review.

 4-    Never read off a script. Memorising lines and simply rehashing them to every customer will not work. Learn your product so that every question has an answer based on facts.

 5-    The end is not the end. At the conclusion of the sale you need to keep the communication lines open and reassure customers that you are always available for support.