If you’ve been in sales for any length of time, you surely understand there is both an art and a science to salesmanship. I’ve been in sales for 26 years, so you might think it would come naturally for me. It hasn’t!
Instead, my success has come from a formula I’ve created to remain relevant, current and productive. Here are the four components you can use for sales success.
1. Keep it simple.
Sales is really simple, but most people tend to make it very complicated. Don’t make it harder than it has to be. Rely on your instincts and the knowledge of your product or service.
2. Ask questions.
People are emotionally in tune with themselves when answering questions. By asking questions you’ll discover their pains, fears, desires and hopes. As a sales professional, you’ll be able to use that knowledge to:
- Deliver hope
- Solve a pain
- Enable a desire
- Comfort a fear
3. Focus on the outcome.
You want to understand the transformation, not the features or benefits. Those are tools, not the outcome. Using the knowledge of their fears, hopes, desires and pains, what does the transformation look like?
Don’t ever assume you understand someone’s ultimate desired outcome. Find out what they need and figure out if and how your product or service will provide a beneficial solution.
4. Don’t overcome objections.
It may counterintuitive based on old school sales methods, but overcoming objections will put you in a combative situation. Instead, focus on the client’s desires and learn what their transformation looks like so you’re partnering with them.
However, you do need to understand what their objections could be. Not so you can overcome them, but so you realize that when your client brings up objections, you can recognize that they are afraid.
People bring up objections to feel safe and to protect themselves. If they’re bringing up objections you need to go back and do some additional discovery and ask more questions so you can understand why they’re sending fear signals.
Take those four things and create a system so you do them every single day. Look for every opportunity to hone your sales skills and use this system on a daily basis. If you do, you’ll find amazing success in your sales career!