Today, you'll make lots of sales. You might be selling products or services to your customers, a proposal to a new prospect, or the idea to your children that it's time to go to bed. Right now
But, despite its importance, many of us don't like the thought of selling. It's almost a dirty word.
Perhaps this is because we've all been on the receiving end of an idiot salesperson's pushiness. But there's something else: all the words to do with selling - selling, proposing, pitching, influencing, convincing, persuading - are from the sellers' point of view.
So sellers tend to feel that selling is something you do to someone. And that means the recipient can therefore often feel they're having something done to them.
But selling shouldn't be like that. It isn't one-way; it's a joint thing. You and your customer are agreeing to work together to do what you propose, whether that be to buy something, accept your proposal or go to bed.
So, when you sell, be joint. The easiest way to do this is to start with their objectives and then show how your suggestion fits with them. Keep it short and simple - your preparation needs just two steps:
- find their objectives (the best way to do this is ask them);
- work out how your suggestion (your "sale") will help achieve them.
Do it this way and you both benefit. You both value it; and you both enjoy it. And, since you're both happy, selling has become a joint thing.
Copyright © 2016 Andy Bounds, communications expert, speaker and best-selling author. You can sign up for his free weekly tips here and join his online video club here.
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Andy Bounds
Awarded the title Britain’s Sales Trainer of the Year, and described by AstraZeneca’s Global Communication Director as “a genius, whose advice can’t be ignored”, Andy’s insights stem from the fact his mother is blind.
