Stop selling and start to make more sales
Really? Yes, I know that sounds like an oxymoron, but trust me on this one.
As I tell all my clients, the sales process has changed over the years. People no longer want to be sold to. They want to gather information, get recommendations from people they trust, search for comparable solutions and take their time to make a decision on their final purchase.
The old style hard sell approach has little room in today’s environment.
If you want to make more sales and to turn a prospect into a client, you need to nurture a relationship rather than going for a kiss me quick sale. Take the time to build trust and gain respect that will get you remembered for when that person is ready to buy. Give them something for free to show them how good you are and get them to want to come back and buy.
Here is an example that happened just a short while ago.
I do as much as I can to help people and to give them tips and advice for free. I do this to build relationships and is a reason for setting up my Facebook group so that others can share their valuable advice to support each other.
Take time to build relationships
This builds trust and respect and many of my clients come from this group.
One day in the group, a lady asked for some help. It was outside of my expertise so I tagged someone else who I knew was an expert in this particular field. What this person did was jump straight in with a sales pitch. No offer of support or just a quick tip. Just sell, sell, sell.
The lady who asked the question was not looking to buy. She had merely asked a quick question. I then found someone else who I thought may have an answer and she promptly gave some valuable advice and was more than happy to help.
What transpired from this was twofold.
The person who went straight into sales mode didn’t do herself any favours at all. I spoke to the lady who asked the original question and she felt uncomfortable being sold to when she had merely asked for a quick bit of advice. Additionally, I personally shall never suggest anyone goes to this person for help in the future. I also suspect anyone else in the group who saw the conversation may be reluctant to turn to her also.
However, the second person who answered the question did so in such a manner and was so helpful that she gained a new client over the course of the next couple of weeks. The lady asking the question was so impressed with her willingness to help and the quality of the response she got, that whilst she was not initially looking to buy, she saw the value of working with this lady. She also decided to sign up to my membership club as she was confident that I could her source information even if I didn’t have the answers myself and again, was impressed at how I went out of my way to help her.
Create an environment in which people want to buy from you
So think about how you can change from trying to sell to creating an environment in which people want to buy from you. It’s not as hard as you think.
Think about how you can
- Help your prospects by sharing tips and advice
- Entertain them with real life stories and quotes so they get to know and like you.
- Educate them as to what they need to do to solve their pain point and why they need to do it
- Inspire them to them to buy from you by providing the solution to their problem
You may be surprised that when you stop selling you start to make more sales!
P.S. If you are not already in my Facebook group but would like to join for advice and to share tips of your own, hop over and join now
