All of us sell all the time. From a child asking Mom for a
cookie to the CEO of a major corporation trying to ink a million
dollar order, each of us sells. We sell our ideas and beliefs to
co-workers, bosses, and family. We sell products, services, and
concepts.
Here are three simple ways to sell anything. You can use
them in person, on the telephone, or with email.
Way 1: Start a conversation. I never realized how effective
this super-simple method was until I met Ted. He is able to get
an order an amazing 98% of the time.
How does he do it? "Simple. I just talk to people," he says.
It all started early in Ted's career when he couldn't seem to
sell anything. "I had recently gotten married and just when I
really wanted to succeed, no one seemed interested in my sales
pitches."
Sometimes our best ideas come when we're really discouraged. Ted
got so down on his sales technique he forgot about it and just
started talking with people. Amazingly, they bought. Sales
started to trickle, then turned into a flood as Ted became the
company's top sales person for his region.
I watched closely to see how Ted does it. He starts up a
conversation. As soon as you mention something about yourself,
he show a big interest. He talks about whatever you are
interested in.
I immediately feel like Ted is a friend I've known all my life.
After twenty to forty minutes, Ted casually says "so can we get
you set up with an order?" After such a good conversation, 98%
of his prospects say yet.
Way 2: Ask questions. This is a very simple way to sell and it
works for both products and services.
Most customers don't know half as much about your product as you
do. In fact, most probably don't know much at all. Yet it is a
rare customer who starts off by saying I'm a complete idiot on
this.
Ask questions to help find customers find the areas where they
need more information. They may not even know what areas they
want to know more about.
Let's say a customer comes into your computer store and starts
looking for a new desktop. Ask questions to find out if the
customer is mostly interested in processing speed, reliability,
or a popular feature. Ask what frustrates them about their
current computer or what they like that they fear losing with a
new computer.
Find the customer's main concerns. Then give them as much
information about those concerns as they seem interested in
having.
This does three things: You eliminate doubts based on lack of
information. You show you are an expert ready to help. The
customer becomes convinced you are interested in the things that
are important to her.
Way 3: Explain how your product or service works. Again, most
customers don't really know how the thing they want to buy does
what it does. There is so much more you can tell them to enhance
the value they get from your product or service.
Let me give you an example. People love to send their press
release to media, but most have no idea how to get one written,
how to send it to media, or if the media will even be interested.
Because I spent many years working in radio and TV, I can talk
about how to send press releases from now until the cows come
home. Customers love it.
I tell them how we put their contact info and headline at the
top because editors are busy and may not read the rest. I
explain how most editors read their email, but regular mail and
faxes arrive by the bag loads. The customer learns how to change
the slant of his story to interest media.
Once you take time to fully explain how your product or service
works, most people are far closer to making a purchase.
At the root of these three methods to sell anything is human
contact. These days it is had to get a knowledgeable person on
the phone. If you send an email inquiry, you'll probably get a
form letter reply that has little to do with your question.
Customers respond when you give them good old-fashioned
attention. Start a conversation, answer questions, and explain
to get more customers. You will sell more products and services.
About the Author
Kevin Nunley was one of the first to start a business online and
succeeds even when others are giving up. See his 10,000
marketing ideas to promote your business at http://DrNunley.com
Reach Kevin at mailto:kevin@drnunley.com or 801-328-9006.