10 Tips to Increase Sales Now!
by Colleen Kettenhofen
Successful selling strategies are more important than ever. How do you
stay motivated in tough times? Start with boosting your confidence, your
attitude, and time management skills. Then work on factors such as
knowing your customer, your competition, and your company. Here are some
examples, or, 10 tips to increase sales:
1. Talk less, listen more. Ask questions. Listen for subtle cues as to
what your customer wants. For example, when they say, "What I'm looking
for is" That's a buying signal. Listen and take notes verbatim. Put
quotes around what they said so that when you talk or write to them
again, you can use their exact words, provided your product or service
meets their need. Nothing helped me more in becoming a top sales
producer than the above mentioned tip to increase sales.
2. Target those individuals who are your best prospects. Is there a
commonality among those people who have purchased from you in the past?
What were their needs, similar circumstances and greatest challenges?
3. Make yourself well-known as an expert in your field. Write articles.
Post them online. Contact editors and get published in newspapers and
magazines. Put your photo on your business card. Ask your clients for
recommendation letters praising your services as a testament to your
integrity, customer service and expertise. Nothing speaks louder than
others singing your praises for you!
4. Start with selling yourself. It's a fact: people buy from people they
like. People buy from people considered trustworthy, credible, and
honest. Present yourself professionally. And regarding attire, remember
the three T's: tailored, tasteful, and traditional. Practice a positive
attitude. Show up on time. Further educate yourself about your product,
your competition, and any possible objections.
5. Fail forward. When you don't make the sale, or you lose the business,
find out why. What needs to be improved? What could be done
differently? If you or your company made a mistake, admit it, and learn
from it. Then move forward. Don't dwell on it and dig further into
defeat.
6. Communicate your competitive advantage. Like it or not, your
potential customer is thinking, "What's in it for me?" And, "What am I
going to get out of this?" Mention both the features AND the benefits to
them.
7. Master and study your core competencies. You're only as strong as
your weakest link. What areas do you need to improve? Do you need to
improve time management? Do you need to improve technical skills? And,
what areas must you absolutely master? For example, maybe you need to
spend more time getting to the decision maker. So, work to improve your
deficiencies, and master those areas you must excel at to increase
sales.
8. Ask for specific referrals. This is one of the biggest tips to
increase sales. Once your client has complimented you on your
product/service, ask them who else they know who could benefit. Tell
them the kind of clients you're looking for and get specific names,
phone numbers, and email addresses. See if they'll talk with that person
or make a phone call on your behalf and introduce you.
9. Practice professionalism and integrity to increase sales. Be a
problem solver. If you don't know the answer to their question, admit
it. When you lie you die. Let them know when you'll get back to them
with the answer and do! People will look to see if you practice what you
promise.
10. G ive samples. Give something away free to increase sales. Or, offer
something extra as a bonus. Outdistance your competitors.
When the time is right, ask for the order. Practicing silence while your
potential client is deciding is often when they say yes! They're
uncomfortable with silence, and often end up talking and making a
decision to fill the space. This is a technique I used frequently when I
was honored as the "Number one sales producer in the history of the
company breaking all previous records in the U.S. and Canada" for a
major Fortune 500 company. I practiced that technique and a lot of hard
work. Good luck!
"What you are afraid to do is a clear indicator of the next thing you need to do." --Anonymous
Colleen Kettenhofen is a dynamic speaker, author, and former top sales
producer. She has appeared on television talk shows and has presented
over 1,000 programs in 47 states and six countries. Topics: leadership,
life balance, sales, difficult people, presentation skills. Colleen is
available for keynotes and seminars. For free articles, e-newsletter and
new video clips visit www.ColleenSpeaks.com
Originally published on SearchWarp.com for Colleen Kettenhofen Thursday, December 04, 2008
Article Source: 10 Tips to Increase Sales Now!