The Sales Process

Hi everyone! Follow along, let’s begin!

BE ASSERTIVE.

An assertive approach is confident and direct. Assertive people know what they want and aren’t afraid to ask for it. They also respect the feelings and needs of others and are prepared to negotiate solutions that are acceptable to all parties. Once you’ve secured the first meeting (book same week, reply to email/call same day), arrive on time and with a smile on your face.

REPRESENT YOUR COMPANY.

Position yourself as knowledgeable and prepared. You must have a firm grasp of your services and an educated idea of the client’s needs. Use the first meeting to gather ideas and take notes. Summarize the client’s words and confirm your interpretation is correct.

CONFIRM BUDGET.

It is better to establish this right from the get-go. If possible, provide a verbal offer based on the parties’ negotiations. Provide a price sheet. Some helpful questions – Our services cost this much, does that work for you? If not, what works with your budget? Always position value over price. This is an investment because or I am showing you evidence based on. You can combine any previous positive experiences with relevant statistics/straight numbers and use Ahrefs for an SEO case. Then, wrap up by providing vital closing points, scheduling your next meeting and confirming proposal hand-off.

BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS.

From the beginning to the end of the cycle, you are creating connections with members of your community and potential customers. Try to understand where they are coming from. Show empathy. Everyone is affected by bad weather. Everyone has a bad day. Try to relate to them as if they were your friend.

Some other bad/good vibes – She just came in and shoved brochures in my face. She wasn’t prepared and looked tired …or was it actually… She gracefully entered, looked around, then walked over with a smile carrying some interesting papers. She explained her situation with ease and apologized for not being completely ready. My daughter kept me up all night! Being honest matters immensely!

Just like any strong friendship, you need to dedicate time and effort for the sale and relationship to develop successfully. The proof is always in the pudding (end result), but you still need to commit 100% along the way. A door to door visit may be brief, but it also demonstrates your energy, candor and confidence. A short, but powerful phone call shows commitment and integrity. Lead with your voice, tone and language. Also, take note of what you’re wearing (literally, mentally and spiritually). People are checking you out!

WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS, DO AND DO AGAIN!

The sales cycle is often repetitive and can be lonesome. Believe in yourself, be extra creative and don’t worry. There are always other fish in the sea. You MUST fish however. Each day matters! Every touchpoint counts, no matter the brevity or weight, but treat each opportunity as your last. Don’t get down on ideas that aren’t ready. Instead, use the mere fact that they exist as a way to uplift your pursuits to greater and bigger things! He didn’t reply. Well, I’m going to contact this company instead. THEN. DO IT. He didn’t seem that interested. Well, why? Maybe I can present it this way. You can create openings and the universe responds, but you will need to take action to reap a reward!

BUILDING RAPPORT.

From the beginning to the end of the cycle, you are creating reasons to be in contact. Always enter and exit harmoniously. If you know there is a need, understand it and quickly establish your intention and validate awareness. Don’t be pushy; utilize messaging (i.e.: email) to set a rhythm. Maintain a sense of harmony throughout your interactions. You want to ensure you’re both on the same side of the coin, otherwise differences (minor – your mood, timing OR major – opinions, culture, phase of development, objections) will build walls, making it harder for you to breakthrough.

Be empathetic and create a reason to bond. Friendly and to the point text messages, substantive emails and smart phone calls. However, limit the amount. Pay close attention to things that don’t relate directly to the sale. Thoughtful comments and gestures are welcome, but maybe avoid ‘hugs’ (until they’ve been your client for at least 2 years). Your verbal and nonverbal cues are tools for establishing rapport and should be used strategically and effortlessly. What could be awkward for you, is thoughtful to them, but potentially vice versa.

THE PHONE CALL IS ALWAYS THE BEST WAY TO GO.

Closing throughout the sales cycle is about competence. How hard will you work. Will you push until then end. From the beginning to the end of the cycle, you are envisioning the satisfaction of all parties. When will it happen, how will it happen, what will their reaction be, what small or large moves can I make to move us closer to winning? Things also occur naturally. If there are delays, the best approach is to ask more targeted questions and to use a timeline. Simplify the offer, the budget or the project’s scope. And, gosh darnit, pick up the phone and call them instead. No one does this, because it is hard.

STILL DISCOVERING.

Many owners are still in the Discovery Stage. You might have to do some extra leg work to help them recognize their needs first before expecting them to jump onto an amazing proposal you spent hours, days or weeks putting together. For questions, make them as unique as possible and avoid close-ended questions at this point. You should know each other well enough by now, that open-ended questions will work to your advantage. We want to establish finality, so confirm project duration, budget cost and start date.

Don’t walk away! Raise your hands up in the air! Did you like the pace of this post? That’s how fast sales works!