How To Master Selling When No One Tells You What To Do

It’s amazing how few truly great salespeople can tell you exactly what they do differently than others who aren’t so successful. But, when you watch, listen and learn what they’re doing, you’ll be able to pick up on the clues they use whether they realize it or not.

Most of the top people I know in selling have learned to listen for specific clues as to how to best present information to new potential clients. By that I mean to listen for them to say, “I see what you mean,” or, “We look for ____ in a supplier” which usually means they relate best in a visual manner. When that is the case, gear up your visual aids or computer graphics presentation for this person. Use lots of color, charts, photos, graphs, and diagrams. Say, “you’ll see here…” when presenting key points.

For those people who say, “I hear what you’re saying,” you’d better gear your presentation to be more of an oral report. Be sure to include plenty of descriptive word pictures. Say, “clients who have listened to our advice…” when presenting a testimonial or statistics.

When people ask about investment information before you cover all the benefits they’re looking for, they’re probably “bottom-line” kind of people and your dollars-and-cents information had better shine. Make certain to include R.O.I. (return on investment) information in every presentation for this type of client.

People who like to “get a feel for” something will need to have something to touch during your presentation. Think about what you can have your potential clients touch, feel or hold as part of your presentation.

A good salesperson is just like a great detective: He or she asks questions, makes notes, and listens intently to the customers’ spoken words, as well as the body language. Intently listening for clues will tell you how to sell nearly every time.

Remember, it’s the little things that make the biggest difference!

– Tom