Sales and marketing are essential to every business. Business owners must master these disciplines to create a solid revenue foundation. The problem for some business owners is that they might lack experience in these functional areas, and may be at a loss to understand where to begin. Others may be comfortable with selling, but lack a methodical process. Whether you’re new to sales or a veteran, your business will benefit from having a solid sales process.
Many people still hold the belief that the sales process is one of manipulation. The first step in creating a solid sales process is to understand the science of sales. Selling is the process of sharing a solution to a customer’s problems. You are not bullying the customer into a deal, but presenting an answer to their needs.
The tips below will help you to create or improve your sales process.
Build a relationship. The sales process should be viewed as the first step in creating a long-term relationship. As such, you want to maintain your integrity throughout the process and do what is right for you and the customer. Ask a lot of questions to uncover their needs, and offer solutions that are truly the right fit.
Review your history. Assess your last five to 10 sales calls. How did you prepare for each? What objections were raised? What questions did you ask? What went well? What needs to be improved? Are you meeting with the right people and saying the right things? Are you communicating your passion in your words and body language? Use this information to identify where deals get stuck and why.
Qualify your leads. Lead qualification is an essential step in the sales process. You want to ensure that you are only selling to people who want/need your service, have access to capital to purchase it, and have the authority to make the decision. Write down a list of qualifying questions which you can use with your customers. You may incorporate them into an online form, use them in tear-off cards in direct mail pieces, or use them to pre-qualify customers over the phone. Some businesses have dedicated staff members who pre-qualify all leads in advance of sales presentations. This improves your closing ratio and saves you time.
Welcome objections. Objections are not a personal rejection but a request for more information. Ask more questions to uncover the reason behind the objection. Do not be afraid to delve a little deeper. Write down a list of objections and prepare your answers. If one objection occurs in every sales presentation, build it into your presentation. By addressing it before the customer raises it, you remain in control of the process. Take time to prepare before each sales presentation. Research your customer and their needs. What objections are they likely to raise? When you are prepared you will encounter fewer objections, and when objections are raised you will be able to answer them with ease.
As a business owner, you have an obligation to share your solution with those who need it. Graphical representations of sales often include puzzle pieces, and the sales process is one in which you and the customer each hold interlocking pieces. Your marketing efforts lead customers to you, but it is the sales process that brings the two puzzle pieces together.
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