WIINING NEW CLIENTS - TIP OF THE WEEK NO. 7

CLOSING THE SALE

Don't forget to ask for the order! Do I hear you laughing? You would be surprised how many people make the sales presentation and don't ask for the order. Prospects don't "close" themselves. Whatever you are selling – products, professional services, consultancy - you have to ask for the order. Don't leave it to chance, plan your close in advance. How are you going to ask for the order, what will your close be, have you got the answers to objections ready? We all plan opening the sale, we rarely plan how we are going to ask for the business.

WINNING NEW CLIENTS - TIP OF THE WEEK No. 6

ARE YOU NEGOTIATING TOO EARLY AND EATING INTO YOUR MARGINS?

The negotiation starts and the selling stops when the customer's need for the product or service is equal to the seller's need to sell it. In other words, figuratively or literally, the customer is saying "I am buying, from you, subject to terms". Frequently, however, the sales person offers discounts or incentives before the customer is really ready to buy. This tells the customer you will drop the price and may even leave the customer thinking you are over priced. Make sure before you start negotiating that you have asked your prospect "are you ready to buy?" - you may have more selling to do. Don't offer any incentive too early, you may end up having to offer even more later to close the deal.

WINNING NEW CLIENTS - TIP OF THE WEEK No. 5

ARE YOU REALLY SELLING VALUE OR JUST BOMBARDING YOUR CUSTOMER WITH MEANINGLESS FEATURES?

The dictionary defines value as “......the worth of something, compared to something else.....”. This is a great definition when you are selling, just because we think what we sell delivers benefits, it doesn't mean the customer does. What is of value to one customer is not necessarily of value to another. Your USP, the benefits you [possibly] deliver, your differentiaters, are all meaningless if they are not "of value" to your prospects, clients and customers. Ask questions about what the customer values, pitch only the capabilities of your product, service, profession that delivers value to that customer. If what you have on offer is not of benefit, don't present it!