If you’re making the sale employed under someone else, you’ll also obviously need to consider how your boss will react to your wardrobe before taking the customer’s whims into consideration. Semi-formal business wear fits the vast majority of business situations if you’re unsure. As a rule, it is better to be too formal than too casual. Being too formal might make it harder to relate with the customer, but being too casual will make it harder for the customer to respect you. Respect is essential if you want to make a sale work.
An important side effect to punctuality is how much less stressed you’ll feel. If you’re prone to stress, getting to a sales meeting early will give you time to get your bearings and relax.
The more specific the type of customers you attract, the better (and easier) business will be for you. [2] X Research source
Even if you don’t know the customer on a personal basis, you can still assume a great deal about what they need. Most customers coming to one location are looking to have similar needs fulfilled. If you’ve dealt with enough customers in the past, you may have already seen some common patterns emerge. If it’s another professional you’re selling to, checking out his LinkedIn profile and looking into his industry will give you greater insight as to what he may be looking for. [4] X Research source
This can be as simple as asking them how they’re doing today, or how their trip over to the meeting was. Actively engaging means doing without prepared sales pitches. If customers get the impression that a pitch has been memorized beforehand, they will have a hard time feeling engaged by it, even if the pitch itself is well-presented. For example, you might say something like this to appear warm to your customer: “It’s great to have you here. Did you have a pleasant trip over?”
If you’re having trouble figuring out how to manifest this idea in a real-life sales situation, try to picture yourself in the other person’s shoes. What does the customer want? How might he be reacting to your tone, and what will it take for him to leave the meeting feeling happy and satisfied?
A hot stock, for example, may carry a logical risk and reward, but it also represents a dream of possibly making a lot of money quickly. If you take a look at successful marketing campaigns, you’ll find that products are rarely sold primarily due to superior technical specifications or anything logical. Consumers are more driven by egocentrism and what some might call a “coolness” factor. [9] X Research source So long as the product meets a basic standard of function, a large portion of a given consumer base will be open to purchasing it.
For example, someone selling a new refrigerator might highlight how it will benefit the customer’s energy efficiency and the appliance’s superior ease-of-use when compared to their current model.
Don’t wait too long to close the deal. [10] X Research source It’s natural to feel some trepidation when it comes time to finalize a sale. No salesman likes having his pitch rejected. All the same, if you leave a sale in progress for too long, you may lose momentum and have your business stolen by more aggressive competition.
Returning customers are where you are going to make the majority of your money in most business environments. Offering returning customers a special discount or offer is a great way of convincing them to come back. [12] X Research source While most customers won’t fill out a customer response survey on their own time, many can be persuaded to do so if you offer a special perk, such as a discount for repeated service. [13] X Research source Done in this fashion, you’re not only able to promote returning customers; you’re also able to ensure a steady stream of feedback.
