The most effective salespeople behave differently than those who underperform. Their heightened sales numbers don’t come from luck, nor do they come from tightly structured sales calls. Top sales performers are fluid conversationalists. They are students of interpersonal relationships, and it pays.
- They explain, not sell.
When top sellers make a pitch, they explain rather than sell. The prospect knows what tone to expect from trustworthy people. They have friends and family who they deem trustworthy, and they carry conversation with a certain familiar give-and-take tonality. An overbearing, nagging mother-in-law immediately turns them off to a conversation. How, then, do you think they will be inclined to respond to a pushy stranger? Effective salespeople use an informal approach that unfolds more like a conversation than a pitch.
- They show earnest interest.
Asking questions is one of the most important tools in creating an easy back-and-forth conversation. Asking questions fosters the tone of friendly conversation, and allows the prospect to step into a role of willing participant. The most effective salespeople begin with simple, benign questions before they cut to the heart of the matter: what does the prospect truly need from the salesperson? The best salespeople get to know their prospect as deeply as possible before offering a solution. Engaging back and forth conversation helps the customer to realize that the representative is truly interested in their wellbeing, and helps the representative to gather valuable information for later.
- They respond to doubts & desires.
When a salesperson attentively listens to the prospect express doubts or desires, the effective sales rep will respond quickly and easily. Their superior knowledge of their product allows for a swift response, and they are earnest in their proposal. Sales leaders believe that their purpose is not about raking in money for their company. For them, it’s about improving each customer’s life in one way or another. High performing sales representatives enjoy their work because they truly believe that they are making a difference in the world. They hear their customer’s needs, and can easily imagine how their product can help them. The best sales reps believe deeply in their solution, and that faith is contagious.
When sales representatives aren’t closing, don’t blame the closing method. Most likely, the problem lies much earlier in the process. Fluid, back-and-forth, empathetic conversation sounds simple doesn’t it? It takes practice. In the meantime, advanced sales enablement solutions may help.
