By Steve Upham : Director of altspace Coworking Office
I recently took part in a panel chat for the SUBS networking group in Altrincham discussing ‘The Art of Selling’. Three local business owners answered questions about how we drove sales for our respective businesses. The room was full of an amazingly diverse range of local companies and freelancers with contrasting offers for the customer. Sales however is a universal challenge irrespective of a company’s standing or offering and there are some common attributes that you can work on to improve in this field.
Be Inquisitive – Ask questions and listen to your customers. By learning about them you can help to define expectations and solve their problems. Building a connection in your local community is vital as it’s essential to learn what your visitors want from you.
Show Enthusiasm – No matter how tough things get you need to remain positive and upbeat. A happy sales person evades confidence and this can be contagious. It’s true that customers invest in individuals.
Emphasise your Knowledge – People want to buy from ‘experts’ so you need to illustrate your expertise. I don’t mean boring people to death by chatting for hours, do it subtly. By writing good content and posting on social media about relevant industry news you can build trust. Importantly know why the consumer needs your product at this specific moment in time.
Authenticity counts – Leading on nicely once you’ve built a personal brand deliver on your promises. Be dependable and work on a point of difference from the competition. This will help positive sentiment about your company travel through recommendations and good will.
Finally, be determined and don’t quit – Be resilient when you have a bad day or month. Pick yourself up and progress, looking back often doesn’t help. When you do achieve a sale think about any potential upsell for your offering. Extra services and bolt ons can help you withstand tough times.
