Increasing your sales is vital to success, and steady business growth relies on consistent expansion. Whether you expand your range of products and services, gain a bigger share of your target demographic or diversify into different markets, increasing your sales numbers can take your business to the next level.
Of course, almost all businesses want to increase sales, but it isn’t always so straightforward. Being able to close sales is something of an art form, and it can take time to learn the best way to do it. However, with these top tips, you can enhance your approach to sales and increase your sales numbers today…
1. Be confident
To sell successfully, you need to have confidence in your own business and product or service. A prospective client or customer will pick up on any doubt or hesitation or doubt you show, and this could cost you the sale. Maintaining an air of confidence will help to foster trust, and this will ensure a potential client believes you when you tell them how your product or service will benefit them.
2. Assume the sale
Many salespeople approach a target with a view to persuading them to make a purchase. However, assuming they’ve already decided to make the purchase can be far more effective. In many cases, prospective clients will have already researched your company and be ready to engage, and assuming the deal is already done can get you over the last hurdle.
3. Identify your client’s needs
Knowing how the business can help the person standing in front of you will really make your sales pitch stand out, so be sure to treat them as an individual. Whilst your service or product may have a range of benefits, which are most important to this particular client? What issues is the target experiencing, and how can your product help to alleviate them? Knowing your client’s needs is the first step to meeting them, so be sure to engage fully and adapt your pitch accordingly.
4. Showcase your business
Be prepared to show just how good your products and services are, however many times it takes. Giving your client the opportunity to see, touch and experience your products will ensure they see just how good they are. Use handy containers or packaging, such as equipment cases with foam, to transport your goods in perfect condition, and use them to impress your targets. To ensure you utilize your branding opportunities, you could even opt for bespoke equipment cases and containers.
5. Manage the customer’s expectations
Knowing the limitations of your products can help to manage the customer’s expectations. Whilst it’s easy to get caught up when a sales pitch seems to be going well, don’t let your target walk away thinking they’re getting more than they will. Promising the earth may secure a sale, but they won’t remain a client for long if you can’t deliver. It’s better to over-deliver than under-deliver, so be sure to manage the potential client’s expectations, and them impress them with your quality and service.
6. Overcome the client’s objectives
If the client appears to be turning your pitch down, use their objectives as a chance to secure the sale instead. There are a range of common objectives which crop up following sales pitches, so knowing how to handle them could revolutionize your sales numbers.
- ‘We don’t need your product’
Perhaps they’re right, or perhaps they just haven’t realized why your product will benefit them. Examine your proposal from the target’s point of view and deliver the information they need to see why your business is integral to their own success.
- ‘It’s too expensive’
In business, there can be room for negotiation, so this could be a tactic to see if you can lower your price, or it may be a genuine concern for smaller businesses which don’t have a large number of resources. If you’re charging more than your competitors, explain why. If you can show a client why you’re worth the money, they’ll be likely to pay it. For clients who genuinely don’t have the resources but are keen to engage with you, try and find a way to negotiate, if it’s possible to do so.
- ‘We already have a supplier’
Show your target why you can offer better quality and better service than their existing suppliers and give them the confidence to make a change. It’s easy to stick to the status quo, so you’ll need to reassure your target that you can offer a better deal, service, and product than anyone else.
Time to make some money!
