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Hardcore Sales Vs. The Relationship Part III: Tips and Techniques For Relationship Selling!
The Bingo RenaissanceLittle old ladies in slippers, playing for pennies and cents in a converted community hall is no longer .....
Here we are, at the final chapter so to speak. Today, lets talk
more on how you go about utilizing the potential for
"Relationship Selling".
You know I've done this myself more times than I can count. When
people point out the obvious to me, a little alarm goes off in
the back of my head saying "You knew that"! Sometimes it's the
most obvious things you overlook. So, when that little voice
says that to you, just think right back, "Well, why didn't I use
it then"?
I started last week with a couple of tips which we'll recap
quickly and then move on to some more Tips & Techniques for
Relationship Selling.
Steer clear of the "I'm here to sell you something" approach.
Since the beginning of the Television era, people have been
trampled with Sales and Advertising. Most will shut you down
before you can get ever get started.
See yourself as a guide if you will. You're there to assist and
lead them to their final destination, your product or service.
You are there to help them, not sell them!
Don't vocally paint yourself into a "What's it gonna be?"
corner. If you use direct sales or hard persuasion techniques
that's exactly what it comes down to, and you better be prepared!
Remember, "Relationship Selling" is not something you turn off
and on like a light switch. It's a way of life. Although we are
focusing on your business here, the theories behind Relationship
Selling can apply to all facets of your life.
Go in with the client, not after a client. If you enter the
relationship assuming that they are already a client, you'll be
less apt to try and sell them, and more apt to building a
relationship.
Moving onward and upward....
Often "Relationship Selling" starts in social settings. People
used to ask me what I did, an I would answer abruptly "I do
freelance Perl Programming and Web Design on the Internet". So
what's wrong with this picture? The easiest way to show you, is
to answer it again the right way. "We provide small businesses
with low cost alternatives to expensive Internet development".
Ok, which sounds better? I hope you said number two. If not you
have a lot of work in front of you. Rule of thumb: Never tell
that what you are, tell them how you can help. In this case, I
have aligned myself with the small business person, who is my
target market, but at the same time, I have expressed that I am
helping, not selling.
Did you notice that I didn't use any technical terms or words
that are difficult to understand. Dump all the techno-garbage
and those terms that nobody really gets. If you're using them
because you think you are impressing them, welcome to the real
world. It's called "Frustration". How would you enjoy spending
lunch listening to somebody and not understanding half of what
they say. Oh yea, I'm buying your thingamajigger...
Listen to your prospect. The more they say, the better you can
anticipate their needs and wants. Most often their needs and
wants are two different things. Their needs are their bottom
line, while their wants are top of the line. Don't try to sell
them what they need, make it clear that you can give them what
they want, how they need it.
When using Relationship Selling stay away from "Power Words".
You have phrases like "productivity", "competitive advantage",
"your bottom line" and on down to the hard sale oldies like
"MAKE MONEY NOW", "Revolutionary Product" or even "Sensational
New Offer". These power words have their place in advertising
headlines, but not here.
A sure fire way to know if their is something wrong with your
relationship selling approach is to examine the relationship you
have with current clients. Was the relationship the same before
they became your client as it was after? Did you then lack
confidence that you now exhibit (afterwards), while showing them
you really are as good as you said your were? You are probably
losing customers from exhibiting that lack of confidence going
in. Perhaps you're the opposite, you're actually more confident
with the sell, than you are with the service or product. In that
case, I would have to say it's time to change products.
Nevertheless, confidence is the key note here. Your listener
must know you are confident enough to introduce it, for them to
be confident enough to buy it.
I'm one of those rare breed who sometimes enjoy listening to
telemarketers and insurance agents (to a point). Not for any
sales tips I can use, but for any bad habits I may still
Your Ideal Client"I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody."--Bill Cosby Have you ever had a client/customer ..... unwittingly be using. When it comes to Hard Sales, these guys
are like dinosaurs. If any part of their sales pitch starts to
sound familiar, stop and re-examine your Relationship Selling.
Point being; Be sure that those annoying little sales pitches
don't ring a bell with your own approach. Sometimes it can be
downright hard not to come off sounding like a salesman.
All kinds of things can build or destroy a good relationship.
This is where the word "Alignment" comes in. You must align
yourself with your prospective client. If your prospective
client is a frat house and you're in the DJ business, you would
hardly show up in a suit and tie, unless of course you want
these boys to eat you alive. On the other hand you don't want to
meet the president of an accounting firm wearing sandals and a
tie-dye tee shirt either. But it goes much farther than
appearance. It's in your language, your mannerisms and the way
you move. Everything about you should align with what your
client needs to see and hear.
Most relationships in your life are built without a second
thought. It's simple action-reaction. Two strangers meet. One
says "good morning" (action), the other responds "good morning
Super Bowl Has Super FlawThis years Super Bowl had a major flaw, and it didn't have anything to do with a celebrity exposing herself during the halftime show. ..... to you" (reaction). Soon you're talking about what you do for a
living and so on. A simple, subconscious event. Action-Reaction
starts a relationship, but planned action-response relationships
often require research and planning. You want to lead the
conversation in a certain direction, so you know the response to
their reaction to cue the next reaction-response. Remember,
you're a guide. Lead the conversation in the direction you want,
without using sales pitches, buzz words or mentioning products
or services. The trick is to lead them to the point of asking
you what you want to tell them.
There is only so much I can get across in this article, but
throughout this series of three articles I have been
recommending a book by Rick Beneteau. If you would like to learn
more on "Relationship Selling" & "Personal Branding", I strongly
urge you to read his Powerful new book that puts YOU on the fast
track to becoming an Internet Celebrity. Not only does Rick
teach you step- by-step how he did it; he also asked many of the
top Internet personalities to share their success secrets with
you. If you're at all serious about achieving success on the
Internet, you need to start Branding YOU and Breaking the Bank!
Do yourself a favor. Check It Out at:
About the author:
Wild Bill Montgomery Home of the
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