The Science of Selling

At the outset, before anything else, I’d like to tell you why I chose to call it the science of selling, and not the Art of Selling as many would. Art needs talent, but, Science needs understanding and application of a set of rules. Selling is mostly the latter, and has not changed in terms of what it is through out human evolution. The modes of selling have changed, and we are looking at different Marketing platforms today, vis-a-vis the traditional face to face method. Although many might argue, Selling is a part of Marketing, in practice, it is Marketing that is a part of Selling. The entire process is aimed at selling something to someone. You call it making the person buy, or creating something the person needs, but at the end of the day, it is just plain selling.

There have been several great salesmen (women included) throughout human history. You’d find plenty of blogs with those examples illustrated, that’s not what we do here. Instead, We go for the Sales Formula directly.

KYC!

Any sale would require you to understand your Customer first. Get to know the bloody customer for god’s sake! Get to know what the customer wants, and also keep in mind what your product can provide. We’re not pitching something that wouldn’t satisfy a customer. Have a thorough understanding of the needs and wants of the Customer, the business structure, and most importantly, know your customer’s competitors well. Sales Pitches would be far more effective, with a subtle reference to them.

Present Product
Once you know your Customer, get to know what alternate product is currently being used. In case there is none, well, today’s your day! You have no competition yet, so do a jaw-dropping sales pitch (more about that below). In case there is a competitor’s product being used, keep in mind that any Customer would view only the differential pros/cons. So, don’t start explaining stuff from ABC. Don’t refrain from attacking your competitor in one aspect, if that is the only aspect where your product scores over theirs. But, if there are more points for your product, go passive on your approach.

Be Frank.
Don’t see the Customer just as a typical Sales Person. Look to build a good relationship with them. Be funny, but not over the top. Being frank and funny is the best way to start a good lasting relationship with the customer.
Don’t shy away from socialising with everyone at the customers’ place. Be it the mail guy, or the CEO. You never know how much goodwill you’d accumulate if you do that!

Leads = Potential Customers
Stop calling them Leads! View them as your Next Customers, but, the fact of that materialising is well within in your words and sales pitch. Be focussed to a particular Customer Group at a time. Let them know that you mean more than just selling some product, and that you’re there for the long haul. Make them feel Customer Service despite them just being a lead for now.
BE PATIENT! cause, sometimes, many customers would be annoying. Keep telling yourself EVERY SALE COUNTS!

The Sales Pitch.
You know what over 300 astonishingly successful salesmen have in common? They do the perfect pitch! They know that the first 30 seconds matter. In a phone call, it is just the first 5 seconds. Your voice must resonate with the Enthusiasm that your brand wants to bring to the Customer's life. Start it with a great tone! Don’t try too high or too low voice tones. They’d just scare off the Customer. Talk like you’d advice a 15 year old. (Respecting their decision making skills, but, giving your product as a suggestion, and a choice you’d pick if you were in their position)
Practice the Sales Pitch a Million Times! You must know the routine so much that it becomes Muscle memory.
Own the conversation and take it at your own pace. Every second of break you give the Customer, you lose the Sale. This doesn’t mean Dominating the Conversation like the Typical News Debate Anchor, but, rather, making the Customer think what you want to think, when you want the customer to think.
You are not just a Sales person. To the customer, you are the Representative of the Company, so, you bloody well must do your Homework, about your organisation.
You’re not there to claim your organisation is the perfect thing to have happened. Don’t oversell!
Accept your shortfalls, but, win them over with how you’d more than just make up for it.

Make the Customer feel at ease, look for obvious signs of discomfort (in the eyes or their voice tone) and steer the conversation to something the customer likes.

REMEMBER, IF YOU HAVE BUILT A RELATIONSHIP, SELLING IS JUST LETTING THEM KNOW YOU HAVE A PRODUCT THEY WOULD LIKE TO HAVE.

All these needs People Skills, which doesn’t come form reading blogs or stories of successful salesmen. You need to do the work yourself! You need to get down, meet thousands of people (not even kidding) socialise with them, and build solid relationships with them to know what kind of approach works for you and what you need to steer clear off.
“There is no use in winning a sale if you don’t win the Customer.”

I’d drop in more in the days to come. So, drop in your email ID, and be notified!

Good Luck ScrewUp!