In this article we want to focus on an aspect that is too often forgotten when it comes to sales techniques; no practical guide or technical advice on how to close a sale makes sense if you do not work on the fundamental premise: the ability of the seller to optimize communication with the buyer . Here too there are some techniques to be put into practice. Let’s find out together.
# 1 KNOW HOW TO SELL? MIRRORING!
Let’s start from an assumption: mirroring is one of the most used sales strategies to create empathy with the potential customer. The leverage of persuasion lies in making oneself similar to one’s interlocutor and thus creating a sense of affinity , which has a reassuring effect on the unconscious that leads to the establishment of a relationship of trust. But sometimes, to know how to sell, you need to do something more.
Instead of simply repeating the movements of your interlocutor (cross your legs, cough, etc.), you need to take advantage of the mirroring mechanism to set up the conversation flow . Given that, in sales, it is usually the salesperson who creates the first approach, we will choose the tenor of the conversation… which will allow us to dictate the tone and tenor of the dialogue. Indeed, if our question is relevant to the context:
- the prospect will usually answer the question;
- it will do so in line with the tenor of the question and of the person who asked it
This is where you have to work to be able to improve your ability to sell. This is where planning comes into play. It is necessary to arrive at the confrontation prepared to ask the right questions to discover the characteristics and doubts of the potential customer with whom you are interacting . Too many times we end up talking about details that have no relevance: if you waste time asking the wrong questions, you will lose the flow of the conversation and with him the opportunity to bring the sale to fruition. It’s not about controlling the potential customer, but getting the information you need and affirming its importance in the eyes of your interlocutor.
# 2 KNOW HOW TO SELL? PREPARE IN ADVANCE.
We have seen that planning a sale is essential: at this stage, part of the work is to predict in advance what the prospect will say, ask or object. There are a few points to keep in mind:
- Never lead the customer to ask questions you don’t know the answer to and always keep in mind the direction the conversation is taking. In doing so, always keep a fact in mind: in every circumstance and with every type of interlocutor, the possible scenarios can always be traced back to a small number. If, on the one hand, you know that you do not have the answer to every question, request or objection, it is also true that – by analyzing your experience – you can easily find answers to all potential questions.
- Analyze your market, know your competitors and the needs of your target: in this way you will be able to respond in a relevant and adequate way to the requests of your interlocutor. What makes the difference between knowing how to sell and not knowing how to sell is how you are able to manage the concerns and needs of your potential customers.
# 3 KNOW HOW TO SELL? ENGAGE THE CUSTOMER.
One thing is certain: our interlocutors do not see things as we would like, only for the fact that we do. It is an expectation that will be disappointed in 9 out of 10 cases: you are the seller, they are the users. There are two different perspectives, two different languages and above all the criteria for evaluating the product / services are different . This is a fact that is impossible to ignore or change. However, what can and must be done in order to complete the sale is to create bridges between the two realities. But how to do it?
Encourage the interlocutor to take you into his world, to tell you about his priorities and needs. In this way, you will be able to interpret the painting from his perspective to present him with a tailor-made proposal. Knowing how to sell does not mean trying to convince the interlocutor that you can find a solution to his every need; knowing how to sell means being able to put yourself in the customer’s shoes, creating a specific solution for his specific need.
