Selling Isn't Rocket Science - It's Harder!

Let's face it, selling isn't rocket science. It's harder!

To penetrate space, scientists need master only the immutable laws of mathematics and physics. Simple. So simple, in fact, the basics are taught in high school.

Selling, on the other hand - prospecting, presenting, negotiating, and closing - demands understanding the complex dynamics of the human mind and how to influence the myriad of emotional and intellectual forces that influence its decision-making.

5 tips for success

1. Make your buyers heroes
   
   Even in a business-to-business sale, you need to show your prospects what's in it for them personally.
   
   
   • Will they look good to their boss?
     
     
   • Will they save time and effort?
     
     
   • Will they make their customers or employees happy?
     
     
There's a subtle - but very important - difference between, "Your company will save over $50,000 a year with our product" and "You will save your company over $50,000 a year with our product". People want to be heroes. You can make it so.


2. Respect your buyer's intelligence
   
   Speak to your potential customer as if you were talking with an intelligent, yet uninformed friend. Don't insult your prospect's intelligence with inane leading questions such as, "We all want to save time and money, right?". Instead, simply state, "Our product will save you both time and money", and immediately follow this statement with a brief example or two.
   
   Allow the prospect to respond to your time and money-savings premise. A high-pressure "What's there to think about?", approach doesn't work in today's business environment. Your buyers are smart - and deserve your respect. Give it to them and watch your sales grow.
   
   
3. Create powerful imagery
   
   Instead of saying to a business owner, "Your employees will really appreciate this program", consider saying with a smile, "Your employees will stand up and applaud you for giving them this program". Don't worry, the buyer will allow you this bit of poetic license. Even though he knows his employees won't really stand up and applaud, the mental image of them doing so is powerful.
   
   
4. Use positive language
   
   Persuasive speakers communicate by using positive language.
   
   Example: Instead of saying, "We can't ship your order until next Tuesday", say, "We can ship your order as early as next Tuesday". What a difference! Put yourself in your listener's shoes; which version is more appealing?
   
   The habit of using positive speech has helped me to achieve more results than I ever thought possible. You can practice this skill all the time, too. Try it with coworkers, family, and friends. You'll begin to see things in a whole new light!
   
   
5. Don't interrogate buyers
   
   Nobody likes a verbal strip-search. Sophisticated buyers perceive too many probing questions, especially in the first stages of the sales process, as a pitch-tailoring sales tactic - which, of course, is exactly what it is.
   
   If you get prospects talking and follow the 80/20 Rule - you listen 80% of the time and talk only 20% of the time - many of your questions will be answered before you even ask them. Sure, you still have to ask questions and seek clarification, but your fact-finding process should flow naturally in response to buyers' comments and conversational pauses. Don't put your prospect on the hot seat.

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