It is one thing to make a sales presentation, but it is another thing to make a sales presentation without first evaluating your customer. For all you know, you could be selling your customer something that they already have, or something they don't want, don't need, or can't afford.
This is why it is so very important to take your customer in, sit them down, make them feel comfortable, and get to know them and what their needs are. Once you have done this, you can then sell them a product based on what their needs are and not what you think they are.
On a personal note . . .
I learned the importance of evaluating your customer the hard way. A few years ago, I was a branch manager working in a bank branch. One particular customer of the bank approached me in my office about opening a savings account for her daughter.
Once I explained to her the process of opening a savings account, I proceeded to tell her all about a current promotion we were having on our home equity loans. She sat there and listened very politely and patiently as I very proudly went down the list of all the benefits, features, and tax breaks that come with a home equity loan.
Once I had finished my rehearsed presentation, she said to me;
That all sounds very nice, and it is something that I will consider in the near to distant future. She than went on to tell me that she and her husband rented the house they lived in.
So there you have it, I tried to sell a home equity loan to someone without a house.
Needless to say, my face turned a deeper shade of scarlet, and I felt like an idiot.
But hey, I learned from my mistake. Had I asked some simple probing questions before I went straight for the sale, I would have saved myself a lot of embarrassment.
You will be amazed at what you can find out from people just by asking them a few simple questions about themselves. Remember, people love to talk about themselves. Their jobs, their pets, their kids, just about everything.
I once had a friend who owned a shoe store, and his inventory was made up mostly of sneakers. One day a man walked into his store to buy a pair of sneakers. As my friend assisted him with his decision, he struck up a friendly conversation with him. As it turned out, this customer ran a basketball camp during the summer and he loved to talk about it. A few minutes into the conversation, my friend and his customer had come to an agreement. All of the boys and girls that attended the customers basketball camp would receive a 10% discount on their sneakers if they purchased them at my friend's store.
So, as you can see, my friend increased his sales that summer simply by striking up a conversation with his random customer and asking a few questions. Imagine going to your doctors office with an ailment and having him prescribe you a medication without asking what your symptoms were. Would you take the medication?
The same principal applies.
It really isn't rocket science, it's just friendly conversation, get to know your customer and watch one sale turn into many.
Why service only one of your customers needs when you can service them all.
Jay Conners has more than fifteen years of experience in the banking and Mortgage Industry, both as a loan officer and a sales manager. He is the owner of http://www.jconners.com, a mortgage resource site, he is also the owner of http://www.callprospect.com
I saw something in town the other day that just... Read More
It's the prospect. If stalls and objections frequently come up... Read More
There is little doubt that eLearning has not achieved the... Read More
1. Multiply your marketing and advertising efforts on the Internet.... Read More
Marketing and sales co-exist and work in tandem beautifully if... Read More
I'm about to reveal the biggest secret to growing any... Read More
First and foremost are you thinking Strategically? "Do you have... Read More
Through out our career and lives we regularly get an... Read More
Sales resistance is a fact of life for most sales... Read More
Who's talking to your customers? Is it your competition? Why... Read More
In happens every year in June.Six months down and six... Read More
Let's be realistic nobody really wants to be labeled a... Read More
This issue's topic on sales prospects comes in response to... Read More
A Revolutionary 'NEW' Dimension In Sales: Make many more closings... Read More
Most people tremble when they hear the word "sales".This explains... Read More
One essential criteria of being a successful salesperson is the... Read More
Just because we receive a referral, it doesn't mean that... Read More
I am writing this at the Philadelphia Airport on my... Read More
Wouldn't it be nice if there were an inexpensive method... Read More
Most salespeople are under the false belief that the lower... Read More
Yikes - My Feet Hurt!Concrete. Tiles. Cheap carpet. Walking, walking.... Read More
When Thomas Edison's light bulb finally burned for 45 straight... Read More
Traditionally, salespeople look for something in the office that begs... Read More
"I need more clients!" wails Steve, a 32 year old... Read More
One of the best books I have ever read is... Read More
Canned or scripted sales approaches are rarely successful, because one... Read More
Why are some sales pitches more persuasive than others? Are... Read More
Based on his most recent e-mail, "Everything looks good --... Read More
Friends buy from friends. Why? Because people trust that their... Read More
One of the questions I often get asked as a... Read More
Language is one of the most important tools you have... Read More
1. Sign-up to win web site awards. When you win,... Read More
"Yeah right!" I thought to myself as I started to... Read More
7 Phrases You Can't Say in Sales (Because They Will... Read More
Mortgage leads are like a box of chocolates, you never... Read More
Step 1: Get Ready - Create a foundation you can... Read More
Recently I received a prospecting voice mail message from a... Read More
"You don't love your kids if you don't buy my... Read More
Every sales presentation should start with the approach, or introduction.... Read More
Suggestive selling is a powerful tool that can increase your... Read More
I worked for years as a mortgage loan officer. During... Read More
In my business, it has been an interesting and very... Read More
Think about it. If only it was as easy as... Read More
No matter what your age or stage in life, some... Read More
From surveys and experience, we've noticed many setting excellent goals... Read More
"The Close" is sales jargon for the bit where you... Read More
Obviously, you can not know all of the things that... Read More
I sit down and look at my notebook. Then, I... Read More
1. Dependability was chosen as the most important.2. Integrity was... Read More
I have found that there are two best ways to... Read More
It's a common question we come across everyday: why is... Read More
Having excellent persuasion skills is one of the most important... Read More
Friends buy from friends. Why? Because people trust that their... Read More
Does your business run on a sales engine or a... Read More
Every day is critical when you are in the business... Read More
The purpose of any business is to bring in customers,... Read More
Have you ever passed by a bakery display case without... Read More
One of the interesting things about being a coach and... Read More
Statistics state that 55% of people judgments are made based... Read More
One of the questions I often get asked as a... Read More
A lot is written and talked about in regard to... Read More
Since 1990 I have focused on the three primary barriers... Read More
Selling is everyone's lifeblood whether they realize it or not.... Read More
Mark has an attitude! Mark had worked in an operational... Read More
In sales we do tend to become focused upon our... Read More
My wife and I watched the movie Ray a couple... Read More
Sales Training |