THE STAGES OF SELLING
The most common traditional steps taken to obtain a sales order were:
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Attention
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Interest
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Desire
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Action
But how does a salesperson get the buyers attention without first creating interest? It would seem logical to combine these steps and form a new set of steps:
There are many variations to these steps. But most of them can be broken down into 3 crucial steps named the ABC of selling:
THE ABC OF SELLING
These are the 3 most important steps a salesperson must remember and practice to begin on the path to success. Explaining the benefits of the product to a buyer will not work unless you have gained their attention in the first place. A salesperson cannot close the sale until they have sold the benefits of the product. Therefore there is a specific order that a salesperson must follow in order to be successful.
Many salespeople overestimate the value of friendship in sales. A friendship will give a salesperson a free pass to getting the buyers attention and showing the benefits of the sales offer, however, that’s where it ends. Research has shown that buyers will not buy based on friendship alone. Unless the buyer believes the offer will genuinely benefit them over all other offers, the friendship will not influence a sale.
A brochure alone, no matter how beautiful, will not close a deal. Buyers need an explanation, they need the words of the salesperson to really understand the benefits of the offer. A buyer wants to object, ask questions and receive instant customised answers. A brochure cannot take the place of salespersons words. If brochures were successful in selling themselves, companies would not be paying a salesperson. Salespeople are paid to talk (to sell), they live by the words they use. This is why the use of positive words is so important. Consider the following:
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I wonder
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I think
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I hope
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Possibly
Do these words sound like those coming from a positive confident person who knows exactly what they are talking about? Do buyers want to purchase from someone who is only ‘guessing’, ‘hoping’ about their product/service?
Now consider these next few words:
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I am sure that
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I know
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I am certain
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It will
Is this salesperson confident? Do they know their product and industry? Would the buyer feel comfortable in buying from them? This second set of words has a lot more power and creates a sense of certainty. The buyer can feel confident. These are positive words that can be used to create compelling sentences. A salesperson who does not feel confident using words with such certainty should not be selling. Knowing your product/service and industry inside out is an essential part of sales.
Putting words into a logical pattern strengthens their effect and enables the buyer to recall the benefits of the sales offer more easily. A logical sequence consists of a beginning, middle and an end. Using key sentences is another method to ensure words have maximum effect. For example, a salesperson selling Yellow Super Glue might say “it spreads like butter and grips like iron”. Not only does the sentence explain all the benefits of the product, but it is memorable as well.
No matter what method of selling a salesperson uses, who they are selling too, or what they are selling, the ABC’s of selling will always apply.
