It may be Frosty, but the Eskimos are Still Buying Ice

Like good customer service or people skills, strong sales skills can make or break a business. ‘Selling’ is not necessarily synonymous with convincing people to buy a product. Having sales
skills may more generally mean a gamut of attributes, from being able to articulate yourself with purpose, to understanding the pros and cons of an argument. Charm, persuasiveness and a positive attitude make up the fabric of a good salesperson. While the bottom line will always be the main incentive to nurture such skills in your workforce, if that’s not enough reason, consider the following.

Ask questions

There is a common challenge deployed in sales-related job interviews: to present the candidate with a pen, mug, apple, or similar, and request that they sell it to you. Many will begin by outlining the features and benefits of the object in question. This is good, but wrong. The great salesperson will ask a leading question like:

“So how long have you been in the market for a pen/mug/apple?”

From this position, you force the customer to state what they are looking for, then you are offering them a solution, not forcing a sale.

Grow a thick skin

Being turned down is expected in sales, and learning to deal with that is part of Sales 101. Then, you’ll probably be expected to try your luck, and overcome objections. Sometimes, it won’t work. With others, you’ll learn that persistence can be an incredibly effective characteristic.

Don’t take it personally – it’s just business

Perhaps you miss out on a promotion. Maybe you fail your driving test, or narrowly miss out on your dream job. If you have a thick skin, you’ll be able to brush yourself off, assess what went wrong, and resolve to do better next time. And you probably will.

Know your stuff

Even if you have the persuasive powers of Frank Abagnale, if you don’t know your product, you will not meet the levels of credibility required to sell what you’re peddling. Know your product, inside out, and back to front. But first, get to know your customer – you’ll never sell them anything if you don’t understand their needs.

Be informed

There is no situation in life in which it would be better to be ignorant. Put yourself at an advantage, and become a know it all.

Intrigued? We know how to ask for business, and we can show you how it’s done! Tickety Boo Training offer our own effective selling workshop, which can give your team the boost they need to capitalise on every business interaction. For more information, we’d love to hear from you.