It is often said that the oldest profession in the world is sales. All it took was one person wanting something another had and the field of sales was born. Trading became the foundation by which our species advanced from living as isolated communities to nations covered in sprawling cities. Technological advances were only possible due to the ability to sell an idea to investors. The importance of sales cannot be overstated.
Selling is an art. And a complicated one at that. There is no one right answer when it comes to selling a product or idea. You have to consider a huge number of factors when trying to make a sale. But, with enough confidence, guidance, and a bit of luck, you can sell anything. And I am going to teach you how you can sell anything with ease.
Knowing Your Product
The first step to making any sale is knowing your product or idea inside and out. You need to become the ultimate authority on whatever you are selling. Because, if a potential client asks a question that you don’t know the answer to, you’ve already lost them. Information is power.
Imagine you are trying to sell the latest smartphone to someone. Chances are they will have a lot of technical questions to ask. And, with technology, you will sometimes get potential buyers who are very clued up in regards to technical specifications. You need to know everything this phone can do. You need to know all the internal specs and every app that comes pre-packaged. You need to know the average battery life and if it is compatible with different devices.
I recommend doing some practice sales runs with your friends. Ask them to think of the most obscure and complicated questions possible about the product and then find out the answer. This will prepare you for the more difficult customers you will have to deal with.
Know Your Competition
Competition breeds innovation. This is why it is so important that no one company ever gets a monopoly on a specific market. But this also means you have to work twice as hard to make a sale. Knowing your competition is just as important as knowing your product. Because you need to be able to tell your client exactly why your product is better.
Imagine you’re a real estate agent in Nevada. A popular state with a thriving housing market. And, considering how easy selling your home in Nevada is these days with many companies offering easy cash purchases, you will have your work cut out for you. You need to study your competitors and know how they operate to get ahead. You need to be able to prove to potential clients what makes you better than the competition.
It is important to note that you want to avoid simply slandering your competition. This will tell a client you aren’t very professional. Instead, focus on your achievements and skill sets. Use facts and sales figures to show that you provide a better service. And, if needed, maybe even cut them a deal to show that you are flexible. In the long run this will be extremely beneficial to bringing in repeat customers.
Cold Reading
Have you ever seen one of those stage magicians that can take one look at a person and know nearly everything about them? The sad news is it isn’t magic. It is a technique called cold reading. It is used by psychiatrists, mentalists, and expert sales people.
Cold reading is the ability to glean information about someone’s personality and personal history just from looking at them. Think of the famous detective Sherlock Holmes. Cold reading is a vital skill for anyone looking to sell something.
Making a sale often requires relating to your customer. You want to be able to figure out the exact reason why they might need this product or service before they even tell you. You want to be able to show empathy and make them feel like they’ve known you for years. This will put them at ease and increase your chance of making a sale.
Cold reading involves studying physical clues about your customer. Body language is one of the main ones. How do they stand and walk? Is their body language confident and open? Or are they closed off and reserved? With this information you can gauge how forward you can be with them. Next, look at what they are wearing. The quality of clothing can tell you a lot about their financial situation. Are they wearing designer brands and luxury jewelry? Are their clothes second hand or a bit tattered? This will tell you about their spending inclinations and, as such, how much money you can stand to make from them. It will help you better gauge how hard on the sell you can go.
