Recruiting now
Do you have a plan in place for your next sales presentation or meeting? Not a script or some sales information, but a plan and do you know it inside out?
Working with today's educated and sophisticated consumer, you must have a presentation and a sales interaction that is well planned.
You do need to know what you are going to say and the words and phrases that you will use, but you do not need a rigid script that will make you inflexible when dealing with your client.
Instead, you need to have a plan in place that has very clear objectives to reach at each stage of the sales interaction.
As you proceed in your sales interaction, you will want to accomplish each step completely before you move on to the next step.
What should your plan look like?
This is when you exchange some brief pleasantries and begin to build rapport when you meet for the first time -this needs to be planned and not left to chance. Ensure this initial conversation does not get so far off topic that it becomes difficult to get back to business.
You should have a few planned topics to talk about - things that are conversational in nature - which help you to move forward.
What topics could you use as a warm up? You could start by thinking about what some of the issues that you still need to uncover? For example, do you need to find out how long your prospect been in business? Or if they have ever used a similar product in the past? Do you need to find out the experience levels of their IT staff?
You can uncover very useful information in this warm up phase. For example, when you are collected in reception and are on your way to the meeting room with you could start something like this:
SALESPERSON
"These are very impressive offices John, how long have ABC been here?"
PROSPECT
"Oh, we've been here for about 2 years now. We moved from the technology business park, these offices are much nicer."
SALESPERSON
"Ah, I know that Park, just off the ring road?"
PROSPECT
"Yes, that's right."
SALESPERSON
"How long were you at the business park?"
PROSPECT
"Too long in my opinion. The company began in 1996 by Greg Smith and we were camped out there for over 12 years. It was becoming more cramped by the day."
SALESPERSON
"There's nothing worse is there? How many people work onsite here then John?"
And so on...This is very natural and warm at the same time you are gathering very useful information.
Does your prospect know exactly what you're going to do when you arrive? Do they know what to expect? Do not assume anything; you need to make it crystal clear and you should go over exactly what you are going to do and what the next steps will be.
For example, if you are going to set up a second visit to come back with a proposal - then tell them. Do you know exactly what you want to get done?
For example:
"John, what I'd like to do during this meeting is to find out a bit more information about what you're currently doing with your advertising, what's working and what isn't working. I'd also like us to talk about the goals and objectives you've got for your advertising in the future. This will really give me a good understanding on what you want to accomplish. I'd like to talk a little about what we do and what we've done to give you some background and then I'll be able to go away and put a proposal together of my ideas and how we can help you. How does that sound John?"
You need to tell your prospect what you're going to tell them.
John will now know that the meeting will not be a sales pitch and will probably be more open and receptive as he knows exactly what to expect.
Before you can have a solution - there must a problem.
Do not push your benefits from the outset - instead pull out the problems first - and then go and solve those problems.
If your product helps your prospect to save money or time, then they must be losing money and time if they are not yet using your product. Therefore you should ask questions about those losses and the negative impacts that arise.
Ensure you have at least three areas to discuss that will allow you to uncover the problems and think about the questions you can ask to accomplish this.
Simply move forward by showing how your product or service solves those problems and cures that pain.
Can you name three reasons why your product is a better solution than your competition? Can you name three short comings of your main competitor?
If possible, give your prospect an additional motivation to act straight away. Do you have an extra incentive to help the prospect to take action now?
To summarise, here are the key steps in setting up your own sales plan:
This article was written by Sean McPheat, who is regarded as The UK's #1 Authority On Modern Day Selling. Click here to find out more about Sean and to get hold of some more sales tips.