There are countless sales tips out there for small business owners to utilize to bring in more customers. But hard sales is working much anymore. Your customers don’t want to be sold to. They want to be courted and cared about. there’s always room for more, particularly ones that may not be as well-known and that play on the power of knowing your customers. Here are three seldom-used sales skills you can add to your repertoire.
They want to be courted and cared about. there’s always room for more, particularly ones that may not be as well-known and that play on the power of knowing your customers. Here are three seldom-used sales skills you can add to your repertoire.
So here are three seldom-used sales skills reworked for today’s customers:
Know Why Your Customers Buy
Sounds simple enough, but oftentimes small business owners focus too much on what they are passionate about and don’t give enough consideration to what their customers are passionate about. Appeal to you customers’ emotions by telling your story in a way that relates to them. They typically buy with their hearts, rather than their heads, so take the time to find out how you can position your products or services to meet their needs.
Gain Influence by Mirroring
You want your customers to feel comfortable and trust you, which can ultimately earn repeat business. One way to do this is by utilizing the mirroring technique. To do so, you need to be quite observant and pay attention to your customers’ mannerisms and behaviors. You want to pay particular attention to their tone of voice, the words and phrases they use most often, and the rate at which they speak. For instance, if they have a slow, deliberate way of talking, don’t try to rush them through their sentences. If they are curt and clipped in their speech, don’t spend the afternoon trying to tell them a story.
We are all predisposed to favoring those who are like ourselves, so mirroring is an easy way to make yourself more like your customers. That said, be subtle; don’t be a parrot.
Convince Your Customers to Talk Themselves Into Buying
Another psychological method you can use to help convince customers to make a purchase is the social labeling technique. By getting to know your customers and understanding their personalities and worldviews, you can help convince them to buy your product or service. You don’t want to manipulate them; rather, simply use the way they look at things as a means to curry favor. For example, if one of your customers identified themselves as an “environmentalist,” speak to the eco-friendly features of your products.
But don’t be dishonest. Mention only what’s true and fitting because if you’re caught in a lie or are misleading a customer, you’ll likely be tried in the court of public opinion through social media. And that’s rarely a good thing for business.
Do you use these sales techniques in your business? If not, how are you connecting with your customers?
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