The Savvy Entrepreneur

I hate when walking in a store, the first thing the salesperson does is try to sell me something I don’t want or need. It comes off as unprofessional and desperate, and I always wonder, “What’s in it for them?”

Another situation that irks me is when a salesperson talks too much — or worse — too much about themselves. I’m a pleasant, sociable person, and I can appreciate if we have some things in common (don’t push your luck with me on this one, though), but I didn’t come into your store to make a new friend — you got the sale, so just swipe my card, say ‘thanks for the business’ and hand me my stuff so I can move on.

Okay, so maybe I’m being a little harsh, but I’m not the only one that feels this way. You and your clients are no different.

First, I need to say: You CANNOT sell something to someone who doesn’t already have an interest in buying. That’s why cold calling typically doesn’t work. Second is this: If you’re doing all the talking, you’re not finding out what your client really wants. People don’t want to be sold anything, and they certainly don’t want small talk or fake interest. However, if a potential client expresses interest in your services, they’ve engaged you in the sales process on their own; You can directly impact the end result by how you approach the process.

You’ve often heard me stress the importance of building the ‘know-like-trust factor.’ You must demonstrate you are sincere, trustworthy and genuine. Show you care about them (not in making the sale), are unattached to the outcome, and be transparent. Here are some ways to accomplish this:

• ask lots of questions (yes, you’ve heard me say this often too!) as opposed to giving your spiel
• be flexible (on terms, fees, delivery, or anything else)
• show you’re willing to walk away from the sale by referring them to someone better suited to their needs
• restate and address objections, rather than dismissing or minimizing them
• offer a money-back guarantee
• speak with confidence and look them in the eye (if face-to-face)
• share a recent success story

Clients really want to know you genuinely have their best interests at heart. The only way to do that is to show rather than tell — that is, by your actions. Identify your clients’ needs, issues, pains or challenges by asking lots of questions before talking about your services. If you’re not the right fit, say so. Engaging the client in a conversation, rather than a pitch, will bring you that much closer to a ‘yes.’