Sales Strategy
Are You Following Me? | July 23, 2015 (1 comment)
Miami, FL--If you knew the right words that could improve your sales, you’d use them, wouldn’t you? When you see your customer is hesitating it makes sense to address them and get it out in the open, doesn’t it? And after the deal is done you should make sure your customer is happy and satisfied, shouldn’t you?
So why all the questions? This is a simple technique that can help you improve your sales process. It’s called “Sales Tie-Downs.” Getting your customer to agree with you in small steps along the way, will give you a better chance of closing the sale.
Sale “tie-downs” are short questions you add in your presentation to get your customer to start saying yes long before you go for the close. Engage your customer and get them used to saying yes. Too often I’ve experienced sales associates and reps simply giving me their scripted presentation and expecting to land the sale. I can see right through that and it really doesn’t work.
Don’t underestimate your audience! Shoppers will tune out because they aren’t engaged in the process. They aren’t interacting with you, so they’re thinking about something else. Asking them little questions along the way gets them involved and gives you a better idea of how their feeling.
Tie-downs are questions include ones like, “You know what I mean?” and “Are you following me?”
End statements with questions like, “Wouldn’t you agree?” and “Is that right?” The questions can even be as simple as, “Aren’t they?” “Can’t you?” “Isn’t it?” “Shouldn’t it?” “Won’t they?”
Tie-downs need to become a natural part of your conversation before you can use them in your sales presentation. Be aware of your tone so the questions don’t sound threatening or argumentative, and practice tie-downs with other sales associates, managers, your spouse or friends. Role-playing is always fun and an excellent way to practice tie-downs and this could be a fun interactive exercise for your Monday morning store meetings. Practice until you develop a rhythm that will include enough, but not too many, tie-down questions.
Another benefit to tie-downs is they will keep you in control and confirm that your customers understand what you are saying during your sales presentation, and that it’s ok to continue.
You don’t need a big close. You’ll risk losing your customer if you save all the good stuff for the end. Keep your customer actively involved throughout your presentation and watch your results improve… cha-ching!
Now let me ask you again, if you knew how to improve your sales, you would, wouldn’t you? I think you know the answer!
Andie Weinman, president and CEO of Preferred Jewelers International / Continental Buying Group Inc., was born with the “Jewelry Gene” working in the jewelry industry since she was only ten years old. Her first job was as a cashier in the opening of a catalog showroom doing a fantastic job even at that tender age. Andie holds a B.A. in musical theatre and a B.S. in marine biology from The University of Tampa. When she realized that seawater and marine biology were not good on her hair and she wasn’t quite good enough to make it on Broadway, the jewelry business beckoned. Andie has picked diamonds, sorted color stones, shot waxes and performed a multitude of jobs in the manufacturing of jewelry. Her negotiating experience and prowess has given her the reputation as being tough but fair in her dealings with vendors. In 2012 the Indian Diamond and Color Association awarded Andie the Prestigious Doyenne Award of the Year.