Sales Strategy
Modern Day Sales: Managing Your Sales Presentation | June 10, 2015 (0 comments)
Tallahassee, FL--In our last installment, we examined how to create a selling style that effective with the modern day customer. To complement that topic, let’s address the importance of learning to manage your sales presentation.
Many sales associates do not know how to properly manage a sales presentation, and they wind up in marathon sales that drain and exhaust their energy, while other customers go to other associates.
Keep in mind that the focus of your sale must always be on taking care of your customers and meeting their needs, but learn to manage your time so that you are spending just enough—not too little and not too much—with each customer.
In the past we were trained to ask the right questions that ultimately guide us to a quick close. The core of this concept is to ask the right questions, listen, and address the need. This technique has served us well, but building on those concepts, here are some insights that will help you manage your sales presentation more effectively.
The first important skill is to cut the fat from your sales presentation. You want your sales presentation to be lean, healthy and effective. Using the skills you have cultivated and combining them with an aptitude for personal communication can achieve this goal. Remember, selling too little or too much can greatly affect your chances of greater success.
Here is an example: As you are engaging your customer, they mention that their child just received the lead role in the school play. Here’s when to employ a technique called AMMO: Acknowledge, Motivate and Move On!
“Wow! That is amazing, Cathy! You must be very proud. I didn’t know that Zach was an actor. Those skills will serve him well down the road in life.” At this point, I would move on unless the customer chooses to continue. Most of the time they are ready to move along as well after you have acknowledged and motivated them.
But that same situation can snowball and cost you valuable time and precious energy: if you stay on the subject for an hour. There is nothing morally wrong with that because you are building a solid relationship with your customer, but in today’s world of sales it can cost you dearly. While you are going back and forth for that hour, three other potential customers have walked in and you have missed an opportunity. Even if the original customer purchased something, your time could have been more efficiently and effectively utilized tending to the others.
The second negative scenario is to acknowledge but then share your own story and duke it out for who has the better story. It sounds silly, but I see it happen all the time: “Wow! That’s great Cathy! You know my niece Sally was the lead for last year’s play.”
Now that stage is set, you both are going to give your best performance to make sure that your story stands out the most. It sounds funny, but when you see it from afar you are watching potential business go to other associates.
I am by no means suggesting you ignore your customer’s excitement or experience. I am simply saying to make it all about your customer and not about yourself. Do not steal their show. Give them the passion and energy they deserve, while at the same time managing your time more wisely.
The next time that you go into a sales presentation, make sure you are more aware of your time management and potential to become more effective and efficient. Learn to master that fine line between not enough, just enough, and too much, and give your customer an amazing experience while creating more opportunities for yourself to make a living. There is nothing wrong with being successful and making money if you are doing things the right way.
Modern Day Selling offers the freshest new insight in jewelry sales training designed to help sales associatse achieve greater success. As a yearly million-dollar-plus sales associate for the past eight years, Brian Barfield practices what he preaches on finding success based on the core principles of trust, honest and integrity. He is a two time published author whose insight is being recognized around the world. For more information or in-store training, visit his website or email brian@moderndayselling.com.