The past two articles in this series have discussed a number of characteristics required to be successful in the selling business. But there are three more crucial things salespeople must have in their sales bag: product knowledge, industry knowledge and selling skills. Let’s explore these three areas.

Product Knowledge: This is a given. Salespeople better know their products and systems inside-out in order to explain the value to their customers.

Without product knowledge, a salesperson will probably look like a fool at best and a con artist at worst. Don’t fake it. If you don’t know the answer to a question, admit it. Find the answer and get back to your customer. Make a phone call on the spot, showing the customer that your organization solves issues quickly.

Also, take the time to study product literature, labels and specification sheets. Talk to your sales manager and visit with your reps. Watch videos, ask questions at sales meetings, and your knowledge and confidence will go way up — as will your income.

Industry Knowledge: It is important for salespeople to know what is going on in their industry. Who is your competition? Not just your local supply competitors but what are their suppliers offering in the way of products, promotions, systems, etc.?

What about new products, procedures and systems that are being presented by your competitors; do they work? What do your customers think of them? Do you have something equal or better than these new ideas?

Here’s another area where knowledge is key: knowing whether your customers’ facilities are being cleaned effectively. Are they susceptible to outsourcing? If they are out-sourced, will you lose the business? What are the time requirements for cleaning? Can you help your accounts become more efficient?

Read trade journals like Sanitary Maintenance that feature manufacturers’ ads to see what they are telling the world about their products, and why.

Selling Skills: If someone says you should work on your “selling skills,” do you know what they mean? It’s a term that requires definition. I think selling skills start with planning, extend through closing the sale, and end with good follow-up.

We will get to planning and prospecting in a future article. For now, let’s get into the selling skills used during a sales call. We are talking about asking questions, listening, handling objections and closing the sale. If used regularly and properly these skills will greatly increase your personal sales. We could write an entire article on any one of these selling skills, but for this article we’ll be brief.

People believe that a salesperson must have the “gift of gab.” Not true! What a salesperson must have is the gift of listening and the gift of asking questions.

Questions should come before listening — questions that educate you about your prospect. Plan your questions. In most cases, ask open-ended questions that cannot be answered with a yes or no and begin with one of six words: who, what, where, when, why and how. They keep the communication open. Practice asking questions starting with one of these six words. By the way, once you have asked a question, be quiet. Give your listener the courtesy of letting them answer your question; don’t say a word until they have given you their answer. When your prospect starts to talk, listen. Listen to learn. Use good eye contact, pay attention, don’t change the subject and don’t interrupt. Use verbal as well as non-verbal prompts, such as “Why is that?” and “Tell me more.” Smile, nod your head, etc.

When making your presentation you may hear one or more objections. This is good; if your prospect is talking, you are learning. Don’t be afraid of objections. You must smoke them out or they will bite you in the end, and you may never know why you lost the sale.

Look at objections as questions — that’s what they are. In your mind, turn the objection into a question, cushion the objection, answer the question and get back to selling.

Example: “Your price is too high.” Answer: “I can appreciate your concern in today’s economy but let me point out the difference between price and cost,” and then do so. “I can appreciate” is the cushion to the objection. It doesn’t make a prospect feel like you’re in disagreement.

Make a list of the objections you may encounter when presenting various products, then write down your answers to each objection and be ready when the time comes. Plan ahead.

Next, the ABCs of closing. To keep it simple for this article, there are two kinds of closes: The “trial close” and the “close.”

The trial close asks for an opinion. It can be used at almost any time during your sales presentation, and asks the customer, “What do you think?”

The close asks for a decision. For example: “When do you want us to ship,” “How many do you think you will need,” or “If you will give me a purchase order, we’ll start putting things together, okay?”
Always ask for the order. If you don’t, customers might assume you are unsure that your wonderful widget will really be of value to them.

Maurice Dixon managed two major Midwest janitorial supply distributors for many years. Currently he operates Dixon & Associates and conducts training and selling skill seminars. He also consults with janitorial supply companies on their sales and marketing plans.

To share your selling ideas, fax: (414) 228-1134, contact Mr. Dixon at (877) 379-3566 or e-mail Seiche Sanders.




POSTED ON: 2/1/2002