Salesmanship - Marketing⁺

Salesmanship – Marketing⁺ a collection of papers from PlannedSites for SME's

"The sole purpose of marketing is to sell more to more people, more often and at higher prices. There is no other reason to do it." - Sergio Zyman

We’re not about to suggest you or your partners or staff kit yourselves out with the traditional Mondeo and sample book but there are skills involved in sales that help with normal social intercourse. Being aware of them can only help your marketing efforts.

Assume the ”sale”

It’s obvious but you should believe that everyone you talk to in whatever context would benefit by being a client of yours. (If you don’t believe that you need to rethink your training or your firm’s methods or both.) Your demeanour should reflect that. Don’t be hesitant or apologetic, be positive and outgoing. Assume the prospect will become a client, don’t give the impression you think it will be a stroke of luck.

Relationship

Aim to establish a friendship by building a rapport with the prospect. Always talk about him (listen and make plenty of mental notes later to be written down for use next time you meet) not about you. This may be obvious and in chapter one of the selling manual but humans find the easiest thing to talk about is themselves and it must be resisted at all costs. Ask lots of questions – about him.

Objections

Draw up a list of objections a prospect (and everyone you meet who isn’t a client is a prospect) might bring up and have an answer to all of them. But most of all keep in mind that professional salesmen regard objections as buying signals. “It’s too expensive” implies the prospect would actually like to buy. It may be that whatever the salesman is selling is too expensive and no sale results but the objection does mean that the prospect would like to buy.

Close

Don’t be afraid to ask for the business. After all, you’re doing him the favour; becoming your client is the best thing he’ll ever do. The Law of Reciprocation suggests that humans have an inbuilt desire to repay what others do for them. It’s one of the reasons we advocate so strongly that you give away information on your website, your e-book and your Newsletter.

The Law of Scarcity

Opportunities seem more valuable when they are less available. If, as we advise elsewhere, you set up a premium service for select clients you will attract clients to it merely because it is select and unavailable to everyone.

In the same vein don’t offer appointments in the immediate future. “You could come and see me this afternoon” might seem to be accommodating but it is also saying you’ve nothing better to do. If emergencies crop up always leave the prospect or client thinking you’ve had to re-arrange your diary.

Don’t knock the competition

Politeness would probably stop you anyway but this is one of the planks in the professional salesman’s creed.

“Joe Bloggs & Co are just a bunch of crooks who toady to the Revenue” will probably lose you the prospect without hope of recall.