Future Business Ideas

Selling is not a one-step maneuver, although some salespeople see it that way. Realistically, a sale can be broken down into seven steps. It is not until the fourth step that one gets into the nitty gritty of selling, and the seventh step can occur minutes, weeks, or months after you close the sale.

In order to sell something, you need to find someone to sell to. That is what the first step of selling is all about; prospecting. During this phase, you try to find people who are most likely to buy your product. For example, if you are a financial planner, you might prospect by checking the newspaper and finding listings of couples who just had a baby. Then, you could call them and offer to help them set up a college savings account. There are various strategies and tactics for prospecting, and it is a whole field in it of itself.

Once you have found some viable prospects, you must actually meet with them. This consists of agreeing upon a mutually acceptable appointment time and getting together. Original contact can be stressful and tense, but it is critical that you overcome this initial barrier as early as possible. If you can make a good first impression, that will alleviate most of the tension immediately.

Next, you must determine whether or not your product or service can meet the prospect's needs. This is known as qualifying. The bulk of this step is asking questions, to find out exactly what your prospect wants and how you can help him achieve those wants. If you discover that your product is not right for the prospect, then respectfully exit the situation. It is pointless to waste both your time and the prospect's time if you know that the situation will not go anywhere.

When you determine that your product will satisfy your potential client's needs, it is finally time to start the presentation. Depending on what company you work for, you may have a variety of tools and sales aids at your disposal, such as computer graphics, charts, and other things of that nature. During the presentation, focus on all the benefits of your product and how it can help solve some sort of problem for the prospect.

You will inevitably face objections at some point during or after the presentation; thus, the fifth step of the selling cycle is overcoming objections. Concerns are not a bad thing; in fact, it means that the prospect is truly interested in what you have to offer. Face objections head on, tackling each one individually, and eventually your prospect will have no reason not to buy.

The sixth step is where all your hard work pays off: Closing the sale. At this point, in many cases, all you have to do is ask for the sale and you will have it. Besides just asking, you have many strategies and closing options at your disposal to try out if simply asking does not work.

Many salespeople disagree on what to do about the final step, which is asking for referrals. Some people like to do it right after they close the sale, when the prospect is feeling happy and fulfilled. Others think that it is not right, or effective, to ask for referrals when the client has not even used your product yet. When you request referrals is a matter of personal preference, but in any case, you should always ask for referrals at some point during the relationship.