Get to know the four basics of sales in this post. Learn how to use effective communication, create a sales process, understand the customer’s needs, and explain the benefits of your product or services. Be sure to read this guide to learn the fundamentals of sales success.
A quick search for sales books on Amazon will show that there are tons of different approaches to sales. Of course, sales techniques can be hit or miss. However, the fundamentals of the best strategies touch on similar areas (i.e. needs, benefits and communication). In sales, you want to understand the customers’ needs and explain the benefits that your product/service can provide that will address those needs.
In this post, I will share four basics of sales that you and sales team members should understand when working to sell more products or services in your business. It should be no surprise that “listening and communicating” are both involved in each of the four basics that I will discuss below.
#1 Sales is rooted in a customer and a sales agent communicating with each other.
In a sales transaction, the customer must communicate their needs, wants and required results, and the sales agent must work to fully understand what the customer is trying to communicate. This will help the sales agent identify any available products or services that will help the customer achieve the required result. The challenge comes when the customer doesn’t know how to effectively communicate their needs or the sales agent doesn’t take the time to truly listen to the customer. Sales sometimes requires the sales agent to read between the lines and interpret what the customer may or may not be saying.
#2 In sales, customers will make a purchase based on the results that a product or service provides.
When a sales agent has been taught that sales are all about the product and not the results, then this concept can be a challenge for them to comprehend. Customers want to find ways to save time and money. They want to avoid issues or discover solutions to an issue. Sometimes customers even purchase products or services to meet needs that they didn’t realize they had until a sales agent brings it to their attention. Whatever you sell, it is simply an avenue for the customer to attain a desired result. Therefore, as the sales agent you need to find a way to communicate how your product or service will get the customer to that result. Your business offers solutions!
#3 A customer's account status doesn’t matter. It’s still about communication.
Whether you’re getting into new accounts or managing existing accounts, you still need to maintain the lines of communication. When obtaining a new account, you need to communicate a solution to get results as mentioned in the previous points. You will effectively sell by listening, questioning for clarity and communicating the results. When servicing existing accounts, you’ll need to stay up to date on the customers needs. You’ll need to clearly communicate whenever your menu of products or services change to better fit their existing needs or when you offer something that addresses issues that you didn’t have the ability to address in the past.
#4 Selling can be viewed as problem solving.
The selling process often includes a pitch and a response. When the response is positive, the customer sees the value in your offer and moves forward with the purchase. However, sometimes the response can be an objection to the pitch. When a customer objects and you truly offer a solution to their issue, then the sales agent should approach the sale in a way that clearly communicates how the product or service can solve the issue. This may boil down to a shift in the presentation, but as long as the agent listens and knows the benefits of the offer then they should be equipped to combat most objections.
Conclusion
In conclusion, if you and your sales team approach sales through the lens of communication and problem solving then you might find the sales process will become more organic. Use this as a group exercise and think through the potential benefits that your products and services can provide to your prospective customers. Create a list and make sure to familiarize yourself with these benefits as you continue to win new accounts. Knowledge is power and you and your team should be armed with as much product knowledge as possible when working to increase sales in your business.
Cyd N. Mitchell
Business Blogger, Retail Bakers of America
Cydni N. Mitchell (aka Cyd) is a Bakery Consultant and the Sweet Business Coach behind Sweet Fest®. Based in Atlanta, GA, Sweet Fest® is an online company that supports the business needs of the Sweet Community in the areas of professional development, marketing, branding and web design.
By trade, Cyd is an accountant & financial analyst with a Masters from the Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is the Founder of the Sugar Coin Academy, an online business academy for business owners in the baking and sweets industry, and she is also the organizer of The Ultimate Sugar Show, Georgia’s Largest Annual Baking and Sweets Expo in Atlanta. She is also the Business Blogger for the Retail Bakers of America.
#Sales