Sales Techniques
Keeping your sales techniques sharp
There are some fundamental aspects to sales that will never change – building rapport, identifying problems and providing solutions, for example.
But how we communicate and deliver our sales service will change over time, so it’s incredibly important to keep your salespeople fresh, up to date, and challenged to keep refining the way they sell. There is always room for improvement.
Who should learn our sales techniques?
Any of your team directly involved with selling should be part of these training sessions, whether it’s an intensive course or ongoing training sessions.
What are good sales techniques?
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Identify prospects
HeadingDo your research on a potential prospect, get to know about them online and work out whether they’ll be a good fit to work with – this will also prepare you well for meeting up with them if there is that opportunity.
Build rapport
HeadingThis skill is only developed well over time – even the most introverted people can become good at building rapport.
Work out your prospect’s challenges and qualify them
HeadingWhat’s their pain point? Why are they looking into your product or service? And how close are they to making a move?
Present solutions
HeadingPresent your services as a solution that answers their need – perfecting this takes time, but keep it light, smile, and be confident in your product.
Know when to say “no”
HeadingEven when a prospect is interested, they may not be the best fit for your company. Be honest with them. There’s no point in leading them through the sales funnel only to be disappointed after purchase.
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Handle objections
HeadingIf you predict certain objections are going to come up in conversation, be the one to mention them first. Start your sentence with a phrase like,“Most people at this stage wonder/are concerned about…” and outline their concern. This makes the prospect feel like you understand things from their perspective.
Common mistakes made when using sales techniques
These are some of the most frequent fails sales people seem to fall into. Do you see your team making these mistakes?
Coming off as "predictable"
Sales people often come off like they’re only interested in the sale – it’s predictable and very off-putting. Relate to the person, listen for their problem, offer your solution, and earn your way to a sale.
Talking too much
Talking constantly is one of the worst sales mistakes. You’re there for them – listen, ask appropriate questions and understand their needs so you can respond well.
Answering something you don’t know
People can see through a flaky answer immediately. Don’t bluff with false information or a claim to seal the deal – it can quite easily come back to bite you. Know your product intimately, and if you can’t answer a question, just say so honestly. Promise to get an answer for them shortly.
Withholding pricing
It’s better to be upfront about pricing both for you and the prospect. For the decision maker, they want to know whether you fit in their league – leaving the price out of talks for too long can be a huge waste of time for you, and for your potential client.
Arguing with the customer
As a salesperson, your job and goal is not to prove the prospect wrong. Your goal is to help them. If the prospect is wrong and it’s not harmful to you or their business, you can let things go and move on.
Not following up with your prospects
Lack of follow-up might be one of the worst mistakes a good salesperson can make. 44% of sales representatives give up after the initial conversation, but studies show prospects often need up to five interactions to make a decision. One call isn’t enough to keep you and your product in a prospect’s mind.
How improving sales techniques can help your business
No matter how good a salesperson is, there’s always room for improvement or refinement. Polishing and updating sales techniques draws the focus back to your customer, not just closing the deal.
How we help you improve your sales techniques
SLP sales technique programmes focus on four key areas:
- Relationship building and maintenance
- Sales techniques for cold calling
- Sales techniques for upselling
- Sales techniques for negotiation
We also look closely at closing sales techniques.
When was the last time you worked on sales techniques with your team?
About Us
Our name, Sales and Leadership Performance, spells out a little of what we do. We're a team passionate about sharing the skills we've honed through the years working in and around sales teams.
