Author: Katie Coalson

The ultimate goal of any business is to make a profit. With so many products and salespersons jockeying for your customers’ attention, it’s important to know how to employ sales techniques that will help you stand out, particularly online. While every business and product may need a different approach, there are general principles that can be applied to all types of selling. 

Sales techniques to attract customers and persuade them to buy

Attracting customers online is very different from persuading them to buy from you. Unfortunately, putting as many calls-to-action (CTAs) in their field of view is not going to work. Attraction and persuasion are two aspects of sales conversations that should be linked and strategically aligned to produce the results you need. You can reach your target audiences and convince them to make a purchase by:

1) Researching

Before you can persuade your customers to buy from you, you need to make sure your product represents real value to your customers. Identify your customers’ needs so that your product fills the gaps that your competitors can’t. These features will need to be emphasized when you present your products to potential customers and try to convince them that buying from you is worth their money.

2) Listening 

Before you start selling, you need to listen to your customers. What’s in it for them? Put yourself in your customers’ shoes by listening to their concerns and paying attention to their needs, problems, and feedback. If they tell you that your sales talk is too intrusive or off-putting, you may have to go back to the drawing board and see what changes you need to make. The principle of listening also applies to online ads, email marketing, vlogs, and every type of online marketing out there. Make your business stand out by showing your customers that you are prepared to listen to them. This is the first step in gaining their trust and persuading them that they should spend their money on what you have to offer. 

3) Using customer-centric language

Customers love feeling valued. After all, it is their money that will help your business grow. Show your appreciation for them by putting them in the centre. This is exhibited by using a polite, grateful, and conversational tone of voice for any sales or promotional material. 

4) Demonstrating how your product works

Business social media accounts exist for much more than keeping up with the trends. Make these platforms work to your advantage by using social media to demonstrate how your product works. The modern consumer is always wary of scams, defects, and malfunctions. You need to show them that your product is all it’s cracked up to be prior to convincing them to buy. Upload videos or pictures of your product being used. This is the same technique that cookware advertisers use on TV—and it’s very effective. Social media is far cheaper than TV, so use it as your leverage to show that you are selling something that’s the “real deal.” Product demonstrations also enable your target audiences to imagine themselves using the product. Include a video of past customers’ testimonials to bolster audience trust.

5) Up-selling steadily

Don’t overwhelm your target audiences with what you think are the benefits of your product. You’ll merely sound like you’re trying to pull off a hard sale. Instead, hook them by addressing their needs and showing them that your product can be of value. Once they subscribe to your suggested “urgent” solution, you can use the data you have on your customers to convince them of other features and accessories your product has. 

Only when their most pressing questions are answered and met by your products can you think about convincing them to “save” more or reap “more” benefits by buying more products from you. Most salespeople online make the mistake of overhyping their sales efforts, so you actually stand out by keeping your up-selling tempered in the beginning.

Conclusion

The internet is probably the most notable technological marvel of our time. With it came a revolution in the way we do things—including sell products. Now that everyone is looking to tap into the global market, make sure that you know how to stand out with the aforementioned tips. 

If you’re looking for help in implementing these and other techniques, get in touch with us today for a free consultation!

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We understand it can be difficult to know where to start when building a framework for sales conversations, so we’ve developed a Sales Conversation “Cheat Sheet” you can download HERE.

Leading sales conversations are not as straightforward as it seems. Fortunately, both seasoned and beginner sellers can increase their conversion rates by following a simple formula that is scalable for everyone within the industry.

The key is to understand the target market and focus on how your product can solve a problem, rather than selling a solution. Additionally, establishing a clear goal beforehand is crucial, followed by using guidance to encourage prospects to make fast decisions rather than delaying their intent to purchase. To that end, here are some tried and true techniques that can improve your sales conversations:

Tip #1: Ask Questions

Asking questions is an excellent way of uncovering a prospect’s pain points and determining how your product can offer solutions that resonate with their current problems. It is also a subtle way of controlling the conversation as the progression naturally flows to your goal, which is to highlight your product’s ability to solve their problem.

To start, list at least three common challenges your target market find common. If they bite the hook, reel them in by digging deeper and be sure to listen when they respond in kind. You can enhance their engagement by adding small remarks and nod in appropriate areas to help encourage your prospects to share more details about any of the issues they would like to solve. This helps establish a genuine conversation where all parties are invested.

Tip #2: Dictate the Terms of the Interaction

Many sales representatives within the industry follow the age-old wisdom to mirror their prospects. This means that the conversation is typically lead by the candidates, while you as a rep should follow suit using their tone and body language to create a relatable image. While mirroring is a useful tactic, you also need to make sure you are dictating the flow of the conversation.

Top salespeople that dictate the flow of the conversation found that their influence on prospects has increased by up to 13% on average. Placing the rhythm of the sales conversations in your hands also enables you to encourage candidates to make decisions on the spot and makes a positive impact on their win rates.

Tip #3: Integrate Therapist-Grade Listening Skills

A powerful and effective sales conversation includes more listening than talking. In a recent study on top performers, representatives that achieve high remarks and land winning pitches use a 46:54 talk-to-listen ration. This means that the secret to stimulating conversations includes talking less than 50%, while low performers are discovered to dominate a mind-numbing rate of 72%.

Combined with the skill of active listening and the ability to hold back from jumping in between your prospect’s pauses enables you to gather more productive and valuable information. This is essential in building rapport and establishing secure connections with your clients, which ultimately influences how they will respond to your sales points.

If you’re looking for help in implementing these and other techniques, get in touch with us today for a free consultation!

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We understand it can be difficult to know where to start when building a framework for sales conversations, so we’ve developed a Sales Conversation “Cheat Sheet” you can download HERE.

In any given business, the true measure of marketing success is conversions. While producing the right materials and generating relevant leads is important, your work would be futile if you weren’t able to actually convert those prospects. At the end of the day, the goal is to ensure that the audience buys your products or takes advantage of your services. At the very least, they should remember who you are. If they or someone they know ever have the need for your products or services, you should be who they think of.

Every marketer knows that the world of sales is not an easy one. Getting sales entails critical decision-making, the right marketing strategies, and hard work. Amid all these plans and tactics, there’s one crucial aspect that can put your business into the pedestal of success: Customer engagement.

Reaching out to the right market and keeping them engaged is paramount. Here are some reasons why customer engagement can lead to an increase in sales in your business.

Keeps customers informed

Engaged customers are informed customers. This means that they are aware of your brand and know of the products or services you offer. Because of this, they know that your brand provides the solution they need. Therefore, the more you keep them engaged, the more they are attracted to your business. The same group of people often translates into loyal customers over time, willing to purchase your goods and services.

Creates brand awareness

Studies show that a customer needs to see an advertisement seven times before considering a purchase. The more you introduce the product to the market, the more chances you have to establish brand awareness. One great strategy to develop brand awareness is engagement. Keeping customers engaged will lead to brand recognition and cause your target audience to have a sense of familiarity with your brand. Brand recognition eventually becomes instrumental in product purchase and contract renewal.

Allows for needs assessment

One great thing about engagement with customers is that it gives clues as to what the customers’ needs are. Customers often either engage with companies via social media, surveys or interviews. By interacting, they provide clues as to what their needs and goals are. This information is paramount in helping you come up with products or services that truly create customer value. In the end, information is essential if you want to provide what they need. After all, it’s the only way to get your audience to buy your products or avail of your services.

Opens up the possibility of larger orders

Various marketing studies suggest that engaged customers tend to spend more. One particular study found that a fully engaged customer spends an average 23 percent more than an average customer. A disengaged customer, the study revealed, spends 13 percent less. This means that making a purchase is an increasingly emotional act. Customers often choose to buy from companies whom they trust. The more they trust you, the more they will be willing to spend and even place bulk orders with you.

Makes brand advocates

Finally, customer engagement transforms customers into brand advocates. Customers who are happy with your products or services are more likely to refer your brand to other individuals via worth of mouth, social media and a number of other avenues. Therefore, it’s important to engage in discussions on social media with them, consistently reply to questions about products, and even encourage new customers to meet with you. In doing so, you’ll be investing in people who will later on invest in you!

Make sure you’re capitalizing on your marketing spend with healthy conversion rates in your sales process. Email us today for a free consultation.

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We understand it can be difficult to know where to start when building a framework for sales conversations, so we’ve developed a Sales Conversation “Cheat Sheet” you can download HERE.