MASTER

“Rise Above the Rest, To Overcome All Test, And Prove to Everyone That You Are the Best”

“THE MASTER” © 2020

By Elroy Lewis.

All rights reserved.

Printed in INDIA.

No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner

Whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of

Brief quotations embodied in critical pages or reviews.

For information, contact: elroylewis1970@gmail.com

About the Author

Elroy Lewis (born June 19th, 1970) is an Indian-born author, international trainer, public speaker, master coach, training expert, CE curriculum developer, and motivation expert.

Elroy has more than 22 years of vast training experience and has walked the walk and talked the talk in helping and training thousands of salespeople across the globe and in India on sales, customer service, soft skills, behavioral training, content development, management development programs, designing, etc. and holds a master degree in sales. In his book “The Master,” Elroy takes you step by step through the 18 stages of how to master the art of retail selling. Elroy has previously worked and trained for top multinational companies like Zenta, International, Quantum e-Services, Wipro, Fortune Group, Vijay Sales, Modi Group, etc. Throughout his career, Elroy has conducted various seminars and workshops and is famous for his powerful motivational speeches and “I can do, & I will do” attitude.

In his book, Elroy emphasizes more on the “art of reverse selling” and speaks broadly of how to “master the art of closing every customer in 18 minutes (the window of fortune)” and how to ask only the “three magical questions” to every customer. He also focuses broadly on the “18 stages of retail selling," “The Armani voice of sales," “The Whale,” etc., for which every sales executive in the retail and selling industry needs to understand and master to be the top performer of his company.

IMPORTANT SUGGESTION

Take a moment to please read this book. You’ll get a lot more out of it if you’re not reading it from a computer screen, as you will be able to master some of the chapters as you read along and make notes that are important to you. By now purchasing it, you can read it at a coffee shop, read it at home in your comfortable chair, or take it with you the next time you travel. If you find this book of value, please feel free to refer it to friends, family members, and colleagues.

“The Master” is a must-read for all new, as well as experienced sales staff, sales managers, branch managers, floor managers, cluster heads, sales heads, regional sales managers, sales trainers, sales coaches, etc., and every sales professional in the retail and selling industry to overcome the major flaws and gaps that are being committed even today by mastering the 18 stages to bring out the champion in every salesperson and make him or her the top performer in the retail and selling industry. The Master is a book dedicated to helping you become smarter, wealthier, and wiser and full of tips, techniques, and new methods in selling and closing anyone.

If you have any comments for me about this book, I can be contacted by email at elroylewis1970@gmail.com. Please enjoy.

Dedication

There have been so many people who have influenced me along my journey till date—teachers, friends, bosses, clients, speakers, authors, mentors, coaches, and family members. However, I would like to dedicate this book to the four most important people in my life for their never-ending love, support, and encouragement in making many of life's beautiful moments happen, this being one of them. Life is too precious, and you never know how much time you have to pursue your dreams and leave a positive legacy. There is no better time than now to live your passion, pursue your dreams, and live a meaningful life.

Ambrose and Veronica Lewis, my parents, for being the most caring, supporting, and loving parents any child would ever ask for. I thank you both from the bottom of my heart for everything you have done for me and our family.

Chitra Lewis, my adorable, loving wife of almost 22 years. You are my inspiration and my best friend. My soul mate and God’s greatest gift to me. I thank you for always being there for me and for our family. God bless you, and I will always love you.

Aryan Lewis, my darling baby boy and god's biggest and most wonderful miracle he bestowed upon us, you are my inspiration and the light of our lives, and I will always love you till the very end of my life. My wish is that you never stop dreaming, believing in yourself, and that the journeys you take build your character, confidence, and compassion.

WELCOME

Thank you for taking the time to read this book! It is often said that if you don’t invest time, energy, and money in yourself, you are a poor judge of a great investment. One of the great tragedies in life is that as adults we stop dreaming of our possibilities, of what we could achieve or who we could become. I don’t know where along our journey towards adulthood we lose the desire to dream or lose the ability to let our creative selves flourish. When did you stop dreaming? When did you give up dreaming and working towards all the wonderful and majestic milestones that you could achieve?

I believe you never lose the ability to dream great dreams, to live a life that is bigger than you, that is outside of you, and that lives on after you have departed. We just stop dreaming! At what stage did we stop designing our lives and just focus on earning a living?! In our fast-paced world, crazy deadlines prohibit us from stopping work long enough to take the time to dream about what we really want to do, be, and achieve. We don’t allow ourselves the luxury to get out of the rat race, off the never-ending treadmill of the work, eat, and sleep routine we call our life, in order to create a life we really want to live. It almost overwhelms us to think about changing when we must also consider everything that we have on our mind: our schedule, our diary, and our full to-do list. The purpose of this book is to be a catalyst that assists you to stimulate your desire to dream big dreams again and to facilitate a change that will impact your future forever.

Once again, thank you for taking the time to invest in yourself. If you believe that this book would benefit a friend, family member, client, or colleague, then please forward it onto them. The only recommended links contained in this eBook are to our website for additional free resources that may assist you in your journey to discovering your passion.

The Magical Approach

“No matter how you feel, get up, dress up, show up, and never give up.”

Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning in Africa, a lion wakes up. It knows it must outrun the slowest gazelle or it will starve to death. It doesn't matter whether you're a lion or a gazelle; when the sun comes up, you'd better be running!

The longer I live, the more I realise the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill. It will make or break a company, a church, a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for the day. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react. And so, it is with you... we are in charge of our attitudes.

Sales is considered to be the No. 1 profession in the world. Having said that, let me be clear from the start: there is no one paintbrush in sales, no magical approach that works every time. Sales is a living, breathing process changing all the time, and we must change our approach to meet the different needs of each customer. There is no one book that has the master plan to close every sale. The tips in this book are what I have personally used and trained to be successful in sales.

You don’t need rocket science or any type of degree to be a salesperson. These days, most companies offer free on-the-job training. To become a sales superstar and to earn a six-figure income, all you need to do is look deep inside your soul and ask yourself, “Do I have the will to win, the drive to be the number one, and the ability to do all the things that others won't?" Having the right attitude and staying in the right frame of mind are two of the most important factors that come into play if you want to make it big in this retail booming industry.

We are always questioning our ability to sell when we are comparing ourselves with other successful salespeople. Why are some sales professionals converting more sales than others? Why does this happen even if they have received the same training and utilise the same resources? Why do sales teams in the same company perform differently? Whether you are trying to sell yourself in a job interview or engaged in selling a product or service to a customer, what you need to consider is that you are not the only one. There are people coming with the same education and experience as you do. There are similar products and services available on the market, and some might even have enhanced characteristics or be better priced. In any situation, you still need to sell yours. The key consists in how the sales process is done, in having at its centre the customers. Selling by building a relationship focuses on rapport building and understanding customers. This means building trust, uncovering needs, and creating desire. The steps of selling have to change to enable it. The skills of the salesperson have to develop in order to support it.

Cracked Pots: An Inspirational Story About Being Yourself

A water bearer had two large pots, one hung on each end of a pole, which he carried across his neck.

One of the pots had a crack in it, while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water.

At the end of the long walk from the stream to the master’s house, the cracked pot always arrived only half full.

For two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water to his master’s house.

Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, fulfilled in the design for which it was made.

But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection and miserable that it was unable to accomplish what it had been made to do.

After two years of enduring this bitter shame, the pot spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream. “I am ashamed of myself, and I apologise to you.”

“Why?” asked the bearer. “What are you ashamed of?”

“I have been able, for these past two years, to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your master’s house. Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you don’t get full value from your efforts,” the pot said.

The water bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot, and in his compassion, he said, “As we return to the master’s house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path.”

Indeed, as they went up the hill, the old cracked pot took notice of the sun warming the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path and was cheered somewhat. But at the end of the trail, it still felt the old shame because it had leaked out half its load, and so again the pot apologised to the bearer for its failure.

The bearer said to the pot, “Did you not notice that there were flowers only on your side of the path and not on the other pot’s side? That’s because I have always known about your flaw, and I took advantage of it. I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we’ve walked back from the stream, you’ve watered them.

For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my master’s table. Without you being just the way you are, he would not have this beauty to grace his house.”

Each of us has flaws. We’re all cracked pots.

But if you let these flaws shine and try being yourself, then you can use your flaws to make the world more beautiful.

Don’t be afraid of your weaknesses. Acknowledge them, and you, too, can bring something beautiful to this world.

I believe in you, but you must also believe in yourself. You have already taken the first step alone. Now let’s walk the rest of the journey together and master the art of selling.

“All birds find shelter during a rain, but an eagle avoids the rain by flying above the clouds. Problems are common, but attitude is what makes a difference.”

Introduction

Before we begin, I would love to tell you of how I came to the decision to embark on a new journey of writing and publishing my own book.

I’m an avid book reader and I love all types of books and all different types of genres, from sales to marketing all the way to fiction and fantasy. I have an amazing wife whose name is Chitra and a young baby boy whose name is Aryan who puts a smile on my face every time I see him. I’m a family man driven by passion, but above all else my true passion is sales. I’m sales guy and I love training on sales as much as I love selling. Sales is my true passion as well as my career path, However I just feel that I should get my knowledge and experience in selling out there as I have been in this industry from the last 20 years and feel that I have rightly mastered the Art of selling

When the idea of writing this book first shot through my brain like a bolt of lightning my first thought to myself was wow! what a great sense of accomplishment I will feel if I can pull this off.

The main purpose of this book is to show you that you don’t need to be wealthy to publish a book nor do you need an English literature degree to write one. All you need is a motive, plan and a goal. With These three elements anyone can do anything he or she wants. It doesn’t matter what the goal is all that matters is the focus and the energy you put in realizing that goal. For me personally writing this book is a true testament to the old saying “Make sure you see it through”.

My purpose is to reach out to all of you in the retail sales industry who are looking for ways to become stronger, more ferocious salespeople, Also to those of you who are just getting your foot in the door, this book will allow to get a real sense of the industry and find out exactly what it takes to Selling going to give you some tips along the way that will help you become the top performing salesperson in your industry and will help you carve out the road to your success.

If you want to become a powerhouse on the sales floor, this book suggests things you should be doing more often, as well as the things you should never be doing.

So, what’s your motive? What goals have you set for yourself? How far up the ladder do you want to climb? I’ll keep you driven, day in and day out, so that you wake up every morning ready to take on the world and achieve a level of success you believe you can achieve.

The shoes story (positive thinking, negative thinking, attitude, perspective, mindset)

You will perhaps have heard this very old story illustrating the difference between positive thinking and negative thinking:

Many years ago, two salesmen were sent by a British shoe manufacturer to Africa to investigate and report back on market potential.

The first salesman reported back, "There is no potential here - nobody wears shoes."

The second salesman reported back, "There is massive potential here - nobody wears shoes."

This simple short story provides one of the best examples of how a single situation may be viewed in two quite different ways - negatively or positively.

Perseverance Whatever you do, when challenges arise, when things seem hopeless or bad. Do not give up! The reasons that many people don’t achieve their goals is because they give up. That’s the only reason. Don’t do it.

“If you want to achieve the Extraordinary, then start working hard on the ordinary”

M.A.S.T.E.R

Mastering the art of selling through extraordinary Reputation - A Master is someone who has already tasted achievement and success through extraordinary hard work, and reputation. He is the one who commands respect, trust and walks on his own path. He has mastered every aspect of the job, role and responsibilities at the store or branch. A Master is a subject matter expert, who has mastered the product from a to z in other words a professional seller who overcomes any objections and closes every customer with ease. A person who everybody at the store or branch looks up to in a big way. He does not require anybody’s assistance in any way possible but like I said has already mastered every aspect of the job. People sometimes rely on his judgment and seek his help in many ways to improve or to try their level beat to be like him. To be a master one should not only master every detail of their professional life but should see that the same in every possible way is sunk into their blood and veins to be utilized anytime at any given place when and when it will be required.

Here I would like to leave you with one of the biggest examples that I have seen in the retail industry from the last 20 years. I would like to introduce you to a person by the name of Mr. Anil Poddar an outstanding and exceptionally super sales person whose example has not only fascinated Mumbai but the entire country where he has left a lasting image for himself. Mr. Anil Poddar works for one of the leading chains of electronics company in India and as a sales person has set a very high benchmark not only for himself but also for others working in the same company alongside and everyone who knows him want to be very much like Anil and are striving hard in doing so.

Let me go ahead and tell you of two outstanding qualities besides many others that Anil Poddar had which transformed the way of working to not only inspire many others but also to achieve over and above that one ever expected ever to happen. Anil Poddar worked in this company as a sales executive and besides passion and hard work was always very focused on closing every customer that walked into the branch. His motto was that every customer that walked into the store did come to buy didn’t he so why not give the very best not only in product but also in service so as to leave a lasting impression on the minds and hearts of every customer.

The first outstanding quality of Mr. Anil Poddar was that he never ever took a single day of leave. Even on his so called weekly off he worked knowing the fact that he had a family to take care off and also wanted to achieve great heights and move up to the next post by proving himself, I have been told that he worked for a period of more than 6 years without taking a single day off. Total dedication and hard work was what Mr. Anil Poddar was made off that even though the management tried to force him in taking an off saying that if he works on his weekly off they would not pay him for it, in spite of that Mr. Anil Poddar did not budge and agreed to work that weekly off day without pay such was his determination and passion.

The second outstanding quality that he had was that if the lunch break was for 35 minutes Anil Poddar on a daily basis just took a 10 minutes break saying that a customer can walk in any time and he should be there to close that customer as he knew the more, he sold the better would he earn. Looking at these and many more outstanding qualities of Anil the management decided to move him to the next level by promoting him to the floor managers position and I have been told that this offer was given to him not once but 4 times for which Mr. Anil Poddar flatly refused. The reason behind this was that Mr. Anil Poddar was earning so much of incentives that at the end of the month his salary along with his incentives was nearly double of what a floor manager actually took. Overwhelmed by his outstanding performance, dedication and passion the management then decided to do something about it and did roll out a feedback in a way suggesting everyone to write one name that was very deserving for growth and promotion. It goes without saying that the maximum no. of votes was in favor of just one name Mr. Anil Poddar. It was then that the management took a beautiful decision of not only promoting Anil to a level up but to three levels up by offering and confirming him for the post of a branch manager. Today Mr. Anil Poddar proudly stands heading one of the big branches in Mumbai and all those who work at that particular branch look up to him for inspiration and kind support. An example everyone should follow to reach up to the skies by achieving the impossible. This example is an example of a master who not only tasted success but also achieved the extraordinary through great reputation.

An inspiring story of a master-

Born into poverty, Joe Girard sold 13,001 cars over the course of 15 years-not fleet sales but sales to individual car buyers. He holds the Guinness World Record for being the world's greatest salesman. In 1973, he sold 1,425 cars, and in one month, he sold 174-a record that still stands today. HBR (Harvard Business Review) senior editor M. Ellen Peebles spoke with Girard about overcoming personal hardship and how he created thousands of relationships, one at a time. Now out of the car business, he speaks to people around the world about how to sell.

Most car salespeople sell four or five cars a month. You averaged six or more cars a day for years. How is that possible?

When you bought a car from me, you didn't get just a car. You got me. I would break my back to service a customer; I'd rather service a customer than sell another car. After a few years, there was pandemonium outside my office, there were so many people waiting to see me. So, I started seeing people by appointment only. And the reason people were willing to wait a week for an appointment rather than go buy from someone else right away is because they knew that if they got a lemon, I would turn it into a peach.

People are sick to death of sitting around in-service departments. When I was selling cars, my right-hand man could go to the service department while the customer's car was at the curb and get three or four mechanics to come right out with toolboxes and take care of the customer in 25 minutes. Sometimes they would install $15 or $20 worth of parts-a lot of money back then-and the customer would say, "How much do I owe you?" "Nothing," I'd say. "I love you. Just come back." You get service like that, where are you going to buy next time? That's what makes businesses big: word of mouth. If you create it, it'll make you. If you don't, it'll break you.

And the reason I could get the mechanics to come out right away is that I loved them, and I let them know. I made a deal with a nice Italian restaurant, and every third Wednesday I would take all of the service people to dinner-the people who wrote up the service orders, mechanics, the parts department, everyone. I would eat with them and tell them how much I appreciated them, how much I loved them. Once a year, I invited all the service people and their families over to a big barbecue at my house, to eat with me and my family. This is something that all executives should think about: There are service people in every company. They are the ones you wine and dine. You say you love your customers. What if they aren't so likable?

It's like a marriage. You need to like each other. And if you treat people right, you will love them. I told my customers that I liked them, that I loved them, all the time. I would send a card every month with a different picture, a different greeting, and the card would say, "I like you." I would close a sale, and I would say to my customer, "I love you." I even gave them buttons that said, "I like you." People may have had to wait for an appointment, but when I was with them, I was with them body and soul.

I grew up in the ghettos of Detroit. I started selling cars in 1963 at the age of 35. I was out of a job, had no savings, and was in serious debt after a failed home construction business, and my wife told me there was no food in the house to feed our children. I pleaded with a local car dealer for a desk and a phone and promised that I would not take business away from any of the other salespeople. I wore my finger black dialing a rotary phone trying to get leads, and that night, when all the other salesmen had gone home, I saw a customer walk in the door.

What I saw was a bag of groceries walking toward me. I literally got down on my hands and knees and begged, and I made my first sale. The customer said that with everything he had bought over the years-insurance, houses, cars-he had never seen anyone beg like that. Then I borrowed $10 from my boss against my commission and bought food for my family. So, I appreciate every person who bought from me so much. I would tell them, "I thank you, and my family thanks you. I love you."

“Remember a hungry stomach and an empty wallet, teaches the best lessons in life”

THE M.A.S.T.E.R

M – Meet and receive the customer at the entrance of the store

A - Approach customers with a warm welcome before they can approach you

S - Strive hard to listen and understand every need of the customer

T - Tell the customer only what he wants to know, the benefits of the product

E - End with a small recap and close the sale

R - Request the customer to do visit again and thank them for their business

M: Meet and receive the customer at the entrance of the store. 80% of customers say they want to be noticed, and nearly all welcome a friendly greeting. You don’t have to greet each customer right away, but you do need to acknowledge him or her with eye contact and a smile. You want your customers to feel welcome, and that starts with your body language. Stand tall, smile, and approach them briskly. Everything about your manner should say, “I’m glad you’re here. Research shows that customer satisfaction plummets when customers are not greeted promptly and friendly. The proper greeting, on the other hand, will make customers feel welcome and valued. Knowing how to act when greeting customers and what to say can increase both sales and customer loyalty. The greeting is the first impression that customers get of your brand, at least as it relates to that specific in-person experience. “A good customer greeting or even the absence of [one] is the first piece of the customer shopping environment. The greeting is your chance to make a positive impression and set the tone for the entire buying experience. Maybe the client doesn’t want or need your help right away, and that’s fine. They’ll remember that help was offered and you were available to them. You don’t need to stalk them. Just welcome them with an open heart. Greeting your customer with a slight delay and with the expectation that they will be nice to you, along with just the word welcome, can make all the difference between we’ll see and we’ll take it. Greeting the customer can often be the most important aspect of closing a sale. When entering a store, most customers want to see an employee make a genuine effort to acknowledge and assist them. As a customer in a hurry, I might be just looking for one specific item and may need the assistance of the employee. However, if I am ignored and my time is wasted waiting for help, I will move on to another store. With so many online and physical retail options available now, if that first store doesn’t satisfy my needs, there is always another one that will. That store may very well have sold the product or service I was looking for. However, poor customer service cost them the sale.

A: Approach customers with a warm welcome before they can approach you. Greeting customers is a practice of courtesy that should not be underestimated. Customers need us to make their purchase, so they will speak to a member of staff eventually. If possible, it is always best to greet them first so that they don’t feel as

if they are in the position of someone who needs help. A simple “Good morning!” or “Good evening!” is enough, better still if accompanied by a smile and the type of expression that says, “How can I help you?”. When someone walks into the coffee shop, they are looking forward to a relaxing break. Greet them to make them feel welcome. “Good morning,” “Good afternoon,” or “Good evening” should be the first words your sales associate utters when greeting a customer in your retail store. Whether you train that all customers are “guests"—something  I’m not fond of—or you train your employees that every customer is a sales prospect, your retail sales training must be to start every interaction on a positive note. If you want to stand out in a crowded market where too many people have too many choices of who they do business with, approaching a customer with a greeting of good trumps the greeting of buy my widget every time. Remember that the customer came to your store for a reason—they have perceived a need and want to act on it. People very rarely go to a store to ‘Just look’. Okay, they’re not 100% sure they’re going to buy, but if they’re given a good opportunity to do so, they will. Think about the reasons you go into a store. There is generally something in the back of your mind about purchasing the product you’re looking at, and if someone gives you a good reason to act, you will. In retail, it’s important to deal with customers almost as if they’re your friends. Think about when a friend visits your home; you will do everything possible to ensure they enjoy their time there. Imagine what your friend would think if you treated them with indifference. If a customer has visited your store before, try to address them by name. Think about it from your perspective. How impressed would you be if an employee remembered your name? With hundreds of people passing through a store every day, it can be difficult to remember all of them, of course, but if you do, be sure to use the information to your advantage.

Remembering a name is a real bonus, but simply recognizing a customer will also help. A simple “Hey, nice to see you again” will go a long way to converting a walk-in customer to a sale and will also encourage repeat custom.

S: Strive hard to listen and understand every need of the customer. Listening is different from hearing. Hearing is passive. It's what people do when a bore starts talking. Listening is an active activity in which salespeople pay genuine attention to what customers or prospects say.

It’s a skill that needs constant development. When salespeople listen more, what they hear sounds less repetitious and more meaningful. The single biggest complaint of customers is that salespeople talk too much and don’t listen enough. Poor salespeople dominate the talking, while successful salespeople dominate the listening.

It’s possible for you to talk too much, but it’s rarely possible to listen too much. When salespeople are excellent listeners, prospects and customers feel comfortable and secure with them. They buy more readily and more often. Your marketing/sales and customer service staff will be far more successful and respected if they learn and practice the art of active listening. Active listening involves being totally focused on hearing the words the customer is speaking, interpreting what these words mean, and responding in a positive manner that demonstrates (1) you understand what the customer is saying and (2) you consider it to be important. Active listening is the only effective means to rapidly uncover information that is critical to satisfying the customer. Customers know what they want. However, they may not be able to tell you in black and white what they need. It’s up to you to determine what they want, not on intuition but based on feedback. Listening to customers is the best way to know what they want. Whether you are getting out of the office to meet customers in person or are engaging with them on Facebook, you will get crucial information that can propel your start up forward. A customer needs statement is used in customer service, marketing, and product development initiatives to offer an in-depth overview of the customer. While there are no strict rules to how this statement should look, it should cover the following things about your customer:

Understanding customers is the key to giving them good service. To give good customer care, you must deliver what you promise. But great customer care involves getting to know your customers so well that you can anticipate their needs and exceed their expectations.

T: Tell the customer only what he wants to know, the benefits of the product.

A feature is a factual statement about a product or service. Factual statements aren't why customers buy; benefits are. Benefits sell. Benefits clearly answer the customer's questions, "What's in it for me?" or "What results will I get that will improve my current situation?" or "Will it make me healthier, wealthier, or wiser?"

The most compelling benefits are those that provide emotional or financial return. It's not the steak; it's the sizzle. It's not the gift; it's the thought. It's not the price; it's the overall value. Emotional returns are related to making the customer feel better in some way. Financial returns generally save money or make money for a customer. Another way to get into the mindset of thinking about and defining your benefits is to answer the question, "What are you really selling?" For instance, if you go to your local hardware store to buy a drill bit, you probably don't care about how hard the steel in that bit is or what kind of package it's in. You probably don't even care about the price of that drill bit. What do you care about? You care most about the holes that the drill bit will help you make. Based on that, all marketing and statements related to the benefits of that drill bit should focus on the quality of the holes, not the features of the product. People have little interest in purchasing a bed. What they want is a good night's sleep. Although features and benefits are often inextricably linked, try to think of them separately. A feature is something your product has, whereas a benefit is the product’s result when a customer uses your product. In other words, features are logical, while benefits are emotional. The main reason why features don’t sell is because customers don’t care about them. Sure, they might use a list of features to decide between two similar products, but the features per se won’t make the customer want to buy the product. We could go a step further and say that customers don’t even care about the product itself. They don’t want to buy it because it is a cool product, because it is the latest model or anything like that. They don’t want to own it. They just want to use the product to accomplish a certain task or result. In other words, the product is not the end but the means to an end. “People don’t want to buy a quarter-inch drill. They want a quarter-inch hole!” We can extrapolate this notion to as many products as we want. People don’t want to buy web hosting; they want their websites online and accessible to web visitors. People don’t want to buy cooking eBooks; they want to invite their friends and relatives to dinner and have a good time. People don’t want to buy light bulbs. They want to be able to work or read at night. That is why benefits sell and features don’t. The feature, or product itself, is the first part of the examples we used above. The benefit is the second part. I am sure you’ve heard it all before, but it is really true that when you train your employees, you must teach them about the benefits of the product they are selling rather than the features, so they can deliver exceptional customer service.

When you show the benefits of your product to your employees, think of it like telling a story. You want to engage the audience and leave them feeling an emotional connection; teach them to tell that story so perfectly that it will become natural to them.

E: End with a small recap and close the sale. - Closing is a make-or-break moment in sales. Choosing the right phrases to seal a sales deal is crucial. And this moment is likely the final verdict determining whether or not your efforts will amount to anything at all. You're not the only salesperson who feels apprehensive about the close. However, without that feeling of risk, successfully closing a sale wouldn't be so thrilling, which drives salespeople to continually strive for more. Closing a sale occurs when the seller and buyer agree to the conditions of the sale and the buyer makes a firm commitment to the transaction. Closing the sale should not be seen as a transactional event but rather as the natural ending of the sales process. In sales terms, closing is generally defined as the moment when a prospect or customer decides to make the purchase. Very few prospects will self-close, making it necessary for the salesperson to initiate the close. This can be unnerving, especially for new salespeople, as it leaves the salesperson open to the chance of rejection from the prospect.

While closing the sale is necessary, it doesn't have to be a big deal. A salesperson who has done a good job in the early stages of the sales process will only need to give a simple nudge to the prospect to start the close. It might be as simple as saying, "Sign here to make it yours," while handing the prospect a pen and a contract. Closing becomes more complicated when the prospect isn't ready to buy at the end of your sales presentation. You can generally tell how ready the prospect is feeling by watching for buying signals. If your prospect's body language is tense or resistant as you're winding up your presentation, they're probably not ready to break out their wallet. In that case, closing becomes far more complicated. It's often a good idea to try a trial close before you commit to a final close. A trial close is a way to test how ready the prospect is to buy by asking a question such as "How do you feel about what we've discussed so far?". A prospect who, in fact, is not ready will often react to a trial close by bringing up an objection. If you respond appropriately to the objection, they'll come up with another one and possibly yet another one. Remember that objections are actually a good sign because if the prospect is completely uninterested, they'd just say "no thanks" and show you the door. Once you've responded to all of the prospect's objections, you can either float another trial close or move to a final close, depending on how confident you feel at that point. This is generally a make-it-or break-it point for the sale. Once the prospect has run out of objections, they have to either give you a final yes or a final no. Salespeople have come up with a number of closing techniques to help soften prospect resistance and put them in a buying mood. These closing techniques can be quite powerful and should be used only as appropriate. A salesperson should never use a closing technique to bludgeon a prospect into buying something that they don't really want or need. Closing techniques are best used when the prospect is close to buying but is held back by an unreasonable concern. While sales close rates vary from industry to industry and company to company, the sales professional can agree that they’d all like to close more deals and more often. More than 70% of salespeople say closing more deals is their top priority. For salespeople, understanding when it is time to close a sale and what techniques should be used takes experience. In any event, the close is not the end of the selling process but is the beginning of building what may be a long-term business relationship.

R: Request the customer to visit again and thank them for their business. Smart business owners know that every customer relationship lost, either to a competitor or otherwise, costs them much more each year.

And if you’re thinking you can just make up for that cost with new customers, think again. Turns out, it costs six to seven times more to acquire a new customer than it does to retain an existing one. Do you look for opportunities to thank your customers? Showing sincere appreciation is one of the easiest ways to build a closer relationship with your customers. It’s simple, but remarkably few companies ever take the time to genuinely thank customers for their business. Companies that focus on creating meaningful customer experiences can choose to compete on loyalty and word-of-mouth, beat the behemoths, and carve out their own place in the market. In this pursuit, thanking customers for their purchase goes a long way. Being purposeful and personal when thanking your customers can help showcase the human aspect of your brand, create connections, and build customer loyalty.

Too often, sales teams are caught up in filling their pipelines with the next batch of leads or following up with prospects. Sure, saying thank you is a polite gesture. But if you say it the right way, it can cement your relationship with that customer (and guarantee their future business). Hearing a “thank you” is always nice. But when you say it to a customer (the right way), it can mean a lot more. You’re not only acknowledging their business and showing them you appreciate it, but you’re also planting the seeds of building your brand loyalty. It shows them that you’re not just another faceless revenue machine—you appreciate their business. But how much do customers care about feeling appreciated? It turns out they care a whole lot. "Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless."

While there are many ways this quote can be interpreted, here is my take on it: sometimes we can forget how easy it is to make someone’s day. A simple thank you or personal note can have a lasting and meaningful impact on a customer and help create an emotional connection they won’t soon forget. When you acknowledge each of your customers individually for being engaged members of your brand community, you demonstrate a desire to get to know them and continue building that relationship. This personal attention goes a long way towards endearing customers to your brand, so making sincere “thank you” should be a key component of your ongoing business model. If this small gesture can guarantee my customer loyalty, imagine what a combination of thank-you gestures can do for your customer base! At the end of the day, thanking customers is a huge step towards a thriving brand community that will keep your customers happy and coming back time after time.

The Lion Heart – Unleash the Beast

The lion the king of the jungle rules his jungle with respect and fear, he is the alpha lion the alpha male who stands firm and lets no one dominate him. He doesn’t fear to walk alone unlike the sheep he always takes what he wants. Once he decides he wants something nothing will stop him from getting it he will pursue it until he gets it and will never give up that even though the elephant is much more stronger and bigger the lion if he has decided to attack it will not wait for help from the other lions but will attack it alone fearlessly.

In the same way I urge all my sales staff at the store to have the heart of a lion. Always have the attitude of the lion once I have my target of the month in front of me, I will continue to attack it and not give up or quit until I meet my target or over achieve it. No matter what objection, obstacle, or hurdle I face of the customer I will overcome it and close every customer with ease for I am the lion who does not rely on anybody else but my own confidence, experience, attitude and strength to achieve the impossible.

“Unleash the beast” within you is my strong recommendation to every sales staff working in the retail or selling industry, it doesn’t matter what you are selling or what product you may be offering, everyone within themselves is or has a heart and strength of a lion. Go out there and prove to everybody at the store or branch that you are the beast that cannot be tamed and will not stop or quit unless you achieve your goal and your dreams. Show everybody at the store or branch that you are unstoppable and the king of the store, and no matter how many others compete with you fearlessly you will surpass everybody to prove that there is only one lion in the entire store or branch who rules it with the lion heart. Show everybody that you are not weak but the lion with strong grit and determination to achieve the impossible. No matter how hectic was your day or the large no. of customers you have attended, “I will never falter nor, will I ever give up till the very end for I am the alpha beast the lion of the jungle (Store or branch) that will never ever bend to anyone or give up in life.” In return for this you will be admired and respected not only by your fellow colleagues but also by your seniors and the management

A sheep follows the leader, they follow the herd, they don’t know where they are going many times they are led to the slaughterhouse, but they keep following their leader they don’t use their mind. A LION LEADS because it’s about having the courage to stand and fight for your life having the strength to go bravely in your own direction even if others walk away your tread your own path only you know what’s the best for you only you know what the path to take only you know your courage your strength your heart everyone has the heart of a lion inside of them let it out let it scream out of you. attitude it’s what you think what you do and what you feel about yourself. attitude is everything in life.  everything is based on your attitude that you showed up that moment. your attitude determines your altitude. listen carefully I have been through tough times i have experienced it and I want to know that it was not my money that brought me this far it was my attitude towards life. it was my attitude to keep going when the going gets tough That Is the Lion Attitude I’m Talking About. “Lions Are Not Followers, They Are Leaders”. The Leaders Who Lead the Rest of Animals, become a Lion Be Fearless Don’t Talk Walk the Talk. real lions demonstrate who they are, and lion does not seek respect they command respect and authority because they know they should be respected.  be a lion if no one believes in you then follow your heart. you have a heart of a lion let it out don’t fit it stand it out. the lion is certain there are no "maybe " with the lion this is my decision and I will attack until the outcome is mine, NO ONE WILL PUSH ME AROUND no will tell me where to go what to do, if I want something I will go after it with everything I have inside me.

With a mighty roar like the lion command your voice in such a way that it always leaves a lasting impression on the customers mind and heart remembering everything you said with your powerful voice and presentation. Always be in the command position where you lead the customer towards the sale and not vice versa where the customer has the control over you or is leading you.

Remember you are the lion and lioness of your store or branch don’t let others put you down or weaken with whatever they say to, you will rule them with your outstanding performance and command respect within themselves for you always. Nobody tells you what to do you, but you will tell them how it needs to be done for you are the lion the king of the jungle and will always be their leader and the rest of them will always follow you. Always surround yourself with those that are hungry for success.

Don’t be afraid of being outnumbered, a lion walks alone while the sheep flock together.

Remember A Lion’s roar can be heard from five miles away.

A famous author once said “You may have a heart of gold, but then so does a hardboiled egg.” You may have good intentions in mind, but if you don’t say them out, nobody will know how noble they are. There are plenty of animals that are bigger and stronger and have more stamina than the Lion, there are animals that are faster, there are animals that are even better hunters, but what makes the Lion arguably the most fearsome animal to walk the earth is its voice, its voice is its reputation. Many of us never met Albert Einstein, but we all have knowledge of him because he had something to say and he said it. Many of us never met people like Adolf Hitler or Mother Theresa of Calcutta, but we know about them because they had statements to make and they made those statements.  It is important for you to know that the statement you make is not just about what you say, the things you do and your character is part of what make your reputation. The Lion knows that its roar precedes it everywhere it goes, that is why it is the epitome of boldness. If you develop your reputation properly, your boldness will increase as well Never make the mistake of believing that your friends, or siblings or neighbors or co-workers should be able to read your mind. Remember what Jesus Christ himself said in Matthew 7:7: “Ask and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock and it shall be opened unto you”. There is nothing to be gained from keeping to yourself, express yourself, if you know you are not extroverted, you can write. If you know you have a talent or a gift, use it.  Go out and make friends, a recluse is of no use to anyone. As the popular maxim goes “unless the tortoise sticks its head out of its shell it cannot go anywhere”

For me, the beast is a quality of being unstoppable, steely, tough and fierce. I get into a zone of being unstoppable, feeling like I can conquer anything, and being completely in the present moment. What does the epitome of a beast bring out in you? What does it feel like to you?

“Not only must you know what you want, but you must really want what you want, if you are to get what you want”

ABC Of Selling

A – Attitude, B – Believe, C – Commitment

Attitude - In retail selling, your attitude determines whether customers buy from you or not. With positive attitude you are able to exude the bright side of life that makes your personality likable and acceptable. We all know that selling can be a tough business. When the economy is down or the competition is tough, sales professionals start hearing a lot of "Nos," which can be devastating. It is not unusual for the average sales professional to lower their aspirations, and begin to doubt their abilities at times like this. Highly successful sales professionals, however, don ‘t allow temporary setbacks to define them. That is what makes them highly successful. It is also what leaves the rest of us wondering, "How do they do it?"

Have you ever wondered how two sales representatives selling exactly the same product, in the same market, with the same price and the same features, can come up with extremely different results. This might be because of differences in selling techniques and levels of knowledge but to be honest, I believe it is mostly because of differences in the attitudes of these sales representatives.

First of all, let ‘s clear about one thing: Highly successful sales professionals are human, just like everyone else. It is not that they never get frustrated or experience a let-down when a promising deal falls through; they are subject to those inner voices that try to plant discouragement and doubt, just as are we all. However, what separates highly successful sales professionals from the rest of the herd is the mental and emotional discipline they are able to bring to bear at such times that helps them to stay focused and constructive. The good news is that anyone can learn to apply this discipline and focus in their own lives, and reap the benefits as well. Over the years, research has shown that what we believe and consistently think about all day can create itself. Be it sales or something else. If you believe a deal is closed before you even get to discuss it with customers, the forces of nature often bring it to past. I have experienced this in my sales business and it worked pretty well. When you visualize a deal as closed you are more likely to act in a frame of mind, they will make the sale happen.

Thoughts are very powerful. Whether we believe it or not, they influence our attitude towards prospects and customers. Great product with right attitude will edge you a mile ahead of your competitors. In reality, sales start with you, not your customers. One of the most powerful questions I ask during training sessions is: “Where does attitude come from?” Often the group will think for a moment. Many will respond with comments such as, “Work,” “People,” “Traffic” and other examples. Finally, a brave individual will announce, “Attitude comes from within us.” This often leads to a chorus of ah-has as people begin to realize the power in that statement. You determine your attitude. We may blame others, circumstances or events for our situation; however, the key is our response to those things or people.

Believe - To live a life of high achievement, you must fully believe in yourself and your ability. If you don’t have a huge amount of belief in yourself, then there is no way you can expect anyone else to believe in you.

Unless you really, truly believe in what you do. If you don’t believe in what you sell, whether you admit it to yourself or not, deep down inside you think you’re nothing more than a con artist.

You may fool some of the people some of the time, but you won’t fool yourself for long. As time passes, your true feelings will rise to the surface. They will boil up into your conscious mind.

When that happens, you’ll find any success you may have achieved before nearly impossible to replicate. Your prospects will sense your true feelings and decline to purchase from you.

So, to be successful in sales, you have to truly believe in these four things:

Your product or service

This is the one everyone talks about. Believe that your product or service delivers on the promises that you made in order to sell it. Believe that it’s better, quicker, or cheaper than any other solution your customer could find. Ultimately, believe that it’s the best solution for their problem.

If you don’t believe in what you sell, find something in which you do believe in and sell it.

Your company

You also have to believe that your company offers your customers something unique relative to its competitors. Believe in the values of the company. Believe that it stands behind its products and services. Ultimately, believe that your company operates ethically and always considers the people it serves in all decisions.

If you don’t believe in your company, find one you do believe in and sell for them.

Your profession

Many people look down on the sales profession. Without sales people, there are no other jobs! Don’t be arrogant about it – without your co-workers, you can’t fulfil the promises you’ve made to your customers. Customers also need sales people to help them make the best decisions. Buy from a good sales person and you get a consultant for FREE!

Believe in your honourable profession. If you don’t, get out of it!

Yourself

You have to believe in yourself and the value you provide individually. You do what you say you will do. You have unique knowledge that benefits your customers. You serve as a liaison between your company and your customers, with the judgment to know what to do when something goes awry.

When you truly believe in these four things, you’ll be on the road to success. When your belief turns into outright excitement, you’ll find big success!

It’s their willingness to get up again and again when you failed or experienced a setback while in pursuit of creating the life of your dreams.

Commitment - Commitment is the willingness to do whatever is required to succeed in sales, at reaching quota, achieving goals and closing a particular deal or account. What Is a Commitment Exactly? A commitment is a pledge that obligates you to a certain course of action. Whatever the topic—whether it is to lead a healthier life, to have a better relationship, or to renew your approach to work—a commitment is one of the most important principles of success. Commitments are extremely powerful. They influence how you think and act.

To succeed in any domain, you need perseverance—and perseverance can only happen if you have first made a heartfelt, long-term commitment. True change can be challenging. The temptation to give up will arise. It is the commitment you have made which will help you get through struggles and find success.

The principle mission of the salesperson is to gain commitment from the customer. The reason companies value salespeople are because salespeople are good at Gaining Commitment. Closing a sale usually requires the salesperson to make many “little closes” along the way. We call these “commitments to action.” They serve as a strong indication that the prospect is interested in your solution. Getting prospects to agree to meet you for a customer-focused interview, for example, is a little commitment. Getting them to let you speak with other people inside their organization is a little commitment. Getting decision makers to agree that you can satisfy their needs is a greater commitment. Get enough of these little commitments, and it puts you in position to ask for the big commitment, the contract or purchase order. And that’s the logical conclusion to all that you have done to that point. You probably obtained business in the past, for example, without actually asking for the order. This often occurs when you’ve done the right things along the way.

Salespeople have the ability to obtain commitments that move deals forward. This begins with the commitment to open the possibility of working together. Great salespeople know how to ask for the commitment to move forward without using tactics and/or tricks of any kind.

Instead, great salespeople know how to create value for the client on every sales encounter. They leverage this ability to link the value they create to future value creation and to obtain the commitment to create together that future value.

Great salespeople ask for the commitment to move forward, and they ask for alternative commitments when they cannot obtain the original commitment they asked for.

Great salespeople ask for the deal. Knowing that they have created value during every sales encounter, knowing they have worked to fully understand the prospect’s needs before proposing a solution, having revised their solution to meet the needs of all of the prospect’s stakeholders, the salesperson knows that they can naturally, comfortably ask for the commitment to move forward.

Be a soldier: Imagine a solider quitting his training because the weather is hot or because he is not in the mood. People who commit to their tasks think more like soldiers. They get their tasks done even if they are feeling bad, down or not in the mood. Procrastinators on the other hand search for the first excuse they can find in order to quit.

Believe in Yourself

ONE NIGHT IN INSTANBUL!

It was 25th May,2005. A beautiful evening at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium, Istanbul. 70000 fans in the stadium and hundreds of thousands on streets anticipating the night to remember. Liverpool vs AC Milan. UEFA Champions League Final! Few defensive errors led to a shock score line of 3-0 Milan at the halftime mark.

This score line at halftime could even the most optimistic person say, “The game is done. “But was it ?.

The 40000 Liverpool fans, who travelled over hundreds of miles to support their team, started singing "Walk on with Hope in your Heart and You’ll Never Walk Alone."(club anthem). The Legendary Captain Steven Gerrard called his team and said "Let’s give our fans something. Let’s WALK".

The belief returned and what the world saw next was just speechless. From a bizarre first-half to magical second half, the team had transformed from a cat in the backstreet to the King of the jungle. Gerrard scored the first Liverpool goal, a wonder header. And the belief was strengthened. Liverpool were level within 15 minutes thanks to a Smirched steamer, and a cool Xavi Alonso penalty rebound!

Eventually the match was decided by penalties and Liverpool won! The supporters and Steven Gerrard spurred the team to glory. That’s how to WALK and yes, YOU'LL NEVER WALK ALONE. For impossible is nothing if you believe in yourself.

“I am sold on myself”- Speaks about that within myself I am convinced or believe that I am the best and nothing can stop me today.

I am sold on myself speaks broadly about that even before I can start selling any product to a customer, I need to start believing in various factors that are very important in sales. So what are these important factors that every sales executive needs to believe in. the first important factor is that he needs to believe in himself that he can achieve anything he requires because he has the will to do so, next he needs to believe in the company that he works for that this of course is the no. 1 company in the whole world, next he needs to believe in the product that he is selling that these are the best products in the world, next he needs to believe in the features, benefits price quality, service etc. and many more factors that revolve round the product and his company.

“A bird sitting on a tree is never afraid of the branch breaking, because her trust is not on the branch but on its own wings. Always believe in yourself.”

Believe in yourself that you are the best and nothing or no one can stop you from achieving your dreams. For no matter what obstacles, pain, suffering, stress or problems arise I will overcome them all and never give up or bend down to failure.

Every sales person needs to understand that once I dawn on my staff uniform at the store the next moment everything becomes no. 1. My company I work for becomes no, 1, the brand I represent becomes no.1, the products I sell becomes no.1, its features and benefits are no.1, and most important is that the person selling this product that’s me I’m no.1. For the greatest pleasure in life is doing what other people said you couldn’t do, for I believe in myself that I can turn my dreams into a plan and a plan into a reality. I do not compare myself to others for I know that I am the best in my own way and in whatever I do.

"Talk to yourself more than you listen to yourself." Just for one week, try talking to yourself like a champion instead of listening to yourself as a victim. I guarantee that you will be blown away by the results. It may seem weird to talk to yourself but give it a try and then see if it's worth the "weirdness."

Thinking positive and empowering thoughts is one thing but talking to yourself like a champion reconditions your thought process in an instant. When you form the habit of talking to yourself like a champion you don't give the negative and discouraging thoughts the time of day.

With power and conviction, repeat phrases such as, “I am the greatest at what I do,” “There is nothing that I can’t do when I fully commit myself,” and “There is nothing ordinary about me. I am a champion.”

If you don’t have a huge amount of confidence in yourself, then there is no way you can expect anyone else to believe in you. The men and women that change the world all understand the incredible power of belief. Everything we have in life comes because of our belief that they are possible.

There may be days when you get up in the morning and things aren’t the way you had hoped they would be. That’s when you have to tell yourself that things will get better. There are times when people disappoint you and let you down. But those are the times when you must remind yourself to trust your own judgments and opinions, to keep your life focused on believing in yourself. There will be challenges to face and changes to make in your life, and it is up to you to accept them.

Constantly keep yourself headed in the right direction for you. It may not be easy at times, but in those times of struggle you will find a stronger sense of who you are. So, when the days come that are filled with frustration and unexpected responsibilities, remember to believe in yourself and all you want your life to be. Because the challenges and changes will only help you to find the goals that you know are meant to come true for you.

Most of the time, the difference in whether you have succeeded in your life or not comes down to one simple thing that is believing in yourself. If you can’t believe that you can do something, you can never give your 100% to do that job, and in the end, the chances of your success get hugely affected. Besides, believing in yourself also activates the positive energy that plays an essential role in making you strong and focused on your work. If you don’t believe in yourself and your dreams, and if you ever need to convince others, you can never make them believe in you and your dream. Moreover, believing in yourself also helps you recognize your ability, make you more confident, feels satisfied in your life, and when you do not lose faith in your dream, you can easily attract more people, etc. Therefore, a lack of belief in yourself will limit you in achieving your ultimate goal no matter how great the opportunity or idea is. However, it takes time but believing and having faith in yourself is a skill that can be learned.

True, they are a lot of factors that will contribute to your success but the biggest factor that will be determine whether you achieve something significant or not is self-belief. How much of what you will achieve will mostly depend on how much you believe in your abilities. And yet most of us, me included, often lack self-belief during the times when we need it the most. Rather than having unshakable confidence, we often allow doubt and insecurities to easily shake our resolve and make us believe that we are not capable of achieving whatever it is we have set out to do. True, they are a lot of factors that will contribute to your success but the biggest factor that will be determine whether you achieve something significant or not is self-belief.

How much of what you will achieve will mostly depend on how much you believe in your abilities. And yet most of us, me included, often lack self-belief during the times when we need it the most. How else will you take the first step towards you goals if you don’t even believe you will do it?

The biggest most important questions that you will have to answer at the beginning of your journey are mostly about self-belief.

Am I capable of achieving this? Can I really do it? Can my idea really work?

Once you really believe that you can do it, you will find a way to make it work. You will navigate through all the problems and get up when you fail.

No idea will work for every person on the planet, but many ideas can work for most people … if you believe that you can make them work. You have to be willing to not just think differently, but to also to experiment with new ideas and trust that you’ll discover a way to make them work.

Believing in yourself is the first step to success.

Stages of success

“Success doesn’t happen to you it happens because of you”

What drives one sales person to be more successful than the others. How is it that some achieve success faster than the others? Everyone I believe go through some stages to be successful in life, in the same way every sales person also goes through the 6 stages of success and then only achieves his dream and goal. So, let us go ahead and see what these 6 stages of success are all about and how does one need to overcome it to be very successful in life, for in life you don’t always get what you wish for, but you get what you work for.

The first stage is the “I can’t” stage where the sales person develops fear and doubt in his heart and mind and feels that no matter how hard he tries he will not succeed. In this stage the sales person finds everything new and too much to digest and so even before he can actually go ahead and give it a try or attempt, he decides that it is better to quit and he goes ahead and easily gives up. He feels that he will not be able to sell, close customers, not be able to muster the product, and finds everything to hard or difficult to grasp. He feels that the others at the stores are much better than him and are actually performing better than him and so he is ready to give up and accept defeat by saying that he will not be able to do this job.

The second stage is the “I want to do” stage where the sales person in his heart feels like doing the task or at least thinks of attempting to do the task or complete the job. Now although he feels that he wants to do the task but, in his heart, he still has a lot of questions un answered and doubts which stops him from doing or completing the task. Saying you want to do it and not actually doing it is of course two different versions of getting a job done. Coming up with excuses is not going to help in completing my role or one’s task.

The third stage is the “How can I do” stage where the sales person now starts to thinking that if ever, he has to go ahead and complete his task in any way then how is it that he is going to do it. He begins to wonder a solution for finding out how should one go ahead and do what is required by him to achieve success in the future. He not only starts to wonder of how he is going to go ahead and do it but also has doubts in regards to it that if Taken a chance will he be able to be successful or not. He begins to wonder how he should achieve his target and how can he be the best performer by doing so.

The fourth stage is the “I am going to try” stage where the sales person now starts to feel and develop confidence in himself/ herself and begins to motivate himself by saying that I think I will give it a try, anyway I have nothing to lose so why not make an attempt and let’s see what happens. He pushes himself or decides come whatever I think I will give it a go. This the first stage of a positive attempt from the sales person point of view to climb the ladder of success sooner. Trying and doing are two different things. When you try, you hope when you do you succeed.

The fifth stage is the “I can do it” stage where the sales person is now fully motivated in a highly positive way that he can not only go ahead and complete the task or role assigned to him but he is fully convinced within himself that he can do it because he not only starts to believe in himself but he also knows that deep within he is the best. So, come whatever nobody or nothing is going to stop him from tasting success and helping him in achieving his dream.

The sixth and the last stage is the “I did it” stage where the sales person is now not only over joyed but highly excited and thrilled that he has finally achieved what he was so hard thriving for. This is the stage where the sales person not only achieves his goal but overcomes the ultimate thing he was so hard trying for and that is success. Remember that once you have achieved success take a moment and enjoy it but do not stop there for now since you have overcome this mark you have still go ahead and crate many more benchmarks to achieve more success in the near future to come.

Prem Ganapathy, came to Mumbai for a job, when the person accompanying him from Chennai disappeared leaving him at Bandra station. Prem had no acquaintances; moreover, he did not know the language. One fellow Tamilian took pity on him and guided him to a temple and appealed to the sympathizers there to contribute money for his return ticket to Chennai.

But, Prem refused to go back and decided to work in Mumbai and started cleaning utensils in a restaurant. He appealed to his owner, to let him become a waiter as he was class 10 pass. The owner refused, because of regional politics and Prem bided his time till a neighborhood dosa restaurant opened and offered Prem a job from a dishwasher to a tea boy.

Lessons – No situation is bad enough to prevent a person from bettering it. It requires diligence and positive attitude.

Starting UP-Prem Ganapathy, came to Mumbai for a job, when the person accompanying him from Chennai disappeared leaving him at Bandra station. Prem had no acquaintances; moreover, he did not know the language. One fellow Tamilian took pity on him and guided him to a temple and appealed to the sympathizers there to contribute money for his return ticket to Chennai.

But, Prem refused to go back and decided to work in Mumbai and started cleaning utensils in a restaurant. He appealed to his owner, to let him become a waiter as he was class 10 pass. The owner refused, because of regional politics and Prem bided his time till a neighborhood dosa restaurant opened and offered Prem a job from a dishwasher to a tea boy.

Lessons – No situation is bad enough to prevent a person from bettering it. It requires diligence and positive attitude.

Starting up-

Positive attitude

Prem became a huge hit with the customers because of his excellent customer service, initiatives and relationship and brought business of Rs. 1000 daily as compared which was almost 3 times to other tea boys. The life was good .

A customer made him an offer .He was planning to open a tea shop in Vashi in Mumbai. He wanted Prem to be his 50 -50 partners where the owner would invest the money while Prem would run the shop. The shop started doing brisk business when the owner became greedy, it hurt him to share 50 % of the profit with Prem and he threw Prem out replacing with an employee.

Prem was made of different material he was never going to be defeated. He took a small loan from his uncle and with his brother brought from the village opened his own tea stall. Unfortunately, the neighborhood residents objected, he then started a hand cart but that also did not work out. He found another spot and set up the south Indian stall. He did not know a thing about dosas and idli but learnt by observation and trial and error. The dosa stall was a huge hit and flourished in 5 years from 1992-1997. But why was the tiny dosa stall was so successful inspite of competition from ubiquitous Udipi eateries prevalent in Mumbai. According to Prem it was its hygiene, proper appearances of the waiters and fresh ingredients which stood out as a difference.

Lessons learnt- if you are sincere, determined and patient. success will come to you.

Initiative-

He saved a couple of lakhs of Rupees and instead of saving and heading home he took the biggest sample of his life and opened a new shop near Vashi station and named it as Dosa Plaza.

He also tried opening the Chinese plaza next to the Dosa Plaza but it flopped miserably and was shut down in 3 months. Undaunted Prem realized that he at least learnt some lessons from it . He applied those lessons in making Chinese cuisine in his dosa’s which worked very well. He got passionate and invented variety of dosa’s with Chinese style like American Chopsuey, Schezwan Dosa, Paneer chilly, Spring roll dosa etc. The 108 types of Dosas in his menu gets him a lot of publicity

A chance encounter with a customer who was part of the team setting up a food court in a mall in New Bombay advised him to take a stall in the food court and again Prem was ready and willing to grow and expand.. His vision was to grow by better offerings and better customer service. He also went to an ad agency to create the brand identity including the logo, brands, menu card, waiters dress etc.

Lessons learnt

Focus and sacrifice for goals and an open mind will give you immense return

The success-

He started getting lot of offers for franchising and had to find out the meaning of franchising and its modus operandi. Dosa Plaza currently has 26 outlets and 5 of them are company owned. It has 150 employees and a turnover of 5 crores. All the branches are connected and networked and there are training managers and proper manuals to maintain standard and uniform product and services.

Merit is the only criteria, all the employees regardless of the caste or region are treated equally. They are loyal and have grown with the company. The original team of cooks which was the part of the first Dosa venture is still with Prem. Currently he is also getting enquiries from US and Europe for franchisees.

Lessons learnt

There can be millions of Prem Ganapathy. The only constraint exists in our mind. If we are willing to slug it out…. success will come

“Remember success is when your signature changes to an autograph”

The Fox Technique

If you ever want to be the best from the rest in the retail industry and prove not only to the company but also to the management that you are one of the best sales executive in every aspect then you will have to prove to them by not only being outstanding but also by being the no. 1 in performer at the branch or the store. That means that no matter how many branches exist you as a sales executive will have to be not only the no. 1 performer at that particular branch or store but will also have to be the no. 1 performer in the company. Across all locations and regions everybody should always look up to you as the best in the industry and company and everybody would then want to work the way you do or be the way you are.

So how is it that you can always prove to be the best from the rest at all given times. What is it that you require to do to be the no. 1 performer in the company? The most important thing for you to do is to keep achieving your monthly target or over achieving the target consistently month after month year after year to not only prove to yourself but also to the company that you are the best.

The “Fox technique” is derived from the animal the fox, just like the fox who is considered to be very sly, cunning and sharp in his ways so also every sales executive needs to be very sharp, smart and cunning in achieving what he needs to achieve. He needs to understand that if he wishes to be the best in the face of the company and the management then he first needs to prove to himself and then to the company that no matter what obstacles or difficulties arise I will always use my knack smartly to close every customer and not only over achieve my target but also take the highest incentive month after month and to achieve the same I would have to think of various ways like a sly and cunning fox of how I can on my own generate more customers for myself without the help of others for more the customers that walk in asking only for me the more of customers will I be able to close and earn better incentives than the other sales staff.

Let me give you an example of how this technique can be used in practical and day to day life. Now let us just assume that for any given month although the company spends a lot of money on advertising, marketing and branding let us assume that in spite of all this for a given month you do not have a single customer walking into your branch, of course this incident will never ever occur but just assume it happens and the sales executive again for this month wants to be the top performer and earn the highest incentive. In this regard with not a single customer walking into the branch ever happens then what are the options left in the hands of the sales executive. The options he as a sales executive has is to call the existing customers and tell them of the offers at the stores or follow up on the recent walk in customers that yet haven’t been converted or closed as on date. But in spite of doing all this yet we have customers who refuse to visit your store for various reasons. What now can the sales executive do to urge customers to walk in at their store or branch so as to close sales and earn their incentives. This is where I urge every retail sales executive to use the fox technique and as the fox play very smartly in once again proving to the company that he is the best. What he needs to do is since there are no customers walking in at the store to purchase any product, he needs to now start calling his list of people that he knows. This list of people is none other than his family members, neighbors, close friends, relatives and every single person he knows who he can call and convince them to come down to the store and purchase any product they may require as there is a amazing offer existing at the branch.

The retail sales executive like the fox needs to try every single method to gain customers, close maximum business for the company and also earn the highest incentive. Like the fox he needs to first like at his own priorities he needs to first think only about himself how is it that he can earn more money for the company as well as for himself. He needs to understand that if ever he wishes to move to the next level by getting promoted then he needs to think from every angle of how he can bring more business to his company and recommendation for himself. The next beautiful thing that he can do is also by promoting himself and the company to everyone where ever he goes for example weddings, social gatherings, etc. the more he promotes and talks about himself his company and the various offers to everyone the more customers he will have walking into his branch and once they walk in at the store it is now going to be easy for him to convert and close that customer. So, it is very simple that more the amount of people I speak to more of customers will have to close. Just imagine if I ever spoke to 50 customers and 40 walks in to the store, and from them if even 25 get converted who will earn this extra incentive of course the sales executive himself and that is why they so rightly say that word of mouth is considered to be one of the biggest marketing tools.

The third important thing that the retail sale executive can do is to where ever he resides or stays say for example he stays in  a big complex or society whenever there is a big and exciting offer going to happen at the store for example Gudi Padwa, Diwali, 26th January, 15th august etc. the retail sales executive can easily promote himself and the company along with the offer by writing his name and phone no. on the offer pamphlets or handout and stick them on every notice board of that particular building of the complex. More the people read about it more of customers will approach to buy from the same retail sales executive whose name and no. they now have and will now surely approach your store or branch asking for your name.

These are some of the smart ways like the fox which every retail sales executive can use to get maximum customers walking in at your branch asking your name to now close more business for your company as well as more incentive for you. And mind you that these are not something the company had ever expected you to do but by going out of your way you have not only brought more business for your company but have also now carved a huge impact and name for yourself and in the eyes of the management and company.

On July 4, 1952, Florence Chadwick was on her way to becoming the first woman to swim the Catalina Channel. She had already conquered the English Channel.

The world was watching. Chadwick fought the dense fog, the bone-chilling cold and the shark. She was striving to reach the shore but every time she looked through her goggles, all she could see was the dense fog. Unable to see the shore, she gave up.

Chadwick was disappointed when she found out that she was only a mile to the coast. She quit, not because she was a quitter but because her goal was not in sight anywhere. The elements didn’t stop her. She said, “I am not making excuses. If only I had seen the land, I could have made it”.

Two months later, she went back and swam the Catalina Channel. This time, in spite of the bad weather, she had her goal in mind and not only accomplished it but beat the men’s record by two hours.

to become successful in life, you need to have goal in life, because man is endowed with capacity to think and realize the same.

T.L.C- Think like a customer

Feel, Read, See, Hear, & Talk- Feel what the customer feels, try and read the mind of the customer, see from the customers eyes, hear from the hears of a customer, and talk from the mouth of the customer the very same language the customer speaks if you want to convince and close every that walks into your branch to purchase any product, getting in sync or on the same page with the customer and acknowledging everything he says thinks talks or expects puts the sales person in a very strong in closing maximum customers or deals.

This is a very important thing for every sales person to master and that is to know your customer very well and to know him very well they need to slowly understand and feel human nature. They need to start feeling like the customer, to start reading the minds of the customer. What is the customer thinking at this very moment and what is the customer thinking and deciding at this very moment, they need to sense what the customer is looking for and should actually have very powerful instincts in regards to the same? Then and then only will they be able to master the three aspects of understanding human nature and that is, to see through the eyes of the customer, to hear from the ears of the customer, and lastly to feel from the mind and heart of the customer. One very important factor to add to this is that every sales person should speak from the mouth of the customer. This means that the words coming out from the mouth of the customer is the same very words the sales person should speak so as to be in sync with the customer.

Have you wondered what the questions are going through a customer’s mind. Have you ever wanted to know what are the questions almost every customer asks before making a buying decision? This is something that is often over looked by many businesses and is probably one of the most important factors to consider during a sales process. In the world of information and accessibility you have to now more than ever be able to answers these questions if you want to create an influence in your favor.

Every detail in regards to what the customer expects, wants or ask for is something that the sales person should anticipate in advance and put forth in front of the customer. To know my customer in detail or in depth the sales person should not only probe deeper to understand the depth of a need and requirement of a customer but should also build a strong rapport and bonding with the customer. For it is so rightly said that “if the customer likes you. He will trust you, if he trusts you he will then go forward and believe you and everything you say, and once he believes you then and then only will he go forward and buy from you”.

Every sales person selling any product to a customer needs to understand that if he ever wants to convince every customer that walks into a store then he needs to convince and close every customer through his heart. Just like every customer buys a product after feeling an emotion within themselves to do so, in the same way every sales person in order to understand these emotions of a customer needs to feel the same from his heart.

There is a strong likelihood you treat your customers differently. Consciously or unconsciously, some customers are treated special while others are grouped as not-too-special customers. If you are culpable, have a rethink. Customers are quick to know how important they are in your buyer’s classifications. While grouping our buyers is great for sales and marketing, sales organization need to see every customer as a VIP, treat them with due attention and respect. If not, your sales reps will be the first to sell you out and start a show off bad attitude to a customer that may turn to great customer in the future.

You are there to Help the customer. Plain and simple. And the first (and most important) thing you do is listen. Hear the customer fully before responding. This may be the toughest part of listening. We have to make the choice to listen, especially when we are busy, preoccupied, stressed, and distracted. When you focus on the Other, pay attention to What is being said, as well as What is not being said. This includes the non-verbal signs the person is displaying, plus their feelings and tone of voice.

The customer has come to you with a need, a question, a problem. Empathize with their feelings and point of view. Empathy doesn't mean agreement. It means trying to see (and feel) what the Other Person is going through.

Analyze what the customer is saying. Ask questions to find out: What are the customer needs? What does he/she is here to purchase?

Once you get what the customer needs, respond so they know the action you are going to take. Let them know what to expect next.

Everyone is important

During Mark's first month of college, the professor gave his students a pop quiz. He was a conscientious student and had breezed through the questions, until he read the last one: "What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?" Surely this was some kind of joke. He had seen the cleaning woman several times. She was tall, dark-haired and in her 50s, but how would he know her name? He handed in his paper, leaving the last question blank.

Just before class ended, one student asked if the last question would count toward the quiz grade. "Absolutely," said the professor. "In your careers, you will meet many people. All are significant. They each deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say 'hello'". Mark never forgot that lesson. He also learned her name was Dorothy.

Life is not just about pursuing your passion one day; it’s about having a passion every day.

Shine like a Star- Cristiano Ronaldo

More than a human, be a superhuman who goes out of the way to always shine like a star in all aspects. Just like a star shines brightly in the sky always make it a point to shine like the star no matter what happens or occurs in life. To achieve the impossible and to overcome all your dreams make it happen by always saying to yourself that I am the best and nothing and no one can stop me from achieving the impossible for I am unstoppable and unbreakable.

Imagine yourself as Cristiano Ronaldo one of the best in the world in the same way you as a sales person needs to always be the no. 1 and the best at the store or branch. Imagine the store to be your football ground and thousands are waiting to cheer you and appreciate you if you prove to them that you are the Ronaldo of your store and this your turf to dominate and be the best sales person on the floor. Just as Ronaldo always outshines every other player so also you as a sales person needs to outshine everyday by proving to be the best. Off the field as well as on the field Cristiano Ronaldo has always proved to be the best in character, and personality so also you as a sales person needs to perform in all aspects more than a human and act like a superhuman in front of every customer that walks in at your store . you need to always be humble, understanding, caring and loving in all aspects with every customer just like Ronaldo is on the field as well as off the field. Just like Ronaldo has a target in front of him and that is to shoot maximum goals for his club or for his country so also you as a sales person has a target in front of you and that is to close the maximum no. of customers so as to prove to be the best at all times.

Cristiano Ronaldo has many tough obstacles in the form of defenders who will try every means of stopping him at all cost but no matter which defender comes in front of him he still very skillfully dribble past all of them for he knows that he can do it and achieve great heights for himself in the same way no matter what objections, or obstacles are thrown in front of the sales person before closing the sale, the sales person like Ronaldo should very skillfully not only tackle every objection or obstacle but should also be able to dribble past all of them by overcoming every objection that pops up from the customers end. Just as Ronaldo’s target is netting maximum goals in the same way every sales person’s target is to close maximum sales or customers on a daily basis so as to over achieve the monthly target and gain the same fame, name, respect and recognition of always not only proving to be a star but a superstar in the making.

Just like Ronaldo is so skillful right from head to toe in the same way every sales person should be highly trained and knowledgeable in regards to the product and every aspect of a sale. He should be ready to handle every customer with ease and tact skillfully sailing past or dribbling past every concern, pain points and need of the customer to provide the customer with 100% satisfaction in regards to the product. Just like Ronaldo doesn’t stop himself from achieving new records and new milestones in the same way every sales person needs to achieve the impossible by over achieving their monthly targets month after month so as to prove not only to themselves but to everyone and especially to the management and the company that they are the Ronaldo of the store and always ready to shine like a star.

My belief is that every one of us has or had a passion; however, over time it has been diluted as the belief in our abilities has decreased. The ability to dream of what we could be rather than thinking of what will never be is our gift that life has given each of us. If we choose to use it or not, it is our choice, but too often we relinquish that choice without us being conscious of that choice. This book is about taking it back. It is about assisting you to dream again. It is about rekindling your passion. It is about you discovering what you are passionate about in your life again. To make this discovery you need to dream again as dreams are the raw material that gets you thinking about what you could achieve. It is the first step to living a meaningful life, creating a positive legacy and start to feel the satisfaction that comes from pursuing your passion.

In football, knowledge is power. The most effective teams have great scouting, so they they know their opponents inside and out. They know what plays their opponents are apt to run sometimes even before their opponents do. Sales teams can implement similar tactics. Scouting and monitoring your competitors — via social media, news alerts, and hiring trends — is a good business practice these days. Using new sales tools that make your team more efficient and make your lead scoring more intelligent isn’t cheating, but rather taking advantage of readily available assets.

A little boy fixing the globe

A dad came home after a long day at work and was going to spend the evening with his young son. The dad was tired and wanted to relax by reading a newspaper. His son was full of energy, asking the father to play with him. The dad didn't really have the energy for that but the son kept asking his father to join his play. This continued for a while.

Suddenly the dad noticed a picture of a globe in the newspaper. He ripped it off, sliced it in small pieces and threw the pieces to his son. The dad asked the son to fix the broken globe and promised to play with him after the job was done. The son agreed.

It took less than two minutes and the boy had fixed the globe. The dad was amazed by that and asked how his son fixed it so fast. The son replied that it was easy because there was a picture of a face on the other side of the torn paper. The son told that it was quite easy to fix the face and by doing that the globe got also fixed.

This story teaches us a lesson that success is born within. We often dwell on fears, doubts and sorrows that make the world around us broken. When we manage to fix our own mind, the world around us will be miraculously fixed as well.

There are people who, no matter what happens to them, always seem to bounce back. They may experience an illness, a family tragedy, or run of bad luck, but it never seems to keep them down. Life can stretch them to their breaking point, but – like a rubber band – they always find a way back to their original shape.

The Art of Reverse Selling

This is the most important chapter and topic of this book and I request every retail sales person who wants to achieve and be the best in his industry to read and understand everything I write over here as there is no book that has ever been published in sales that talks about the art of reverse selling as mentioned by me in this book. After 20 years of hardcore selling, training and after conducting numerous feedback s and surveys of customers I have derived this technique based on fully understanding what todays customer is actually looking for and is expecting from us which is called as the art of reverse selling.

Today’s customers unlike the customers of the past are interested in just one single thing.

Let me explain to you in more detail regarding the art of reverse selling. Every customer that walks into your store walks in with just two thoughts in his mind, what are these two thoughts that run in the mind of every customer? the first one being how much more will I benefit from buying this product today and the second thought is for how much less I will be able to purchase this product for today. every customer that walks into the store to purchase any product wants to hear just one single thing and that is why I always keep saying that " Every customer that walks into your store wants to hear only what he wants to hear". What is it that the customer wants to hear? The customer doesn’t want to hear about your company, he doesn’t want to hear about how big your brand is, he doesn’t want to hear about the various brands or products which is on display, he doesn’t want to hear about the features of the product, He is interested in hearing just one thing and that one thing is " The Benefits of the product". "first tell me only about the benefits this product has and how much more am I going to gain from purchasing this product and then and then only will I be convinced to put my hands in my trousers and remove the money and give it to you". This is what every customer walking into a store to buy any product silently says and means.

Every sales person needs to first start explaining to the customer only about the various benefits he will receive by purchasing this product today. I repeat do not start by explaining the features of the product first but explain the benefits first and only after explaining every benefit in sync to it tell the customer what the feature is all about. the first thing that registers in the mind of the customer is how much he is befitting and how much he is gaining by purchasing this product and this will stick in the mind of the customer till the very end of the presentation and will make the closing stages easier for the sales person. for it is so rightly said that "feature tell, benefits sell". This is the art of reverse selling. features only tell the customer what it will do, but the benefits show the customer how much it will improve the life of the customer but also gain him to the maximum and todays customer is more interested in gaining more by trying and paying less.

Many a times  I see every sales person committing the same grave mistake of giving out the features of the product one after another like a robot and the customer is actually least interested in this pitch as he already has some bit of knowledge before coming to your store of a few features of the product but if you start pitching in the reverse by explaining first the benefits and then the features the customer starts getting excited and interested to hear everything till the end about the product and how much more is he gaining from it.

I urge every sales person to use the following statement to every customer walking into the store to catch not only the attention of the customer but also to lend you his listening hear so as to convince the fastest you can. The statement goes about by saying “Mr. customer first of all let me go ahead and tell you about the various benefits that come along with this product and how you are going to benefit from each one of them to the maximum”. This will surely catch the attention of the customer and make him very curious and anxious to listen to all the benefits than a monotonous pitch starting first with the features that every sales person does at all major retail outlets. If you want to be the best always try something new by adding spice to the customers life.

Once you have done by explaining the benefits of the product do let the customer know about the features that lie in the product to as well as how these features actually function within the product.

Trust me when I say this that today’s customers will lend you a very keen listening hear first to understand only how they will gain more and then on what lies within the product.so go ahead and don’t fear to try the art of reverse selling to take your next steps in going out there and not only conquering the customer but also by conquering the world by making an ever-lasting impression on all of them.

I was sitting in on a first sales meeting recently and the salesperson started the meeting by giving a presentation of who they are and what their company does. Doesn’t sound too bad, right? Well, fast forward 20 minutes -- and the seller was still talking. When the rep finally took a breather, everyone in the room was tuned out and visibly distracted. The rep didn’t stop once to ask a question or make sure everyone was still following.

I’ve seen salespeople, both beginners and experts alike, make this mistake. In some cases, I’ve been pleasantly surprised with how the rep rebounded. In other cases, it felt a lot like watching a sinking ship.

A popular speaker started off a seminar by holding up a $20 bill. A crowd of 200 had gathered to hear him speak. He asked, “Who would like this $20 bill?”

200 hands went up.

He said, “I am going to give this $20 to one of you but first, let me do this.” He crumpled the bill up.

He then asked, “Who still wants it?”

All 200 hands were still raised.

“Well,” he replied, “What if I do this?” Then he dropped the bill on the ground and stomped on it with his shoes.

He picked it up, and showed it to the crowd. The bill was all crumpled and dirty.

“Now who still wants it?”

All the hands still went up.

“My friends, I have just showed you a very important lesson. No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth $20. Many times in our lives, life crumples us and grinds us into the dirt. We make bad decisions or deal with poor circumstances. We feel worthless. But no matter what has happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value. You are special – Don’t ever forget it!

First sell the value of the product that is the benefit that the customer is waiting to listen too then its features.

The 18 minutes close

Are You Helping Your Customers or Confusing Them? “If you have what I want, then stop beating around the bush and tell me what I want and come to the point”

The 18 minutes window of opportunity to close a customer speaks broadly about that window of opportunity that opens and shuts within 18 minutes giving you as a sales person the big chance to either make or break the sale. That 18 minutes where you need to charm the customer and convince him so well that the very next moment the customer will not only be impressed but will also change his mindset from a no to yes and forces the customer in the end to willingly say a big yes.

How does a sales person actually close a customer in 18 minutes? When I say eighteen minutes what I actually mean is that within eighteen minutes the customer should already be convinced that the product he has come to buy and now pitched by the sales person is the best suited according to his need and budget and should now be ready to purchase the product by agreeing to make the payment the next moment. This can only be possible if the sales person masters the art of reverse selling as well as the art of closing. Many at times it is observed that when a customer walks into any retail store he leaves the store confused and in a position of not being able to make a decision whether to buy or not. This is because the sales person has actually downloaded so much of information to the customer regarding the product that it makes the customers buying decision very difficult at that very moment.

One of the most basic rules in sales is keep it simple for the customer.

Your goal is to be the expert. This means communicating to the person in the manner they want to be communicated, rather than how you think is best.

This is one of the biggest mistakes that every sales person in retail does and that is why they are not able to close every customer. Without understanding what the customer is actually looking for or what does he actually want the sales person goes on talking and blabbering away regarding multiple brands leaving the customer now confused and frustrated. I do have a question that I would like to ask every sales person selling in the retail industry that every or any customer that walks into your store how many products he is actually come to buy very rarely you see in some cases that some customers do come to buy minimum 2 to 3 products or maybe more, but every average new customer walking into your store has come to buy at least one product at that particular time. So why is it that the sales person confuses or starts pitching to the customer on various products or brands. The famous statement that the customer has come to the store and is seeking your help now to purchase one product and one good brand .so do not speak about multiple brands first of all understand which brand he is looking for and what is his need. Based on that go ahead and pick up just one brand which the customer needs and has all the features and benefits in that product and now offer it to the customer

The 18-minute close talks about how in those 18 minutes you need to speak to the customer only regarding that one good brand and its unique or awesome features and benefits. Remember the customer has come to buy only one product and one good brand. Do not mention any other brand and do not move or shift to any other brand until and unless the customer himself says from his own mouth that please tell me a little of the other brands to. The key is to focus your whole attitude and selling skills on that one particular product and close that one brand only the confidence in your voice will have an impact on the customer and now build his confidence in taking the right decision in buying the right product. Close and convince the customer in fifteen minutes do not waste the customers time by talking too much and sharing unnecessary information. The next customer is about to arrive and I need to attend and close that customer to this should be the focus of every sales person.

Do not speak of any other brand to the customer because the more the information regarding various brands and its various features will leave the customer very very confused because not everything is possible for the customer to register in his head so now leaving the customer to say just one common statement that “let me think about it and I will get back to you”

If you want to master the art of selling and closing every customer, then remember let the customer only hear what he wants to hear, show him only what he wants to see and give the customer only what he needs and I tell you you will always be in a position of closing every customer and will be the top sales person in your company. “Too many choices can overwhelm us and cause us to not choose at all. For businesses, this means that if they offer us too many choices, we may not buy anything”

Recently I found myself talking with a salesperson who was actively engaged in trying to sell me.

I was a motivated buyer and the salesperson was motivated to sell.

Problem was the salesperson was too motivated to sell, and in so doing, was giving me way too much information.

The salesperson missed every buying signal and instead continued to throw more and more information at me, all the while thinking it was the right thing to do. Problem is it was only doing one thing — slowing down the process and wasting everyone’s time.

I couldn’t help but wonder how much time this salesperson wastes each year if what I was experiencing with him was typical.

While customers expect to be able to choose what they want and what fits their needs and requirements, they can get thrown off by too much information by way of choices. It is advisable for businesses to not confuse your customers by bombarding them with statistics, facts, figures and a plethora of choices that could potentially intimidate them. Intricacy and over- involvedness results in buyers moving from a decision to buy to a state of confusion and indecisiveness. Before putting information out there relating to a new product or a re-launched product, make a thorough analysis of whether the information will be seen as unique and distinct enough to make the product appealing or is it a re-hash of before and will only serve to confuse your customers. However, customer attention is a fickle thing and moves about and changes very often. Your business understands this too and that is why you make the error of placing too many options and choices before the customers, which does not help but only serves to confuse your customers. It takes away from the focus of a good product. Companies often think that they are making an investment when trying to provide many options for customers. However, in doing so, they lose focus on what their main business is and end up messing that up as well. Too many choices also detract from personalization which over time, customers don’t appreciate. So even though the company started out by trying to please the customer, the lack of focus and personalization causes them move away from the company and seek a company that can give them choices that are focused and customized to their current needs. How many times have you felt like you could have got something better or that you should have chosen the ‘other’ product lying near the one you chose? This leads to dissatisfaction. When customers are faced with too many decisions, they would often feel that they have decided in a hurry and later regret the choice they made. With time, they would much rather buy at a place with fewer choices. Do not crowd your customers by overloaded them with products and information. Let the customer decide what they want to see and how much information they want. · Build and sustain relationships with your customers. Over time as customers learn to trust you, they would know that you would provide them with only the most relevant and best choices. Include other customer testimonials in your product information – it is much easier for customers to relate to other customer experiences.

Show a clear and crisp comparison between your products and those of the competitors. This tells the customer that you are confident in your products and are not holding back any information from them even if the choices are not as many.

In conclusion I say these 18 minutes is very crucial for both the sales person as well as the customer. So, do not forget that if I need to close this customer I need to give him only what he needs and tell him only what he wants to hear in this way I leave the customer with no option but to say I yes in buying the product because whatever the customer asked for that is what you are giving him leaving the customer very satisfied and content.

Why did the customer cross the road?

Have you ever asked yourself this question that why is it that the customer has crossed the road and left your competitors store and has now entered your store once again? When there is not much difference between your product and the product of your competitor, there needs to be a very BIG difference in the attitude of the sales person as well as the quality of service you provide your customer. Your attitude towards the customer when he visited your store for the first time, the way you treated him, the detail explanation of the product, the detail demo and the right attitude in serving the customer and also understanding his need to choose the right product all boils down in bringing the customer back to the store.

What do your customers really want, besides buying a product? They want a great experience. They expect it. And so, if they choose your place to do that, you should be flattered and take on the challenge of giving them that experience. Instead, what happens? They don’t get greeted. They see sales people chatting away or walking by without acknowledging them. They don’t get treated well, and when their expectations aren’t met, they don’t come back. There’s no excuse for turning away from a customer. It doesn’t matter if the phone’s ringing, you’re about to start your lunch break, or you really need to run to the restroom. If a customer is approaching you, smile, greet them and offer your services. If you absolutely have to step away, make sure they’re clear on who else is around to support them or how they can get your attention when ready. Customers can tell when you’re putting on a fake smile or looking down your nose at them. Once you’ve mastered the empathy involved in understanding your customers, you’re better able to greet them in a genuinely welcoming manner and strike the right balance between professionalism and friendliness. Sales staff who have to force themselves to be friendly are likely to drive away customers.

Several months ago, my wife and I went to a local restaurant for dinner. We arrived and were seated quickly. So far, so good. Then we sat there over the next 20 minutes waiting on service. No one came to take our drink order; no one stopped by to see if we had questions about any of the dishes on the menu.

When the timer in my head hit 30 minutes, and we still had no service, we decided to leave. As we were walking out, the manager asked us how our meal was. I made it a point to tell him that we had been waiting for 30 minutes and no one had stopped by our table. His only comment was, “I’m sorry. Maybe next time we’ll get it better.”

Next time? There won’t be a next time for us at that restaurant. In fact, I recently drove past and noticed that the restaurant is now out of business. No wonder!

THE RULE OF THREE

1. The first time someone visits your store; there is less than a 50% chance they will return.

2. The second time they visit, they now have a 50% chance of coming back.

3. The third time they visit, there’s a 70 percent chance they will come back a fourth time.

Good customer service is all about bringing customers back. And about sending them away happy - happy enough to pass positive feedback about your business along to others, who may then try the product or service you offer for themselves and in their turn become repeat customers. If you're a good salesperson, you can sell anything to anyone once. But it will be your approach to customer service that determines whether or not you’ll ever be able to sell that person anything else. The essence of good customer service is forming a relationship with customers – a relationship that the individual customer feels that he would like to pursue. Good customer service is the lifeblood of any business. You can offer promotions and slash prices to bring in as many new customers as you want, but unless you can get some of those customers to come back, your business won't be profitable for long. Create a Wonderful Customer Experience Your customers could be shopping online — but they’re not. They’ve gone to the trouble of coming to your shop, so the least you could do is make that effort worthwhile for them. Remember you are responsible for the growth of the business.

Your customers—all customers—have a choice. They can choose to do nothing at all. They can choose to do business with you. Or they can choose one of your competitors.

EVERYONE HAS AN INVISIBLE SIGN HANGING FROM HIS OR HER NECK THAT READS “MAKE ME FEEL IMPORTANT,” NEVER FORGET THIS WHEN WORKING WITH CUSTOMERS. Remember You’re Not Selling Products – You’re Selling Experiences

The Midas Touch

Everyone is aware of the story of king Midas who loved gold so much that he asked for the boon or gift of whatever he touches should turn into gold and that gift or boon was granted to him. Like in the same way every sales person working at the branch or store can convert or close every customer and turn his or her life and career in that company into gold.

By closing every customer, he meets he will not only earn a lot of money in the form of incentives every month but also be highly appreciated by the management for his handwork and performance which will always lead to better prospects and growth.

So how is it that the sales person can turn every customer into gold and benefit for him? The answer is very simple he needs to use the Midas touch which means he needs to wow the customer in every possible way so as to keep bringing the very same customer back again to the very same store for repeat purchases and all this can be done only by surprising the customer in many ways the details of which are mentioned below in a sequence. This can be achieved by implying the magic touch in the lives of the customers by astonishing and surprising them in every possible way by surpassing their expectations.

Going over the expectations of the customer is always a good thing to do for it always leaves the customer very satisfied and happy. The following are all the different ways in which the sales person needs to do to charm, wow, and surprise the customer at any given time and remember that this needs to be a practice followed for every customer that walks into your store or branch.

Always welcome the customer at the entrance of the store with a pleasant smile

Do not forget to greet the customer with a warm greeting

Be ready to assist the customer to the required category they are looking for

Introduce yourself or your colleague at the very start of the conversation

Understand first what they are looking for and guide them on the same

Build awesome rapport with the customers by being very friendly and helpful

Irrespective of who you are or what designation be ready to observe and help any new customer walking into the branch for the first time

All staff members including the doorman and security staff should be trained to smile and greet customers and also thank them with a smile on exit

Ask relevant questions to gauge understanding

Probe for the need of the customer in depth

Offer them a glass of water at the start even if they have not asked for

Offer them tea/ coffee by being courteous as on when required

Always make the customer comfortable and put them at ease

Go out of your way in servicing that customer in every possible way

Always be ready to help elderly people and adults

Always be ready to help four type of customers they are first senior citizens, handicapped, pregnant women, and women with children

Do offer the customer a chair or a seat at all times

Guide them through the presentation and demo process very effectively

Assist them in choosing the right product which will fit their budget and need

Offer them a good discount which will make them happy and satisfied to move to the close

Help them in filling up the booking form and procedures

If a product does not exist in your store or branch but your other store does have the product please make an effort in calling that store and finding information on the same and if possibly get the product to your store for the customer.

Assist them in also getting their billing transaction done quickly and easily

Ask them if there is anything else assistance, they would require in any way

Do not leave their side in assisting them until they exit the store

Assist the customer in carrying their baggage or parcel till the exit of the store

In some cases, assist the customer in carrying their baggage’s right up to the car parking and back

Thank the customer genuinely and do ask them to visit your store once again

Call back the customer as promised regarding sharing any information he has asked for on time

Always call your customer informing him of his delivery date and time even before the customer can call you

Do not wait for the customer service assistant to do their job, he is your customer who you have closed it is also your duty to inform him of the same before he can call you, surprise him/her

Always call the customer informing about his installation and do not wait for the customer to call you first surprise him first

Always follow up with the customer at regular intervals even post sales

Always keep the customer informed of the best offers that will be happening as on when at your store

Be ready to assist the customer in any possible way as on when required

Do not forget to call as well as wish the customer on occasions as well as on festivals by sending a greeting card or even by email or by personally calling the customer.

Do call the customer after a couple of weeks of sale to find out how is the product doing and whether he is happy with it or not.

All these are ways creating a wow factor in the minds and heart of the customer. Many of these ways would look small and minute to you and would seem not important or the need of the hour but let me tell you that these are considered to be the moment of truth which makes or break s the sale.

These small moments are called as magic moments that always leave a lasting impression on the minds of the customer, for a customer never forgets any moment of how he was greeted and treated when he had visited your store.

Remember for the customer every kind gesture is important to compare you your company and your store with the other competitors that he visits and then makes it easier for him to decide where he would as the customer would want to do business with you or with some other company.

IT IS THE LITTLE THINGS THAT MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE

There was a man taking a morning walk at or the beach. He saw that along with the morning tide came hundreds of starfish and when the tide receded, they were left behind and with the morning sun rays, they would die. The tide was fresh and the starfish were alive. The man took a few steps, picked one and threw it into the water. He did that repeatedly. Right behind him there was another person who couldn't understand what this man was doing. He caught up with him and asked, "What are you doing? There are hundreds of starfish. How many can you help? What difference does it make?" This man did not reply, took two more steps, picked up another one, threw it into the water, and said, "It makes a difference to this one."

What difference are we making? Big or small, it does not matter. If everyone made a small difference, we'd end up with a big difference, wouldn't we?

The 3 Magical Questions

Are Your Questions Relevant to the Customer?

A huge problem every salesperson struggle with is asking questions — not only asking the customer questions but making sure the questions are actually relevant to the customer. Most of the times sales people end up asking the customer either to many questions or questions that are too confusing for the customer. In retail selling every sales person needs to master the art of asking question to penetrate the depth of understanding every need of the customer. When you're speaking with a prospect for the first or second time, it's crucial you ask the right questions. As a salesperson, your job is to discover their core needs quickly and succinctly. To guide a constructive conversation, top performing sales reps prepare deliberate and insightful questions.  In fact, it is these questions that are more important to building your credibility and creating interest in the mind of the buyer, than the product information you may be anxious to pitch.

Whether you’re new to sales or have been in the business for years, continuing to learn the art of asking open-ended questions will go a long way in improving your sales skills and results.

Before we dive in to some examples, first let me give my definition of an open-ended question: “Any question which requires your prospect or customer to “open up” and elaborate or provide you with detailed information.” Granted, you won’t find that in the dictionary, but that’s what it means to me and you; to get the prospect to open up and talk.

Conversely, a closed-ended question allows them to shut down and answer with a single word that gets you nowhere. The simple definition is an open-ended question can’t be answered with one word—it’s requires thought and therefore gives you that more detailed answer and information. An exceptional sale call rarely happens by accident.  Preparing great questions that are relevant, specific and thoughtful, are the hallmark of a successful and interesting meeting.  If the executive’s take away at the end of your time together is, “that was interesting”, you’ve done your homework with well-planned questions. There are three types of questions that are the foundation for sales call preparation.  The cadence of these questions is how a rep shares and confirms insights with the buyer.  The questions create context, determine the level of information a prospect needs, and identify the missing pieces a sales rep needs to effectively qualify an opportunity. The best way to correct this situation is by using what I call the 3 Magic questioning approach: These 3 questions are all you need to ask the customer to understand his every need. to understand every need of the customer walking into your store besides these 3 questions the sales person should not waste they’re as well as the customers time by asking irrelevant questions. the following are the three magical questions to ask every customer visiting the store. the first magical question is in regard to the brand. This question determines the first phase of understanding the need of the customer the first question is divided into two parts the first one is " Which particular brand are you currently using" the second question is " Do you have any particular brand in your mind, or have you thought of any particular brand. These two questions are very important to be asked to every customer as many customers walking into your store has some brand or the other in his mind or maybe a branded person as we call them and so by asking these questions, we are aware of which brand the sales person should first suggest the customer besides the other brands. The other reason of asking these two vital questions in the start is to not only understand the customers brand but the existing brand he is currently using because if by any chance his existing brand is sony then that means the customer can afford a sony and then the sales person can actually use his smart selling skills in upgrading the customer to a superior model in sony itself.

The second magical questions the sales person needs to ask the customer are the general questions as i call them which are very necessary and should be asked to every customer at the start. These questions consist of common questions need to be asked to understand the second phase of the need of the customer as I call it. These general questions consist of viewing distance, room size, in the case of panel, whether the customer is looking for a single door or double door in the case of refrigerator, whether he is looking for top loading or front loading, water pressure and its flow in the case of a washing machine, whether he is looking for a split AC or a window AC etc., and many more questions to understand the basic need of the customer.

The third magical and most important question that the sales person should ask the customer is what I call as the “need-based questions.” Need based questions are questions asked to understand what in depth is the customer actually looking for in a particular product. For example, in a mobile phone what is it that he as a customer is looking for is he looking for more ram, more memory, Bluetooth, wide screen, big screen, a selfie phone with an excellent camera etc. same is in the case of a refrigerator is he looking for more cooling, more space, more compartments, double door or triple door etc.

These are the only three important questions a sales staff should ask the customer to understand every need of the customer once he understands the need of the customer it is know is easy for the sales staff to pick up one of the best brands he has an offer it to the customer which of course has everything that the customer is expecting to  exist in the product, I say to that give the customer what he wants and ask for and you will never face an objection or hurdle in closing the sale because now you are giving the customer what he needs thus forcing to always say a big yes in buying your product.

I urge all those sales staff selling in the retail industry or at the store not to indulge in asking too many questions as this will only irate the customer and make your chances of building a good rapport or closing the sale more difficult. These all-important 3 questions that I have just explained to you is all that you need to ask to understand every need ant want of the customer. This the reason I call these three questions as the 3 magical ones as in a nutshell it tells you everything that the customer has, needs and expects from you.

Keep in mind besides these 3 magical questions which only is asked to understand the need of the customer there might be many other small questions the sales staff can ask the customer in order to build a strong rapport with the customer. Today's buyers are complex. They have confusing wants and needs. They're strapped for time. They're hesitant to share information -- yet have endless access to product details online. To provide value to these modern buyers, we need to ask good sales questions. Great sales questions enable you to tailor your messaging to your prospects' goals and show them your solution is the best choice.

Remember, you know your product is perfect for them.  Your questions will help them see your product as the ideal solution! Establish credibility, value, and interest by preparing deliberate, purposeful and insightful questions.

Fear of Selling/ Confidence Sells

“People like to think that the opposite of fear is courage, when in fact the opposite of fear is faith. When you have faith to overcome your fears, you realize you had courage all along.” –

Fear has two meanings which is very important for everyone to understand once you understand the significance of fear it is up to you to choose which of the either two u are going to choose, the first one is fear stands for “Forget everything and run” and the second is “face everything and rise”. Now that you have understood what fear all about is, you have to choose from any one of the options that would you want to give up and run or would you want to face and challenge fear.

A sale is without a doubt a great profession. You’ve heard me say this before and I’ll keep saying it because I’m passionate about it. You might be one of those people who face fear in one form or another when it comes to sales.

It’s time you take a deep breath and realize you’re not alone. Everyone at one time or another has experienced fear from selling. I know I did early on in my career. You’d be shocked at the number of times I would hesitate to pick up the phone or knock on a door or do anything that would move a sale forward.

My reason was simple — I was scared.

I’m thankful I had sales managers and others who helped me through the valleys. If I had not had those around me who picked me up, I wouldn’t be writing this post today, as I would have moved into a different profession. I’m glad I made it, and I hope you’re glad I did too.

In 1954, Roger Bannister broke the four-minute mile. What is amazing about Bannister’s story is the journey he had taken to achieve his goal. You see, Bannister had to earn the respect of his peers at Oxford University for a year by cleaning up after them and shoveling snow before he was allowed to compete in their track and field team. When he did, he was fast, fluid and stood out amongst the other team members. Catching the eye of the Great Britain track and field Olympic selectors, he was selected to represent his country at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics and with that selection, rode the gold medal hopes of all of Great Britain.

He made the final of the 1500 meters and when the final bell rang, he gave his famous kick for the last lap. Simultaneously, many of his fellow competitors shifted gear, and in the end, Bannister didn’t get a place. In some of the London newspapers, the headline read Bannister Fails! He felt he had let down his country, his university and himself. Like great achievers though, Bannister knew the key was not how far you fall, but how you bounce back that counts.

He set a goal that he would redeem himself and break the four-minute mile barrier. This was a goal that many believed was physically impossible. Other athletes had been attempting to achieve the same goal for the past nine years.

With his medical background and knowledge of athletics, he planned his attack. He researched mechanical aspects of running, and developed a scientific training method to aid him. At Iffley Road, Bannister planned to have two runners, Chris Brasher and Chris Chataway, to pace him for his attempt on breaking the four-minute mile. The weather on the day was horrible, with 15mph crosswinds gusting up to 25mph, and Bannister very nearly called the attempt off. Despite the poor weather, a large crowd gathered to fill the stands and support Bannister’s attempt.

When the race started, Chris Brasher took the lead as the first pacemaker. Bannister slotted in behind him, with Chataway in third place. When Brasher began to tire, Bannister gave the signal for Chataway to take over. The officials rang the bell to indicate the last lap and the crowd started clapping. With just over two hundred yards to go to the finish, Roger Bannister took the lead and kicked with the crowd now standing and cheering him on. He sprinted to the line and finishing in a time of 3:58.4. He had done it. He had come back! NEVER DOUBT YOUR POSSIBILITIES. INSTEAD, DOUBT THE LIMITS YOU PUT ON YOURSELF

“Once you become Fearless, Achievement becomes tired less” For "I am not afraid of storms for I am learning how to sail my ship."

There was a business executive who was deep in debt and could see no way out.

Creditors were closing in on him. Suppliers were demanding payment. He sat on the park bench, head in hands, wondering if anything could save his company from bankruptcy.

Suddenly an old man appeared before him. “I can see that something is troubling you,” he said.

After listening to the executive’s woes, the old man said, “I believe I can help you.”

He asked the man his name, wrote out a check, and pushed it into his hand saying, “Take this money. Meet me here exactly one year from today, and you can pay me back at that time.”

Then he turned and disappeared as quickly as he had come.

The business executive saw in his hand a check for $500,000, signed by John D. Rockefeller, then one of the richest men in the world!

“I can erase my money worries in an instant!” he realized. But instead, the executive decided to put the uncashed check in his safe. Just knowing it was there might give him the strength to work out a way to save his business, he thought.

With renewed optimism, he negotiated better deals and extended terms of payment. He closed several big sales. Within a few months, he was out of debt and making money once again.

Exactly one year later, he returned to the park with the uncashed check. At the agreed-upon time, the old man appeared. But just as the executive was about to hand back the check and share his success story, a nurse came running up and grabbed the old man.

“I’m so glad I caught him!” she cried. “I hope he hasn’t been bothering you. He’s always escaping from the rest home and telling people he’s John D. Rockefeller.”

And she led the old man away by the arm.

The astonished executive just stood there, stunned. All year long he’d been wheeling and dealing, buying and selling, convinced he had half a million dollars behind him.

Suddenly, he realized that it wasn’t the money, real or imagined, that had turned his life around. It was his newfound self-confidence that gave him the power to achieve anything he went after.

To persevere in sales, you must have grit and determination along with the mindset to keep going when the odds seem stacked against you. It takes grit and confidence to handle complete strangers when there’s a good chance they have no desire to talk to you. It takes grit and confidence to show up to work with a positive attitude when you’re not quite on track to reach your goals for the month. And it takes grit to pick up the phone again when someone shuts you down, perhaps rudely.

Anyone can sell if the price is cheap enough or if what is being sold is something people can’t live without.  However, for the vast majority of us, neither of these luxuries are part of the scenario in our sales strategy.

The difficulty of selling is compounded by the fact that most customers have a wide range of options available to them regarding what they can buy.   Therefore, in order to close the sale, it becomes necessary for us to stand out from other salespeople.  One of the best ways to be different is by displaying a confident personality.

Note that in order to successfully use your personality on a sales call, you have to be confident in how you can help your customers.  Unfortunately, many salespeople are simply confident in what they’re selling, not in their ability.  There’s a big difference.  It’s not that it’s wrong to be confident in what you are selling, but if you put more emphasis on your products or services than on your customers, and then you are not selling to your full potential.

This misunderstanding eliminates a large number of salespeople from being able to use their personality to positively influence their ability to close.  Confidence should not come across as manipulation or arrogance.  I’m sure we all know salespeople who have infectious personalities and use them to bulldoze their way through with customers.   On the surface, they’re very successful, at least for the short term.

However, those who have a manipulative personality will lull themselves into a false sense of security when, in reality, they’re destroying their long-term sales potential.

A confident salesperson is willing to take the time to find out what the real needs of their customers are.  They don’t jump at the person’s first comment and try to close the deal.   Their genuine interest helps expose the underlying needs that the customer may otherwise not be willing to share.  Confident salespeople believe so strongly in themselves and their ability to help that they’re not concerned with making a quick sale.  Rather, they want to make a great sale, which is usually much bigger and more profitable than a quick one.

Furthermore, when you’re genuinely confident in yourself as a salesperson and how you can help people, it’s not impossible to convince your customer from buying your product. The word “passion” is usually heard in the context of someone being passionately in love with another person.  This is not what I’m talking about.

The “passion” to which I am referring is showing genuine care and concern for helping the customer.  This means that you’re willing to not only communicate in an excellent way but also take interest in what they are telling you, but to also dig deeper, even if it takes you down a line of questioning you had not planned on.

The true test in demonstrating passion toward a customer is if after you’ve determined their needs and discovered that they are not in line with what you are selling, you would be willing to refer them to someone else.  That’s passion!  Yes, it may mean giving up a sale, but I guarantee that if you truly are passionate toward your customers, you’ll end up with far more sales in the long-run than the person who is not.

Finally, to successfully use your personality as a sales tool, you must be someone with whom people like to associate.  Negative or self-serving personalities will not see positive results.  Your personality must be upbeat in both actions and words and should be complimentary to everyone with whom you come in contact.

Attractive personalities do not get easily upset with issues, are willing to help find solutions, and are optimistic.  They are inviting rather than exclusive, and they cause others to willingly share openly.  Very simply — an attractive personality is one you would like to hang out with.

Retail sales are all about providing the customer with an experience, and that experience must include having confidence in the salespeople with whom you are working. In my case, the salesperson had product knowledge but not sales knowledge. He didn’t need to be incredibly “sales savvy,” just confident in what he was explaining to me.

After thinking about it, I realized that every question I asked was to help me gain the confidence that he failed to initially convey. The problem was that he viewed my questions as my desire to know more about the item, when, in reality, I just wanted some assurance in the purchase I was thinking about making.

If he would have merely spoken to me using a full and firm tone of voice, avoided using “um” and “ah” frequently, and shared his thoughts regarding my potential purchase based on his knowledge of the product and my input as to what I was looking for, he probably would have been able to close the sale.  In the end, we both ended up wasting our time. More importantly, the retail clerk’s self-esteem probably dropped because he wasn’t able to complete the sale.

This situation occurs frequently and it’s unfortunate because nothing good comes out of it:  for the store, the employee, or the customer. Circumstances similar to what I’ve just described are one of the primary reasons retail has a high turnover rate.

Sales managers need to take the time with every salesperson to teach beyond just product knowledge. All new salespeople can benefit from being walked through the entire sales process in a manner that allows them to build up their self-esteem. Sales managers should challenge themselves to be committed to regularly instilling confidence in each of their employees.

In the end, I decided that I probably would have purchased the item if I had been dealing with a confident person, even if they weren’t quite as knowledgeable.  All salespeople really need to learn to be self-assured and proud in the service they provide to customers. Although product knowledge is important, it is not essential to “know it all.” They need to develop the ability to confidently engage the customer with the knowledge they do have.

“Remember confidence doesn’t come when you have all the answers, but it comes when you are ready to face all the questions”

"Sell to live" or "Live to sell"?

Do you "Sell to live" or "Live to sell"? this is the question that every sales person should be asking themselves on a daily basis.

If you’ve ever been involved with sales, then you know that it’s not for the faint of heart. Whether it’s selling a pair of sneakers at a store, a new heating system to homeowners or pitching a startup to investors, making that sale depends on the appearance, knowledge and enthusiasm of the salesperson. Quite frankly, not all of us have those characteristics in us. There is a saying that salesmen are born, not taught. Well, not exactly. Undoubtedly, there is natural talent, but can you can learn these characteristics and be just as successful? Yes!

Extraordinary salespeople accept nothing less than being at the top of their game. They know they are the very engine of today’s economy. Sales is not an easy job. It is largely based in potential and there are no guaranteed deals. The work isn’t always enjoyable. However, top performing salespeople thrive without guarantees. To them each potential deal is a worthy challenge.

I have found a common trait in the highest performers: they "live to sell". They love prospecting for new business opportunities. They love being in the role of "closer". Their sales quota is a benchmark that they regularly exceed because just hitting quota makes them "average". They don't hide from the fact that they sell by putting words like "account manager" or "territory manager" on their business cards. They have turned the buyer-seller relationship into a game-A game with rules that they create! Most salesmen sell like they will live to see another day. Even worse, some sell like eventually someone will buy from them out of sympathy. Even worse than that is those salesmen who can’t sell at all and the only deals they close are laydowns that management handed them. Three percent sell like their lives depend on it. They get it. They work it. They put it all on the line. Because it is.

Great salespeople not only nurture the customer accounts they’ve inherited, but they seek and hunger to develop new connections and to find new ways to explore avenues of business with existing customers. They are willing to cold-call. They persist until they get themselves in front of key people to land new accounts. Their hunger doesn’t diminish in the face of rejection; instead, it challenges them to find new ways to get to the same end. Top performers thrive on the idea of potential, rather than on the rigid idea of achievement or not.

We work for earning incentives. We write our own checks. Why in the hell someone would want to write themselves a small check is beyond me. If you’re going to give me the check book, I’m going to make sure it’s got a lot of zeros in it when I cash the checks in it. What does sell like your lives on the line mean? It means going all in and being relentless in sales. The sooner you start treating your sales career that serious, the sooner you’ll find yourself making serious money.  You didn’t choose this industry to live a mediocre life. Why on Earth you’d settle for it is beyond me. I’m not saying money is the best thing in the world, but it’s WAY up there on the list. You can’t deny it. t’s also worth noting that only cool heads negotiate their way out of a hostage situation. You’ve never seen a movie where the hostage negotiator is screaming and bullying the perp into surrendering. You’ve never heard a hostage bully and scream their way free. That’s not how it works.

Extraordinary salespeople understand the sale doesn’t stop at the close of the deal. The sale continues as long as the customer is using their services. Great salespeople understand there will be complications, and that it is up to them, as the customer’s point-of contact, to get customer issues resolved in as quickly and efficiently a fashion as possible.

Selling like your life depends on it involves calculated moves. After all, if you make the wrong one, you’re dead. You’ve got to be cool, calm, under control, and strategic on what you’re going to say to get your way.

It will also help you to realize it’s not the prospect who’s holding you hostage. It’s their upper limits and objections. You’re negotiating against emotions not people. Sell the emotions. Close the objections. Every hero needs a villain. In sales, the villain is objections, and fears, not the person.

As salesmen we work a lot of hours. Then, we try and convince ourselves we don’t. For those of us who really enjoy our jobs, we act like it’s not work at all. BUT IT IS! You spend 6-10+ hours each and every day thinking, breathing, selling and living your work. Don’t you think you should get paid for all of that effort and time? You should.

Imagine you had a bank account that deposited $86,400 each morning. The account carries over no balance from day to day, allows you to keep no cash balance, and every evening cancels whatever part of the amount you had failed to use during the day. What would you do? Draw out every dollar each day!

We all have such a bank. Its name is Time. Every morning, it credits you with 86,400 seconds. Every night it writes off, as lost, whatever time you have failed to use wisely. It carries over no balance from day to day. It allows no overdraft so you can’t borrow against yourself or use more time than you have. Each day, the account starts fresh. Each night, it destroys an unused time. If you fail to use the day’s deposits, it’s your loss and you can’t appeal to get it back.

There is never any borrowing time. You can’t take a loan out on your time or against someone else’s. The time you have is the time you have and that is that. Time management is yours to decide how you spend the time, just as with money you decide how you spend the money. It is never the case of us not having enough time to do things, but the case of whether we want to do them and where they fall in our priorities.

The 7 C’S of Selling

The 7 c’s of selling is considered to be the most crucial essentials that every sales person in the retail and selling industry should learn to adapt and master if they want to be the no. 1 sales executive. Just like the right ingredients are required to prepare an outstanding and tasty dish in the same way without these 7 c’s of selling a sales person would not be able to perform and outshine in his store or branch. To master the art of retail selling I urge every sales person selling in the retail industry to focus on these essentials right from the entrance to the exit that is right from when the customer enters your store and until he exits the store these 7 c’s need to be followed very minutely to give every customer walking into your store a world class experience and keeping wowing the customer at every go. Let us now go in depth to understand what these 7 c’s of selling is all about and why it is so very important for every sales person in the selling industry.

Following are the 7 c’s of selling in their systematic stages of the sales process.

Confidence- confidence is considered to be the first crucial essential that every sales person needs to have within himself / herself. They say a man without confidence is a man as good as dead with no life left in him. The confidence to meet the eye of the customer, the confidence to ask the relevant questions to understand every need of the customer, the confidence to present the product in the best manner possible by explaining the benefits and features in an excellent way, the confidence in showing or demonstrating the product like a professional, the confidence to convince the customer that this product is the best choice for him, the confidence to handle any objections or obstacles put forth by the customer anytime during the presentation, the confidence to close the sale with ease, are some of the finer skills or ingredients required by the sales person to be the best from the rest.

Communication- The term communication from the word itself signifies how a sales person actually communicates with every customer who walks in at the store or at the branch. The art of communicating with a customer is very crucial for every sales person. Communication does not mean the different languages the sales person speaks while communicating with the customer but it signifies what message you put forth or communicate to the customer while explaining about the product that is why it is so rightly said that not only what you say to the customer is important but also how you say it is very important. Communicating to the customer in the language and sequence that he understands makes it much easier for the sales person to convince and close the sale with ease.

It is always good for the sales person to communicate with the customer in the language the customer actually speaks or understands better. But many a times a lot of sales people who do not speak English or understand it well fear the customer and the very next moment are not able to communicate well with the customer because of these language issues and fear in their heart. This in turn makes them loose customers and loss of sale for every prefers to speak to someone who can communicate well and explain things in a better manner and way.

But I would like to urge my fellow sales friends that if there is a language barrier in the case of say English and if the customer had asked you a question in English do not fear but be comfortable to speak in your neutral language that is Hindi and the very next moment the customer will understand the same and start communicating with you in the same language you understand or speak or have replied to him.

Completeness- completeness is considered a very crucial essential especially from the point of the customer. Completeness speaks about providing every detail or aspect that the customer should know as well as wants to know. For it is so rightly said that it is the right of the customer to know every detail about the product and everything that he needs to know. No information of any sought should be withheld or not shared with the customer. Even the minute to minute thing needs to be shared with the customer so as to leaving the customer with no complaints in regards to the same in the future. The complete information in regards to the product, features, benefits, price, terms and conditions, delivery details, installation details, warranty and guarantee and also complete demo of the product. This builds trust and faith as well as a good cordial relationship with the customer in the present as well for the future. This also specifies on the effort and hard work the customer will recognize put in by the sales person in explaining everything in detail to the customer and will be highly appreciated by the same. As it is once again so rightly said that retail is detail.

Correctness- correctness from the word itself signifies the accurate, precise and correct information which needs to be provided to every customer no matter what. Many a times I have noticed that many sales people make a very fatal and grave error while providing information or presenting the product to the customer. No matter how desperate you are to close the customer or a sale for various reasons at no cost should you ever mislead the customer or even misguide the customer in any possible way. Do not ever try to cheat the customer in any possible way he will see through you and catch on your wrong and once that trust is broken never again would you be able to mend it in any possible way. For “trust is like sticker, once it is removed, it may stick again but not as strong as it holds when you first applied it”. Always provide the customer with the correct information and win his confidence his trust and a long-term bonding and relationship for a lifetime. All that can be said and told to the customer is what you can say and tell and all that needs to be avoided and cannot be said needs to be exempted. For the customer may expect a lot more in return but only what you actually have and can provide is what you actually have and can be shared and given.

Convincing- Convincing skill is an art which needs to be mastered by every sales person to close maximum sales and deals. If you ever fail to convince the customer no matter how much of effort you have put in your presentation as well as in your demo in the end the customer would be forced to say the famous words I will get back to you or will think about it or I will come again etc. to convince the customer to buy the product today itself you as a sales person would have to charm the customer to fully convince him on various factors for example by emphasizing more on the benefits of the product, by providing him with a detail demo, by convincing on the price, why you are better than your competitors, on your unique selling points( U.S.P) and also on the way you have treated him from the start to the end and taken good care of him at the store, I short the best service you offer the customer is what is going to make him convinced the purchase the product. For it is rightly said that “if you are not taking care of your customers, your competition will”

Closing- Closing of the sale is considered to be one of the most important essentials of not only the 7 c’s of selling, but also one the essentials of the sales cycle or process. For you may build a very good rapport with the customer, you may present and demo the product in an excellent way, you may lay out the benefits and features of the product remarkably well, you may also overcome every obstacle and objection thrown in front of you by the customer and in the last you may also offer a good discount in regards to the price of the product to the customer , but in the very end if you are not able to close the customer or the sale everything you have said and done would the very next moment be meaningless to you and to your company and somebody else who is more convincing would close that customer for example your competition. Closing of the sale is considered to be the no. 1 priority of every sales person and every sales person should be able to close maximum sales on a daily basis to be the top performer of the company.

Consistency- What does consistency signify in the retail or selling industry. Consistency over here signifies how the sales person needs to be consistent day after day, month after month, and year after year in his performance. This means he needs to be always consistent in achieving not only his daily targets but also his weekly and monthly targets and on a long run also his yearly target if he needs to maintain his top performance in the eyes of his senior, managers as well as top management for his future growth and promotion. It should not be the case of him/her just achieving his target for a short period but should be on a longer period of time. Now once he achieves a certain level, he needs to understand the benchmark he has created for himself and keep on trying on now overcoming that level and going forward to achieve much more or at least try and maintain that level or benchmark on a consistent basis. Consistency also implies that on any given day if sales are just happening, he as a sales person should make the best of it on that particular day in closing maximum sales so as to achieve his monthly target and keep his consistency goal always ahead than the others.

Every sales person in the retail and selling industry should try and master these 7 c’s or essentials to be the top-notch sales person in his/ her industry.

This is a story about a famous research scientist who had made several very important medical breakthroughs. He was being interviewed by a newspaper reporter who asked him why he thought he was able to be so much more creative than the average person. What set him so far apart from others?

He responded that, in his opinion, it all came from an experience with his mother that occurred when he was about two years old. He had been trying to remove a bottle of milk from the refrigerator when he lost his grip on the slippery bottle and it fell, spilling its contents all over the kitchen floor—a veritable sea of milk! When his mother came into the kitchen, instead of yelling at him, giving him a lecture, or punishing him, she said, “Robert, what a great and wonderful mess you have made! I have rarely seen such a huge puddle of milk. Well, the damage has already been done. Would you like to get down and play in the milk for a few minutes before we clean it up?” Indeed, he did. After a few minutes, his mother said, “You know, Robert, whenever you make a mess like this, eventually you have to clean it up and restore everything to its proper order. So, how would you like to do that? We could use a sponge, a towel, or a mop. Which do you prefer?” He chose the sponge and together they cleaned up the spilled milk.

His mother then said, “You know, what we have here is a failed experiment in how to effectively carry a big milk bottle with two tiny hands. Let’s go out in the back yard and fill the bottle with water and see if you can discover a way to carry it without dropping it.” The little boy learned that if he grasped the bottle at the top near the lip with both hands, he could carry it without dropping it. What a wonderful lesson!

This renowned scientist then remarked that it was at that moment that he knew he didn’t need to be afraid to make mistakes. Instead, he learned that mistakes were just opportunities for learning something new, which is, after all, what scientific experiments are all about. Even if the experiment “doesn’t work,” we usually learn something valuable from it.

The Armani Voice of Sales

“People buy people first”- Is a beautiful and powerful phrase that talks about that even before the customer can buy anything from your store for example your features, benefits, price, your brand, your company or even your product, he needs to buy you. This means that even before the customer can buy any product, he needs to buy your voice; the customer needs to be convinced that the sales person standing in front of him is a professional person working for a professional company and has in-depth knowledge in everything he says regarding the product. In short before he gets convinced for anything he needs to be convinced by your voice, the customer first needs to believe in you even before he can buy any product and that can be easily done by using your voice to charm and impress the customer.

The biggest tool or weapon that every sales person has is his voice. Every word that comes out from the mouth of the sales person should have such a commanding and powerful statement that when those words hit the ears of the customer, he should be easily convinced in buying the product. Your voice should always be very soothing and convincing for the customer. It is also so rightly said that the right voice and words can easily convince any customer at any given time. Let the customer as I always say listen to only what he wants to listen. This is where the voice needs to play a very crucial role in convincing every customer and charm and impress every customer to close more sales.

"The Armani voice" of sales talks about just like the Armani suit is considered to be one of the best suits in the world and when worn by anyone transforms his personality the next moment from and ordinary sales person to and extraordinary sales person, in the same way every sales person needs to bring out his best voice (Armani) while speaking to any new or existing customer that walks into your store. The rate of speech, tone, words, clarity, and pronunciation, his language skills, communication skills Will greatly reflect and have a huge impact on every customer visiting the store. Every customer that walks into your store would like to approach a sales person who not only is presentable but also one who speaks or communicates well.

The only reason telemarketing people selling across the world are considered the no. 1 sales people in the world is because of this one great factor and that is "the voice". The customer cannot see the product, the customer is not able to feel the product, the only thing he is able to, is to listen to the voice of the sales person and get convinced in buying the product. On that very same telemarketing call they are not only able to convince the customer but are also able to close or sell the product that very moment and this is all because of the powerful and commanding voice that he or she displays that easily leads to the customer saying a yes and buying the product.

Many a time i see a lot of sales people in order to impress the customer put up a fake voice or accent, they feel by impersonating someone else they are able to charm the customer. every sales person needs to understand that to be the best from the rest all you need to do is to be yourself and speak every word coming out from your mouth clearly and precise so as to for the customer to understand clearly everything what you mean.

In order to catch the attention of the customer remember the voice should be very powerful in speech. do not let the customer voice be over your voice or the next moment it will be only the customers voice which can be heard and your voice submerged in the bargain. do not forget that you should always be in control of the conversation and the ball should always be in your court and not the customers court so as to lead your voice and the sales pitch in the direction you would like to take it too.

This is the main reason that the voice plays a very crucial part in the life of a sales person.

In short, a sales person needs to bring out his best Armani voice while speaking to every customer like the Armani suit so as to close maximum sales and always win the trust and faith of the customer. No matter the long hours at the store no matter how many customers you must have attended that day no matter how tired you are remember for the customer you are the sales person he might be meeting for the first time and so never ever forget to put on your best Armani voice forward at any given time.

Advice from A Sales person

A young Salesperson had lost an important sale. He was very upset.

When speaking about this with his Sales Manager, the young sales person shrugged. “I guess,” he said “it just proves that you can lead a horse to the water, but you cannot make him drink.”

“Son,” said the Sales Manager, “let me give you a piece of advice: your job is not to make him drink. It’s to make him thirsty.”

W. O. O – Window of Opportunity

Every customer that walks into your store or branch walks in for three main reasons, these three main reasons are the reason which not only forces the customer to buy a product but also forces them to at least once walk into your store. So, what are these three reasons? That bring customer to your store the first reason is the existing product that they have back home is either spoilt or on the verge of getting spoilt. The second reason is that they have a smaller product but now can afford to upgrade to a bigger product, for example They have a 32-inch color television and would now like to upgrade to a 55-inch television. The third reason being to buy or purchase the latest in the market or the latest technology in the market. Now these are the three main reasons which leave the customer no other option but to visit your store to purchase the product.

Window of opportunity talks about the opportunity that the customer gives you to close him or sell a product to him and earn huge incentives by providing him the best product. The customer does not only give you only 1 opportunity but 3 different opportunities to sell him and earn huge money for yourself in the form of incentives. so, what are these three windows of opportunity that the customer opens for you every time they walk into your store. The first window of opportunity is by earning incentives by closing the first or primary product. The second window of opportunity is by selling an add on or additional product along with the primary product and also earning incentive on these. The third window of opportunity is by selling them the extended warranty along with the product which also has incentive for it. So, it is very simple that the more I sell the more will I earn.

The customer silently speaks to you by giving you a big hint that I don’t have an option and that is why I have come to your store to purchase the product if you can convince me in every possible way that what you are offering me is the best I will be happy to purchase from you otherwise I have my options open. So, it is now up to the sales person to make the maximum utilization of this window of fortune or opportunity that the customer has opened for you because you may never know when this window may not stay open for long and might shut anytime by the customer leaving him no option but to purchase from your competition. I urge all my fellow sales people to take full advantage of this window of fortune for yourself if you want to earn higher incentives and reputation as well as respect from everyone.

This window of fortune or opportunity is also provided by the company to every sales people working at the branch, where the company spends a lot of money on advertising, publicity and marketing and by already being an established brand in the market, thus bringing a lot of customers to the store in a form of lucrative and exciting offers. So, I would say that 90% of my work is already done by my company, it is now only 10% of hard work that I need to do to close every customer walking in the store as because of these offers and reputed brand you already have a lot of customers coming in to buy the product. the sales person has not to take the trouble of every morning calling every customer on the phone to come and visit their store so the work of the sales people now becomes much easier and simpler. Unlike other companies where you have sales people going on calls to make a lot of cold calls and follow ups.

Every step should be taken by every sales people to make use of this huge window of fortune or opportunity to close maximum customers and earn maximum incentives or money as sky is now the limit for every sales people to achieve the impossible. Especially when there are huge fantastic offers running at the store during festivals and you have maximum customers coming to your store that is the time to take full advantage of going beyond yours as well as the customers’ expectations and achieving beyond par. That is the time for you to break your previous months target as well as record in regards to earnings and surprising everyone by your outstanding performance.

You will perhaps have heard this very old story illustrating the difference between positive thinking and negative thinking:

Many years ago, two salesmen were sent by a British shoe manufacturer to Africa to investigate and report back on market potential.

The first salesman reported back, "There is no potential here - nobody wears shoes."

The second salesman reported back, "There is massive potential here - nobody wears shoes."

This simple short story provides one of the best examples of how a single situation may be viewed in two quite different ways - negatively or positively opportunity.

To succeed and truly become the best version of ourselves, we need to have these four characteristics as part of our DNA.

The desire to pursue a cause or a goal that is bigger than each of us. A desire to be better, do better and to create better outcomes for ourselves and the people who mean the world to us. To be passionate about something that is important to us.

The drive to push through the uncomfortable, the inconvenient and the confusing. To ask more of ourselves than anyone else, because we have a personal set of standards to drive us towards outcomes for today, for the week, for the month and for the year.

The determination to hold on tight when times get tough. When it doesn’t go right or the cards don’t fall our way. When we have to pick ourselves up and push on when it gets difficult. To be brave for just five minutes longer. To face our fear knowing it is all part of the journey, and the journey is worth it.

The discipline to turn up time and time again. To be consistent, when it would be so easy to be inconsistent. We need to adhere to a set of rituals that sets us up for success and generates the desired daily emotions we want to experience, whether that is joy, love, achievement, confidence or happiness. We know in our heart of hearts that when we do these daily rituals, success will not, and cannot, be denied to us.

Monkey-hunters use a box with an opening at the top, big enough for the monkey to slide its hand in. Inside the box are nuts. The monkey grabs the nuts and now its hand becomes a fist. The monkey tries to get its hand out but the opening is big enough for the hand to slide in, but too small for the first to come out. Now the monkey has a choice, either to let go off the nuts and be free forever or hang on to the nuts and get caught. Guess what it picks every time? You guessed it. He hangs on to the nuts and gets caught.

We are no different from monkeys. We all hang on to some nuts that keep us from going forward in life. We keep rationalizing by saying, “I cannot do this because . . .” and whatever comes after “because” are the nuts that we are hanging on to which are holding us back. Successful people don’t rationalize. Two things determine if a person will be a success: reasons and results.

Reasons don’t count while results do…

“Remember a river cuts through a rock not because of its power, but because of its persistence”

The Mystery Shoppers

The theory of all “Five Fingers is not the same” is something that can be applied also in the case of customers. Every customer that walks in at the store is different in his way of thinking, his buying pattern, his need, etc. along with a lot of factors which cannot be overlooked by the salesperson and that is why it is very essential for every sales person working at the store should have a deep understanding of the different types of customers.

In the retail industry, it seems as though we are constantly faced with the issue of trying to find new customers. At one time or another, we have all become obsessed with making sure our advertising, displays, and pricing all “scream out” to attract them.

This focus on pursuing new customers is certainly prudent and necessary, but, at the same time, it can wind up hurting us. Therefore, our focus really should be on the 20% of our clients who currently are our best customers.

Going after new customers rather than putting more focus on our best ones has become a real issue for a number of different groups. For example, golf, a sport played by millions, has benefited dramatically from the popularity of certain golfers. However, the popularity that has helped create the rise in the number of new players has not changed the golf industry overall. Many are now saying that there needs to be an industry push to encourage the frequent golfer to play even more in order to grow profitably.

Likewise, let’s look at the electronic industry as a retail example. In the electronic industry, this idea of focusing on the best current customers should be seen as an on-going opportunity. To better understand the rationale behind this theory and to face the challenge, we need to break down customers into different types:

Loyal Customers: They represent no more than 20% of the customer base but make up more than 50% of the sales.

Discount Customers: They shop the store frequently but make their decisions based on the size of the markdowns.

Impulse Customers: They do not have buying jewelry at the top of their “To Do” list but come into the store on a whim. They will purchase what seems good at the time.

Need-Based Customers: They have a specific intention to buy a particular type of jewelry.

Wandering Customers: They have no specific need or desire in mind when they come into the store. Rather, they want a sense of experience and/or community.

If we are serious about growing business, we need to focus our effort on the loyal and Need-Based customer groups and merchandise the store to leverage the Impulse shoppers. The other types of customers represent a segment of the business, but they can also cause us to misdirect resources if we put too much emphasis on them.

Let me further explain the 11 types of customers and elaborate on what to do with them.

Loyal Customers: Naturally, we need to be communicating with these customers on a regular basis by telephone, mail, email, etc. These people are the ones who can and should influence our buying and merchandising decisions. Nothing will make a loyal customer feel better than soliciting their input and showing them how much you value it. In my mind, you can never do enough for them. Many times, the more you do for them, the more they will recommend you to others.

Discount Customers: This category helps ensure your inventory is turning over and, as a result, these people are a key contributor to your cash flow. This same group, however, can often wind up costing your money because they are more inclined to return product. In addition, Discount shoppers can many times be very vocal about pricing, selection, etc. while in the store. If overheard by other customers, it can result in lost sales. One way to control this is by ensuring your markdown area is located in a section of the store where conversations are less likely to be eavesdropped upon.

Impulse Customers: Clearly, this is the segment of clientele that we all like to serve. There is nothing more exciting than assisting an Impulse shopper and having them respond favorably to our recommendations. We want to target displays toward this group because they will provide a significant amount of customer insight and knowledge.

Need-Based Customers: People in this category are driven by a specific need. When they enter the store, they will look to see if they can have that need filled quickly. If not, they will leave right away. They buy for a variety of reasons such as a specific occasion or an absolute price point. As difficult as it can be to satisfy these people, they can also become Loyal customers if they are well taken care of. Salespeople may not find them to be a lot of fun to serve, but, in the end, they can often represent your greatest source of long-term growth.

It is important to remember that Need-Based customers can easily be lost to Internet sales. To overcome this threat, positive personal interaction is required, usually from one of your top salespeople. If they are treated to a level of service not available from the web, there is a very strong chance of making them Loyal customers. For this reason, Need-Based customers offer the greatest long-term potential, surpassing even the Impulse segment.

Wandering Customers: For many stores, this is the largest segment in terms of traffic, while, at the same time, they make up the smallest percentage of sales. There is not a whole lot you can do about this group because the number of Wanderers you have is driven more by your store location than anything else. Keep in mind, however, that although they may not represent a large percentage of your immediate sales, they are a real voice for you in the community.

The Well-Informed Shopper

The majority of retail customers fall under this category. Nowadays, shoppers do a lot of research before the come to their final purchase decisions.

Zoning in on customers during this phase is essential; as they’ve most likely made up their minds prior to walking into your store.

The Showroom Shopper

Customers that like to check out products in person but decide to purchase them after further comparing them with similar products.

Changing a Showroom Shopper’s focus from cost to quality is essential to get them to make the in-store purchase. In-store vouchers and loyalty programs work great for this group of shoppers.

The Nomad Customer

This group of customers likes to be left alone and allowed to look around yet need to be acknowledged nonetheless. Simply give them a warm welcome and possibly notify them that you’re there to help them if they need anything.

Quickie Customers

This category of shoppers knows what they want and just want to get in and out of the store. We advise not getting in their way and give them direct answers if they ask a question.

The Uncertain Shopper

These are the shoppers who have difficulty deciding, don’t have enough information, or have too many details that they begin feeling overwhelmed. You need to figure out what their exact needs are and educate them on what they need to know.

The Whale

The term “Whale” signifies a huge term in the world of sales and selling. Not many would understand what the term whale stands for and how it is very crucial for every retail sales person to understand this term very broadly with more importance in his day to day selling and life. Like I said before if every sales person wants to be the no. 1 and best performer in his industry then it is very important that he not only understands who a whale is all about but the faster he embraces this term the better it will be for the retail sales person.

Now let me go forward and explain to you who is considered to be the whale in the retail sales and selling industry. Just like the whale fish is considered to be one of the biggest and largest fish in the ocean that always fetches a big price for every fisherman when once caught and sold and enables him or his company to earn a huge amount of money and profit, likewise the whale in sales or the selling industry is also considered to be similar.

In the retail sales industry, the whale is considered to be one of your biggest existing customers that had walked into your store and had purchased a number of big premium products from your store and also continues to purchase multiple premium products from you and from your store. In other words, he is your biggest customer than your other regular customers who brings in the big chunk of money for your company. He is no ordinary customer but one of your premium and top-class customers and should be treated and handled with great importance. It is very easy for him to take his business anywhere he desires if not respected, treated and handled in a right way.

Losing a business of even a single whale can be a great loss not only for the company but also to the sales person and so great care should be taken while speaking and handling a whale. In short, the whale should always be given the VIP treatment. The more business he brings in greater the incentives is what the sales person can achieve.

Besides your existing customer the whale can also be a new customer who has walked into your store for the very first time and that is why there are 3 important things very necessary that every sales person needs to master and that is planning, preparation, and presentation. Always focus first on your whales and keep them as your top priority but of course do not forget in the bargain about your other customers

In sales terminology, a whale is pretty much just what it sounds like – it's a customer that's at least 10 times larger than your average sale. With B2c sales – business to consumer – a whale prospect is often a customer that's far larger than your other customers. In B2C or business to consumer sales, it might be a customer who buys your priciest product option and does so regularly.

Meanwhile, you'll be sailing right above a lot of viable customers and clients along the way. Don't ignore them in favor of the big fish, particularly when you're just starting out in sales. Those small fish are your initial bread and butter, so drop your line and reel them in. It's OK to keep your eye on the pod on the horizon but take advantage of the easy pickings along the way.

Now you have to get the attention of one of those whales in the pod, and how you do this depends to some extent on the nature of your business. Of course, the approach can be much different in B2c transactions, but the concept remains: Don't rush in blind. Preparation is key. Identify your whale and approach with finesse. And remember, your customer is probably being courted by a dozen of your competitors. You'll have to be extremely impressive to outdo everyone else and bring the whale in as a customer.

Closing deals with whales often takes far more time and effort than a typical sale, but these sales are so much larger – a single whale can be the equivalent of a dozen others. This makes them very worthwhile to pursue despite the extra trouble while you're still trolling for other, smaller fish. You might even turn the whale into a repeat customer so he's even more valuable.

After the Sale

If you do succeed, pay extra attention to your new large-size customer. Touch base frequently to be sure that he's satisfied and hopefully will continue to buy from you. A thorough follow up (as explained in detail in the follow up chapter) with your whale and updating them on a regular basis especially during big offers at your store or branch will definitely bring these whales to visit your store on a regular basis. One very important reason for this is that these whales being your top-class VIP customers will definitely refer the same to other of their references so as to bring more big whales to your store or branch. As it is so rightly said that the rich always attract the rich.

There are plenty of fish in the sea, but the key to reeling them in lies in your convincing skills and awesome follow up. At the end of the day, one thing is for certain—your customer is the king of the sea.

Empathy- In Your Customers’ Shoes

“Empathy creates an emotional connection, which elevates the sales conversation.”

The term empathy and sympathy play a very important role in the day to day life of a sales person. The term empathy signifies walking a mile in your customers shoes or putting yourself in your customers place or even by stepping directly into his shoes. While the latter signifies having pity or sympathy on the customer empathy signifies understanding the customer from his perspective. Why is that every sales person needs to step in the shoes of every customer. There are various things that a customer expects when he walks into your store and after conducting numerous customer feedbacks and surveys, I have come to the conclusion of understanding everything that the customer expects and wants.

The first thing that the customer wants you to understand or expects is that today I have walked into your store no  matter how many other customers are also present at your store I want you to treat me like god, for he is not concerned about the other customers all he is concerned about himself his need and wants if all these are taken care of in an excellent matter he the customer would be happy to not only buy from you but would continue to be your long term customer for life. I want you to understand my concern, my pain points, my need and what I am expecting from you your company and your product. I expect your smile your warm welcome and your trust. To understand all these things, it is very important to step in your customers’ place. The same way as you would want to be treated respected and handled when you walk into any store as a customer to buy any product in the same way the customer also expects to be treated and taken care of.

Sales organizations invest thousands of dollars in sales training every year. They offer such programs as lead generation, asking effective questions, negotiation, and account management.

There’s good news and bad news when it comes to training. The good news is that the company is investing in its sales team’s professional development. The bad news is that most sales coaching and training programs don’t teach an important skill for influencing people: empathy.

Empathy is an emotional intelligence skill, defined as the ability to walk a mile in another person’s shoes. It’s the ability to know what another person is thinking or feeling. Without empathy in sales, a salesperson can’t influence others, and prospects don’t buy from salespeople who don’t understand them.

Empathetic salespeople know you must be present to win. When you are present and focused, you pick up many nonverbal communication clues from prospects, such as a change in tonality, facial expression, or body language. The empathetic salesperson picks up on those clues and adjusts his or her questions and approach.

The best salespeople step out of their shoes and into those of their potential client. They think about a day in the life of their prospects, with the goal of creating a deeper connection.

The empathetic salesperson treats his prospects the way he likes to be treated. He doesn’t avoid tough subjects or potential objections to doing business. He knows concerns are part of the day in the life of his prospects and a natural part of doing business.

Empathy in sales creates an emotional connection, which elevates the sales conversation. Pay attention to the verbal and nonverbal communication. Step into your customer’s shoes and see the world from their perspective. It’s a great view for building long-lasting relationships and business.

There’s the age-old adage of “know your customer.” But there’s even more to this phrase and something that is typically forgotten. It’s empathy and, in the world of sales, that means taking the time to take a walk in customers’ shoes.

Empathy can be a game changer for sales. Too often we don’t slow down enough to think about where it fits in all the stages of the sales cycle and “knowing” your customers. You may technically know who they are, but are you really feeling their pain or acknowledging their challenges?

Someone Who Understands

A farmer had some puppies he needed to sell.  He painted a sign advertising the 4 pups and set about nailing it to a post on the edge of

his yard. As he was driving the last nail into the post, he felt a tug on his overalls. He looked down into the eyes of a little boy.

"Mister," he said, "I want to buy one of your puppies."

"Well," said the farmer, as he rubbed the sweat off the back of his neck, "These puppies come from fine parents and cost a good deal of money."

The boy dropped his head for a moment. Then reaching deep into his pocket, he pulled out a handful of change and held it up to the farmer.

"I've got thirty-nine cents. Is that enough to take a look?"  "Sure," said the farmer. And with that he let out a whistle. "Here, Dolly!" he called.

Out from the doghouse and down the ramp ran Dolly followed by four little balls of fur.  The little boy pressed his face against the chain link fence. His eyes danced with delight. As the dogs made their way to the fence, the little boy noticed something else stirring inside the doghouse.  Slowly another little ball appeared, this one noticeably smaller. Down the ramp it slid. Then in a somewhat awkward manner, the little pup began hobbling toward the others, doing its best to catch up...

"I want that one," the little boy said, pointing to the runt. The farmer knelt down at the boy's side and said, “Son, you don't want that puppy. He will never be able to run and play with you like these other dogs would."

With that the little boy stepped back from the fence, reached down, and began rolling up one leg of his trousers.  In doing so he revealed a steel brace running down both sides of his leg attaching itself to a specially made shoe.  Looking back up at the farmer, he said, "You see sir, I don't run too well myself, and he will need someone who understands."

With tears in his eyes, the farmer reached down and picked up the little pup.

Empathy is all about you taking the place of the customer and understanding him in the same way as you would want to be understood.

Motivation Is the Spark That Starts the Fire. Emotional Connections Fuel the Blaze.

Traditional / Consultative Selling

While speaking broadly of the past sales people and the current sales people that exist i would like to highlight the two most important selling methods that has transformed selling drastically and changed a lot over the period of years and i would like to simplify these both selling methods by giving two great examples in regards to the same. the two selling methods that i am referring to are the “Traditional selling method” (past or old) and the “Consultative selling method” (future and new).

In the traditional selling method, the sales person does not probe deep enough to understand the need or requirement of the guest in other words the sales person was only interested in showing the product that he has on display and in selling the product as soon as possible to the customer. for example imagine a customer was interested in buying a car and so he walks in to a car showroom the sales person after greeting the customer would ask the customer whether he is interested in buying a car and then would go forward and show the customer the various models and brands he has on display for example- (Mr. customer let me show you the various brands and models we have on display, we have Maruti, Contessa Honda, Mitsubishi, fiat, Mercedes, BMW etc."

While the other way around in consultative based selling the sales person acts as a consultant to the customer first, he digs deeper to understand every need of the customer and then and then only will he go forward to suggest which brand or model needs to be suggested to the customer. For example- again a customer who is interested in buying a car walks into a car showroom and is greeted by the sales person now before he can show the customer the various models on display, he first probes for the need of the customer. for example, "Mr. customer let me ask you is there any particular brand in your mind" if the customer says for example Honda then he will again probe the customer by asking " Mr. customer is there any particular size or model that you have in mind, because in Honda we have Honda amaze, Honda city, Honda civic, Honda accord as well as Honda city". If the customer says I’m looking to buy an Honda city then the sales person again goes forward in probing in regards to the same foe example " Mr. customer let me ask you this that I’m an Honda city what is it that you are looking for, for example are you looking for more, leg room space, power steering, mileage speed, comfort, etc." once he understands everything about the customers need then and then only will he go forward and suggest which car the customer should purchase.

Let me also share with you one more example in regards to the same when we have a severe pain in our stomach we do go and visit the doctor to consult him. the doctor before he can dragonize what the problem probes is deeper by asking us questions that did we eat something from outside yesterday or if not, what did we eat. why he asks or probes for these questions? the reason he does this is to understand that if by any chance we did eat something from outside then it could lead to maybe food poisoning and he would suggest medicine in regards to the same and by chance if we have not eaten anything from outside but just normal home food then perhaps it could lead to acidity and after consulting on the same he will go and prescribe medicine for the same. I’m the same way without understanding everything in regards to the customers’ needs the sales person should not go ahead and suggest ant product or recommendation to the same.

Adopt a doctor’s mindset

Instead of thinking like a salesperson, try adopting the mindset of a doctor. I’ve never met a doctor who used a pitch like, “We have this incredible new procedure that I just can’t wait to tell you about! It’s going to change everything!” Rather, good doctors ask questions to make sure they understand your pain before making a diagnosis. Mimic this approach by making it your goal to understand your prospects’ deepest frustrations before you propose a solution.

Consultative selling method is the best approach that every sales person should follow so as to understand only one thing and that is the need of the customer in depth before offering him any solution.

The Newton Klotz Story (An amazing sales story & what you can learn) Introducing Newton Klotz, Electrolux Salesman

One day my Dad calls the local Electrolux store to ask about buying a new hose for his vacuum. The sales guy, Newton Klotz, says, “Sure. I’ve got one of those in my car. About $15. I’ll drive it over...be there in about 15 minutes.” This totally delights my Dad so he says, “Sure, come on over.”

Conversations, not Presentations

The Klotz mobile shows up at the house as promised. It’s a well-used Oldsmobile Vista cruiser station wagon jammed full of all sorts of parts and new & used vacuums. He rings the doorbell and greets my Dad with the part he wanted to fix the vacuum, but he also has a brand new, top-of-the-line Electrolux as well.

My Dad invites him in and thus begins the amazing stuff I promised you at the beginning. Old Newton is no fool. He knows that my Dad just wanted the new hose...a $15 sale. Not bad, in that selling the new hose is giving the customer exactly what he wants. Good on the karma scale, but not much commission. That only comes with the sale of new vacuums. But instead of launching into a hard sales pitch, our intrepid sales pro starts in on a line of conversation around how the hose wore out, which led to a discussion of lifestyle, kids, home-ownership, sports, you name it. Anything and everything EXCEPT vacuums.

Demonstration and Use of Props

After Newton has established a great deal of rapport with my Dad, he determines it's time to ask permission to do a demonstration.

Newton innocently asks my Dad if he wants to see something really cool and amazing. Sure, says Dad. Newton throws a pocketful of dirt on the rug at my Dad’s feet. Holy shit! No worries say Newton and he proceeds to vacuum it up with the aforementioned brand-spanking-new, top-of-the-line unit. Dad is suitably (and predictably) impressed. To make a longer story a bit shorter, old Newton departs after my Dad has bought not one, but two new vacuums! One for upstairs and one for downstairs. Oh, and Newton threw in the new hose “just in case”. Total? Over 900 bucks!!!

- Did Newton pressure my Dad into buying? No.

- Did Newton manipulate my Dad into buying? Nope.

- Did Newton wear my Dad down until he bought just to get him out of the house? Not in the slightest.

Lessons Learned

1. Rapport opens the door to sales conversations.

2. Seek to understand before opening your mouth about product.

3. Seek permission to introduce the product and to demonstrate it.

4. Newton had great interpersonal skills, learned and honed through experience and practice, not by memorizing "closing lines".

5. Through their conversation, Newton discovered (is learned a better word?) that my Dad really did want two new vacuums. Mind you, I did NOT say that my Dad needed two new vacuums, let alone one. He WANTED them.

6. If all Newton did was sell the replacement part, he never would have learned this and made the larger sale.

7. If all Newton did was to do the high-pressure sales thing.... same result.

8. Simply by having a conversation, not a “sales” conversation and not according to some pre-defined “line-of-questioning” put forth by some Sales Process mind you, did all this become possible.

Why Grooming Is Important for Sales Staffs

A sales person at the store is often the first point of contact between an organization and a prospective customer, and that is the reason I refer to them as not sales people but as ambassadors of the company. The image of the brand lies very strongly in their hands because day in and day out they are the ones who meet and interact with every guest that walks into the store the good impression that the sales staff creates in the mind of the prospective customer in his first visit often paves the way for subsequent visits and future sales. The first impression, therefore, is very crucial. One needs to ensure that the sales person is well groomed to leave a positive impression in the prospects’ mind. Grooming involves not just the physical appearance but also the other finer personality traits like body language, mannerisms and etiquette. In today’s competitive business scenario, managers and business owners cannot afford to overlook the grooming of their sales personnel. Here, are a few compelling reasons why a business owner or entrepreneur should pay attention to see if his sales force is well groomed or not.

Helps in creating a good first impression -– A sales person has to look presentable. If a customer is not pleased with the way a sales person looks, he may not connect with the person. In the case of a retail store, the customer entering the store may not walk up to the sales person. In other cases, the customer may not like to continue his interaction with the staff and may cut the meeting short. Personal appearance is the first puller. People judge others by their external appearance. A person’s clothes, at least to a certain extent, reveal his personality and character.

Increases the likeability factor of the staff - No customer would like to deal with a staff member who does not have a professional body language and lacks polite manners and good etiquette. A well-mannered and well-behaved sales person always leaves a positive impression of himself and is often sought after by customers. He can better handle tricky situations and difficult customers. Body language, which includes facial expressions, gestures and postures, conveys a lot about the staff and his credibility. He, should, therefore, be careful not to convey anything undesirable to the prospect unknowingly. A proper grooming session for the sales people can ensure that they are properly trained and made aware of all these essential points.

Builds brand Image -How the staff presents himself on the job not only impacts his own success but also reflects on the whole organization and affects its good reputation. A shabbily dressed or untidy staff can ruin the reputation of the whole organization. On the contrary, a well-dressed and well-groomed salesman executes confidence and reflects a professional attitude, not only of himself but also the company he represents. It contributes to building trustworthiness and respect for the company and the brand.

Makes the sales people more confident – Good grooming habits are also essential for the confidence level of the staff personnel. Good grooming makes the staff more attractive thereby boosting their own confidence. Needless to say, a sales person with high confidence can contribute better to increasing the sales of the company.

Studies have found that a person’s credibility, professionalism, intelligence and sophistication levels are judged solely from his or her personal appearance. However much one may ignore the fact still remains that a person’s appearance does influence the opinions of people around him. Of course, looks and personality are not the only factors which contribute to a sales person’s success. Nevertheless, they play a crucial role in pushing up sales.

Owners and managers need to educate their sales people about the importance of grooming and how it can impact not only their own careers but also the growth of the company. A company’s responsibility does not end with providing uniforms for their sales people. Companies should lay down grooming policies so that the staff members know what is expected from them. Companies and organizations must also make sure that the staff, especially those in the sales department, knows how a professional body language, polite manners and good etiquette can be used to win over customers.

A study carried out by Harvard University found that it takes just 7 seconds to generate a first impression. It also found that 45% of that first impression is made based on how you sound. The remaining 55% is based on your appearance - how you look, how you carry yourself and how you're dressed.

Like it or not, once people form an opinion of you in those first seven seconds, they rarely change it. That's why, as a salesperson, it's important to pay close attention to the way you dress. It can make the difference between winning and losing a deal.

The good news is that you can control to a large extent how people perceive you in this way.

The first step in creating a great first impression is to dress for success every day.

Don't Judge a Book by Its Cover,

Never ever judge a customer as Appearances can be deceiving and retail sales staff should not judge customers by the way they look but treat everyone as potential clients.

Every customer is a new customer and every customer walking into your store should be treated and respected in the same way as you would treat your other customers. Never ever judge your customers by the way he looks or by his clothes or by the way he carries himself. remember every customer walking into your store is very important irrespective of whether he buys the product today or not. A customer who doesn’t buy today can always have various reasons for not buying but could always be your customer tomorrow or later and so never assume that that the customer has just wasted your time for no reason and would not be able to buy ever. From the start of my shift till the end of it no matter how many customers walk in and I meet I will always treat every customer in the same manner and respect.

Before judging others or your customer always keep in mind two very important things, the first being that there is no x-ray machine in the world invented which can be kept at the entrance of the store and actually show you whether the customer now entering your store is capable of buying any product or not and the second important thing is that you are not in a position of ever knowing how much money the customer has in his pockets. So, do not conduct any x-ray with your customers because if u think of doing so then you should have had been in the profession of a doctor and not a sales person. One big example is the youth of today or our college going students every second student has an expensive smart phone in his pocket in fact even which some senior working members do not possess but they have acquired it. How are these college students who aren’t even working be able to afford such expensive smart phones, its simple they have either saved their pocket money and brought one or convinced their parents to buy them one. So, keep in mind irrespective of age, color sex, appearance do not judge your customers on any of these grounds.

Imagine you walking into a big book store and the very first book you pick up and flip it to read the summary you start to realize that maybe this book is not all that good for you or for your reading. The next moment you begin to feel that hey this book is useless not so good I  think I can make a judgement from just reading the summary but let me tell my dear friend that the summary might not look to you very interesting and unless you go into the book and start reading it in detail you would never be able to understand the significance of the content and knowledge you can actually acquire from it, and that is why it is so rightly said that do not judge a book just by its cover so  as also in the case of a customer. For you may never know that the customer standing in front of u by appearance may look like a nobody but reality might be a billionaire who would be in a position of purchasing your entire store if the need arises.

Last week I heard a story that struck a chord. I was told that some time ago, British soccer player Wayne Rooney walked into a real estate agent's office dressed down in jeans and a hoodie. The receptionist made the assumption that he was not able to afford buying a property and didn't treat Rooney as a potential customer. Rooney, who is believed to be worth upwards of $60 million and ranks among the world's highest paid athletes, was more than able to afford buying a property and in fact did so.

I am a typical customer! I can carry my money and credit cards in a Fendi handbag or a fanny pack, and guess what, it all spends the same way. This reminds me of the memorable scene in the movie "Pretty Woman" when Julia Roberts was shopping on Rodeo Drive in shorts and a tee shirt and no one would help her.

After a transformation with the help of Richard Gere, she walks back into the same store with tons of packages and mentions that the previous day they wouldn't even wait on her, and she leaves the store saying, "BIG MISTAKE, BIIIIGG MISTAKE!" I loved that scene because unfortunately, it is so true of how some Stores treat their customers.

A smart sales person will overcome their initial and instinctual desire to judge a person and put them in a pigeon hole (i.e. they are rich, they are poor, they are a time waster, they will never buy this). They will look well beyond this and treat everyone exactly the same and that is what will make them different.

This Beautiful Story will give you answer to your question why we should not Judge Book by its cover.

A doctor entered the hospital in hurry after being called in for an urgent surgery. He answered the call immediately, changed his clothes and went directly to the surgery block. He found the boy’s father going and coming in the hall waiting for the doctor.

Once seeing him, the dad yelled:

“Why did you take all this time to come? Don’t you know that my son’s life is in danger? Don’t you have the sense of responsibility?”

The doctor smiled and said:

“I am sorry, I was not in the hospital and I came the fastest I could after receive the call & now, I wish you would calm down so that I can do my work”

“Calm down?! What if your son was in this room right now, would you calm down? If your own son dies now what will you do??” said the father angrily

The doctor smiled again and replied:

“I will say what Job said in the Holy Book “From dust we came and to dust we return, blessed be the name of God”. Doctors cannot prolong lives. Go and intercede for your son, we will do our best by God’s grace”

“Giving advice when we’re not concerned is so easy” (Murmured the father.)

The surgery took some hours after which the doctor went out happy,

“Thank goodness! your son is saved!” And without waiting for the father’s reply he carried on his way running. “If you have any question, ask the nurse!!”

“Why is he so arrogant? He couldn’t wait some minutes so that I ask about my son’s state” Commented the father when seeing the nurse minutes after the doctor left.

The nurse answered, tears coming down her face:

“His son died yesterday in a road accident, he was in the burial when we called him for your son’s surgery. And now that he saved your son’s life, he left running to finish his son’s burial.

For as it is rightly said that you never know with what frame of mind a customer has entered your store for the first time and also nobody can ever tell how much of money the customer has in his pockets or is ready to shell out the next moment.

Break the habit of judging a person by their appearance and treat everyone as equal. Do this and you will sell more of anything to anyone. As a beautiful by product, you will get to meet and connect with some truly spectacular people whom you may have previously written off.

First Impression on Customers

‘Elephant’s do not bite, mosquitoes do.’  It is not the big things that ruin us.  It is the little ones.  That is definitely true of image.  It is all the little things we fail to give attention to that robs us of success.

Everyone knows that you never get a second chance to make a first impression. This holds true in many scenarios, from dates to job interviews. First impressions are equally valuable in the retail industry, where the customer experience you create right off the bat can determine if shoppers ultimately purchase merchandise.

When customers walk in the door, it's likely they don't want to be jumped on immediately. It's best to allow them to get their bearings and check out what the store has to offer. Once patrons look ready to peruse, employees should greet them. Rather than a noncommittal "hello" or a question that prompts an automatic response such as "how are you?" have staff introduce themselves to shoppers. Sales associates can offer to help customers find an item, then let the guests know that they'll be around to answer any questions. The goal is to make customers feel welcome and wanted, but not too on the spot.

People who feel welcome at your place of business are far more likely to return than those who don’t. Beyond that, both satisfied and dissatisfied customers are bound to share their experiences with others, so you always want to strive for the former — and encourage word of mouth that will lead to long-term customers vs. drive them away.

Making a strong first impression will help you develop customer relationships and make sales. From the moment you approach a customer, your behavior, attitude and personal presentation will influence your customer's decision to buy.

Every customer wants to feel special and this is because they are special. Thus, should be treated special. No customer would want to feel ignored and should never be ignored. When a customer enters your store, they will expect to be acknowledged. They will expect to be greeted. They will expect to be assisted. They will expect the best experience in every visit to your store.

Customers don’t want to feel that they are just customers and their only purpose when they visit your store is to purchase your product. They don’t want to feel that they are just a part of your statistics. Ineffective greetings make them feel this way.

Body Language- Studies show that over 50% of all communication is non-verbal.  In other words, body language is critical to our success – or failure – as a retail sales associate.  Great non-verbal communication makes us seem more trusting and helps us to get our customers emotionally involved with our products – resulting in higher sales.

Great body language helps retail salespeople communicate with their customers, makes them seem more in control and helps to close the sale.  But poor non-verbal communication can leave us with egg on our face and could result in frustrated customers who do not engage or buy from us.  So, with that in mind, let’s look at some physical activities that you should train your retail staff to avoid.

Body Language for Retail Sales Reps

Lack of eye contact – Not making eye contact indicates either a lack of interest – or even worse – intent to deceive.  That does not mean that you want to get into a staring contest with your customer.  It is OK and even desirable to break eye contact periodically but failing to ever make contact will result in customer distrust.

Selling Belly to Belly – While it is important to be able to make eye contact with your customers, you want to avoid invading their personal space.  Stand slightly to the side and keep 18-36 inches between you and the customer.

Touching the Face – This can create a sense of distrust with the customer.  In addition, it can be unsanitary… Remember, you need to be able to shake the customer’s hand once you have closed the sale.

Unnatural Facial Expressions – You can always tell when someone is forcing a smile, can’t you?  So, avoid the “painted-on” smile.  Instead, make sure you are acting in a genuine manner – after all you should be happy to engage with every customer.

Scratching Your Head – This is a dead giveaway that you either are unconfident in your product knowledge or your recommendation.  Instead, keep your hands in front of your body using an open palm to show friendliness.

Folded Your Arms Across Your Chest – This is a big problem because it indicates to customers walking in the door that you do not want to engage with them.  If you do it when speaking with someone it can indicate impatience or anger.

Giving the Customer the Finger – We are not speaking about THE finger, but instead the index finger.  Imagine that a customer walks up to you and asks you to help them locate something and then you point in that direction and tell them where it is.  Aren’t you telling them that they are not very important?  Instead, escort them to the product and start a conversation!

Using Your Phone on the Sales Floor – Take a look around the next time you are shopping.  Many sales reps are constantly checking their phone, texting or reading email.  What are they telling you?  That their phone is more important than you are.

Stand Openly. "Get out from behind your cash wrap or desk, avoid crossing your arms or leaning on something, and stand up straight and tall."

Training retail staff on proper body language habits will go a long way toward improving their sales results and your customers’ experience.

You could write the best speech in the world, and no one would remember it if you spoke in a whisper and looked at your feet while delivering it.

How you say something is just as important -- if not more so -- than what you actually say. Crossed arms, wandering eyes, and stooped posture can drown out your message if you're not careful.

But used strategically, body language can emphasize your argument and make it resonate with your audience. Want to really drive a point home with your prospect? Consider walking a few steps toward them. Nodding, smiling, and maintaining eye contact will create a positive and receptive atmosphere. And making small, restrained gestures can project an air of authority and confidence.

A little boy went into a drug store, reached for a soda carton and pulled it over to the telephone. He climbed onto the carton so that he could reach the buttons on the phone and proceeded to punch in seven digits (phone numbers). The store-owner observed and listened to the conversation: Boy: “Lady, Can you give me the job of cutting your lawn? Woman: (at the other end of the phone line): “I already have someone to cut my lawn.” Boy: “Lady, I will cut your lawn for half the price of the person who cuts your lawn now.” Woman: I’m very satisfied with the person who is presently cutting my lawn. Boy: (with more perseverance) : “Lady, I’ll even sweep your house and your sidewalk, so on Sunday you will have the prettiest lawn in all of Palm beach , Florida.” Woman: No, thank you. With a smile on his face, the little boy replaced the receiver. The store-owner, who was listening to all this, walked over to the boy. Store Owner: “Son… I like your attitude; I like that positive spirit and would like to offer you a job.” Boy: “No thanks Store Owner: But you were really pleading for one. Boy: No Sir, I was just checking my performance at the job I already have. I am the one who is working for that lady I was talking to!” This is what we call “Making a first and lasting impression”

“Attitude of Servitude”

Taking Joy in Serving Others. This is the “master” quality and One of the main qualities every salesperson should inbuilt in themselves. Have you ever wondered how two sales representatives selling exactly the same product, in the same market, with the same price and the same features, can come up with extremely different results? This might be because of differences in selling techniques and levels of knowledge but to be honest, I believe it is mostly because of differences in the attitudes of these sales representatives. The right attitude to sell and serve the customer at any given time.

If you have an ego you’re not going to get very far in sales or in life in my opinion. However, if you have confidence you can achieve almost anything. People gravitate towards confidence and want to be a part of it. This is true in all aspects of life and especially in sales. You could know every aspect of your product or solution but if you’re not confident in how it’s delivered or in the true value it provides then you’re going to have a hard time convincing anyone to buy it. Even more importantly, if you don’t have confidence in your own abilities (and yourself) you’re not going to be too convincing, regardless of what you’re selling. Improving your sales results starts from improving your attitude.

A Glass of Milk, Paid in Full – Author Unknown

One day, a poor boy who was selling goods from door to door to pay his way through school, found he had only one thin dime left, and he was hungry. He decided he would ask for a meal at the next house. However, he lost his nerve when a lovely young woman opened the door.

Instead of a meal he asked for a drink of water. She thought he looked hungry so brought him a large glass of milk.

He drank it slowly, and then asked, “How much do I owe you?”

“You don’t owe me anything,” she replied. “Mother has taught us never to accept pay for a kindness.”

He said, “Then I thank you from my heart.”

As Howard Kelly left that house, he not only felt stronger physically, but his faith in God and man was strong also. He had been ready to give up and quit.

Years later that young woman became critically ill. The local doctors were baffled. They finally sent her to the big city, where they called in specialists to study her rare disease.

Dr. Howard Kelly was called in for the consultation. When he heard the name of the town she came from, a strange light filled his eyes. Immediately he rose and went down the hall of the hospital to her room.

Dressed in his doctor’s gown he went in to see her. He recognized her at once. He went back to the consultation room determined to do his best to save her life. From that day he gave special attention to the case.

After a long struggle, the battle was won. Dr. Kelly requested the business office to pass the final bill to him for approval. He looked at it, then wrote something on the edge and the bill was sent to her room.

She feared to open it, for she was sure it would take the rest of her life to pay for it all. Finally, she looked, and something caught her attention on the side of the bill. She began to read the following words:

“Paid in full with one glass of milk”

Signed, Dr. Howard Kelly.

Selling is an attitude. It's how you think and feel. It's about your whole approach to yourself, your company, your products and, of course, your customers. All of this can be condensed to three words: Confidence, pride and care. Do you remember the last time that you sold your first three customers during the day? The fourth customer who enters your store does not have a chance to get away. The reason is your confidence is sky high. Comparatively, if you had lost the first three customers, your confidence might be jaded. That is, unless you had trained and conditioned your attitude.

Attitude to serve the customer is the “want to do” in a triangle of effective selling. Essentially, the triangle means that you can know what to sell (product knowledge), how to sell (strategies and tactics), but you have to want to sell cheerfully and passionately (a good attitude). As a result, an effective habit of selling is the combination of knowledge, skill and attitude. However, attitude is unquestionably the base of this effectiveness triangle because it is the desire and energy of everything else that occurs.

The Town Ahead – Story About Attitude

A man pulled up to a gas station in the country.

He asked the gas station attendant, “What are the people like in the next town up ahead?”

The attendant said, “What were the people like in the town you just came from?”

“Awful people,” the man responded. “Rude, cold, hostile, abrupt, unfriendly. They wouldn’t give me the time of day.”

“Well,” said the attendant, “I’m sorry to say it, but you’re going to find exactly the same sort of people in the next town up ahead.”

A bit later, another driver pulled in, heading in the same direction as the first.

“What are the people like in the next town up ahead?” the second man asked.

The attendant said, “What were the people like in the town you just came from?”

“Wonderful people,” the second man responded. “Friendly, warm, helpful, patient, kind. They went out of their way to help a stranger.”

“Well,” said the attendant, “I’m happy to tell you that you’re going to find exactly the same kind of people in the next town up ahead.”

This is a story about attitude which can be used as a toast to illustrate that its not the environment or the people around us that affect us, but rather its our attitude that affects what happens in our life. A positive attitude will result in positive results. A negative attitude will bring negative results.

Always think how you could help other people. The more you help others the more they will help you. And the more helpful you are the more you’ll get good opportunities. So, turn your mindset from yourself to serving others.

Sell the Sizzle not the Steak

“Don’t sell the steak, sell the sizzle.” That just might be the most famous piece of sales advice ever. And, as a trainer, knowing the real meaning behind those

Words can transform your company’s sales copy—and your bottom line. I often wondered who came up with such a great line. Until about a week ago, I was reading Joe Vitale’s latest book, Buying Trances. In it, he mentions Elmer Wheeler as the originator of the idea. Who’s Elmer

Wheeler? Born in 1904, Mr. Wheeler was well known as one of the pioneers of persuasion. In Buying Trances, Joe tells the story of how Texaco was looking to sell more oil to their customers. Too many people, without giving it a second thought, said “no” when a service station attendant asked, “Check your oil today?” Wheeler suggested replacing the question with “Is your oil at the proper level today, sir?” Now asking something like “Is your oil at the proper level today, sir?” would seem to be just common sense. A line so simple you’d think most gas station owners would naturally come up with it—but few did. Which is why Texaco paid Wheeler $5,000 for those nine words—a small fortune in the depression-riddled 1930s. They got their money’s worth and more. In one week, Texaco attendants got under 250,000 more hoods.

Just after the invention of the telephone, salespeople took to the streets around the world selling this marvelous new invention. You would think that to sell telephones when they first came out would be extremely easy. Yet, many salespeople had problems closing door-to-door sales for this new and advanced product.

However, one salesperson consistently outsold everyone else, with sales nearly 300% higher than average. So, a wise sales manager set out to find out why.

The manager first rode along with some of the average salespeople and found they had essentially the same sales presentation at the door: “Hello! What I have here is a new invention called the telephone. Unlike the telegraph, this telephone takes your voice and breaks it down into electronic signals. It then takes those signals and transmits them across town via those wires overhead. The signal arrives at what we call a switching station mile from here, where the operator connects your electronic location with another location via a switchboard. Then, people miles away can hear you, and you can hear them!”

The manager noticed that the salespeople had vast knowledge of the product but saw minimal results. He then went out with the super salesperson, whose presentation at the door went more like this: “Mum, what I have here will allow you to talk to your friends and loved ones who are hundreds of miles away, and speak with them just as if they were sitting right here next to you in your home!”

SOLD!

Another Wheeler sales triumph came when he was asked by the president of

Barbasol to help them sell more shaving cream. The first slogan they tried was “How would you like to save six minutes shaving?” Wheeler instructed their salespeople to then say, “Use Barbasol. Just spread it on. Shave it off. Nothing else required!” When they tested it, they found it increased sales by 102 percent.

A light bulb went off in Wheeler’s head, and he changed the slogan to “How would you like to slash your shaving time in half?” That adjustment increased sales by another 300 percent. Over the years, Wheeler tested 105,000 selling statements for 5,000 products. He eliminated 100,000 of them.

He summed up the philosophy behind what he called “tested selling” by saying...

“Don’t think so much about what you want to say as about what the prospect wants to hear—then the response you will get will more often be the one you are aiming for.” Great advice.

My solid advice I would like to share with my fellow salespeople is that don't base your pitch on the properties of the product; talk about what it can do for the client and how it will make life better for them. In other words, don't talk about how the vacuum cleaner was made in Germany and incorporates the latest technology; tell the client he'll be able to vacuum the house in half the time and he'll never have to buy a replacement bag. Sell the superficial aspects of the product—its shape, how people will perceive you with the product, how the product is perceived—not the actual substance of the product you are selling. So the response can be when trying to sell the sizzle alone, "Where's the beef?" Sell the sizzle, not the steak, means you don't only sell the product but also the idea behind it.

I humbly urge salespeople to focus on the experience around a product being sold rather than simply on the object itself. It means appealing to the senses and emotions of the buyer with the assumption that this is what motivates most people to purchase. Another form of this expression is “Sell the Benefits, NOT the Features." Or perhaps you have heard it put like this: “Sell people what they want, not what they need." People don’t care how long you have struggled, how much money you have invested, or how many years of your life it took to bring your service or product to fruition. Don’t waste valuable attention time by trying to sell someone on these things. Ask yourself one thing and one thing only. From the customer’s point of view, “What is in it for ME?“. Let’s say you’ve developed a new piece of exercise equipment. You could go on for pages about all these exciting (to you) technical details. But put those in the sales piece, and you’ll turn it into a snooze fest.

Instead . ., talk about how prospects will enjoy their workout so much, they’ll look forward to it each day, and they’ll lose twice as much weight in half the time, and all their friends will ask them what their secret is—and you’ll get their attention.

Let’s be honest. Most customers are selfish. They don’t care about how much work you put into designing the product or how clever you are. They care only about how your product or service will benefit them. So you have to paint a very clear picture of how much better their lives will be as a result of buying what you’re selling.

Sell like a Pro

Every sales person needs to understand that if they want to close every customer that walks in to the store then they need to master how to sell like a pro. For I firmly believe that after years of being one of the strongest sellers at my store, I can assure you: anyone can sell. over the years, I’ve found that a customer will tell you verbally and/or physically how to sell to them. If you’re listening properly and looking for the right cues, you can always tell if a customer is interested in what you have to say, what approach to take with them, and what exactly they’re looking for.

Active listening isn’t just about standing in front a customer silently. There are a few important things you should be doing to engage in this practice:

The most important part of active listening is to not form a response while the customer is speaking. This is really hard to do, and is going to take a lot of practice. It’s very natural to latch on to one part of a comment and form a response to it, and then shut out the rest of the comment. To become a good listener, a sales person must resist doing this.

Active listening should engage your whole body. Things like nodding and having an open stance show the customer that you are listening to what they have to say.

Once it’s time for you to speak, give the customer a quick summary of what they said. This has a few purposes. First, it allows you to come up with a response post-comment without things being awkwardly silent. Second, showing the customer that you heard everything they had to say will often open them up to providing you with more information than they initially supplied.

Practicing active listening means that you are fully engaged with learning what the customer wants. This engagement makes a huge difference. Not only will you understand what the customer wants in a deeper way, but you also gain their trust easier.

Along with active listening, you should be practicing ‘active looking.’ (Yes, I just made that term up.) People will betray a lot of what they’re thinking in the things that they do with their body. Where a person’s eyes are looking is one of the easiest ways to tell what they’re focusing on. If the customer is looking at you, or the products you’re working with, that’s a good sign. It means they’re engaged with you and are interested in what you have to say and sell.

If they’re looking around, at someone else, out the door… anywhere that’s not where you are – that’s not a great sign. Usually if this is the case you should say something like, “Let me know if you need anything else,” and let them do their own thing. No eye contact doesn’t mean you won’t be able to close the sale – but it could spell trouble if you don’t pay attention.

Another important thing to pay attention to is what people do with their hands and arms. Typically,, if someone’s arms are crossed, they are uncomfortable and probably not interested in what you have to say. You should tread gently: let this customer know you are there to help. If you’re talking with a customer who is clearly shy and uncomfortable with talking to you, I recommend acting in a more reserved manner and avoiding things like answering questions the customer has yet to ask. In addition, because this posture reflects a closed off mind. Open arms and palms facing towards you, however, are an excellent sign. If your customer has taken this sort of posture in your conversation, you’re doing well. make sure you’re showing them items that are actually related to what they want, not just some pre-placed item that your manager wants to get rid of.)

Lastly, you should be paying attention to the expression’s you customer is making. This seems like a no-brainer, but it’s important to pay close attention to your customer’s facial expressions. Even if a customer is pulling a straight face at you, most people’s mouths are fairly expressive in small ways.

Often, the corners of the mouth will be curving slightly up or slightly down. Down is not good for you – it indicates frustration or annoyance. Curving up, though, is an excellent sign. Additionally, you should pay attention to how tightly the lips are held. If they’re pressed tightly together, it can mean the same thing as crossed arms. That’s the three major areas of body language you should be paying attention to while actively listening to your customer. Keep in mind that while the customer’s body can give you an indication about how they feel towards you and your product, it’s the listening that is going to yield you the important information about what they want.

Be sure to approach customers once you see them exhibiting these signals. Failing to spot these signs or not acting in time could result in you missing out on the sale. When a customer spends time focusing on just one product, there’s a good chance they’ve already set their sights on that one and are interested in purchasing it. Catch the shopper’s gaze when you see them looking around. According to experts you can approach them “if they sustain the glance or raise their eyebrows.” A shift in body language signals “a change in mental state that may well indicate readiness to buy.” For example, if the shopper suddenly looks relaxed after you’ve answered their questions, that could be an indication that they’re ready to buy.

Two Wolves Inside

A young boy was looking for advice about life and came to his grandfather, an old Cherokee.

“Each one of us has two wolves inside us,” he said to the boy.

“One is evil – he is always angry at everyone around him and feels envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, and false pride”

He continued, “The other wolf is good, he is in harmony and feels joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith.

There is a constant fight going on between those two wolves. And it’s often hard to live with this fight as each wolf tries to dominate our spirits”

This fight is going on inside you – and inside every other person, too.”

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, “Which wolf will win?”

The old Cherokee smiled and replied, “The one you feed.”

Meet, Greet &Treat- Stage 1

Meeting and greeting your customers properly are such a basic concept that it's frequently overlooked. Here are a few ways to do it well:

Greet customers quickly. No one likes the feeling of walking into a business and being ignored. Encourage your employees to greet customers the moment they enter your place of business. Some businesses create a more personal atmosphere, offering customers a glass of sparkling apple cider or other refreshments to enjoy as they browse.

Help if you're needed. Back off if you're not. The quickest way to chase customers out the door is to chase them around the store. Customers get annoyed if they feel they're being pressured, followed or watched. Coach employees to remain discreetly on hand if customers have questions, but allow clients to browse freely otherwise. If a customer needs assistance, employees should drop what they're doing and provide it.

Treat VIPs like VIPs. Recognize important customers when they come to call. If your business is primarily walk-in, make it a priority to learn the names of customers who return frequently or who make large purchases. For service-oriented businesses or those that receive orders via phone, you may wish to create a paper or computer file on VIP preferences.

When a customer is greeted by an employee that they come within a certain distance of, it is commonly referred to as the “10-Foot Rule”. That is, whenever an employee comes within 10 feet of a customer, the employee greets the person with a cheerful hello, or simply makes eye contact, smiles and nods his or her head. Keep in mind, you are not only in the business of providing a service or product to your customers, you are also in the self-esteem and “feel good” business. People want to feel good about the money they spend to purchase the products or services they need and want. They want to be acknowledged as a human being for who they are. They also want to feel important.

The way you meet, greet & treat the guest- The first time

Your customer will make early decisions about you - and how much time they'll give you - based on your appearance, your body language and mannerisms, your tone of voice and facial expressions, your words, and your demeanors. Here are some useful first-impression tips:

First 10 seconds – Studies have shown that the first 10 seconds once customers enter the store can be a deciding factor if they will continue shopping at your store or step out in the next 10 seconds. Customers want to be acknowledged and greeted within the first 10 seconds. When customers are ignored, there’s a high probability that they will take their business to a competitor where they will be attended to immediately.

Eye Contact – Employees who greet customers while doing something might as well not do it. This is a very disrespectful behavior. Unless you’re assisting another customer, drop what you are doing, look the customer in the eye, and greet the customer.

Give a nice, warm smile. A warm smile is the universal language of kindness.

A smile with a greeting may work in some extent, but a greeting without a smile only sends a message to your customers that it’s just a requirement. But a greeting with a smile is a prefect pair. However, you have to be careful because, believe it or not, customers can see through fake greetings and smiles. It’s no brainer that greetings and smiles are fueled by our emotions. The same emotions are felt by the recipient.

The One Who Is in the Pond

One day, the little Raccoon went into the woods to pick some sweet sedge for dinner.

When he arrived in the woods, however, a monkey decided to have some fun with him. So, he asked him:

Are you not afraid the ONE WHO is living in the pond? He’s so evil and scary. It would be best if you took a stick and cautiously threatened him.

The Little Raccoon went to the pond and shouted loudly:

Hey, you! Get out!

But everything around him was quiet. Then the Raccoon walked over a log to the middle of the pond and peered into the water. Someone was looking at him from the water. The Raccoon crooked his face and swung his stick. The ONE WHO sat in the pond, made the same face and swung his stick as well. The Little Raccoon was terrified. He rushed home straightaway.

I’ll never go to the woods to pick sweet sedge again – he told his mother. – I’m afraid of the ONE WHO is sitting in the pond.

Even so, what do you say of going back and smiling at him?

The Little Raccoon did exactly that. And it turned out that the ONE WHO was sitting in the pond, smiled back.

And then the Little Racoon realized that others smile at those who is himself friendly and meets them with a smile.

Smile! Smile! Smile! Smile! Smile! Smile!

Your greeting should tell the customer, “I am glad you’re here!”

Use their name – People love to hear their names mentioned in businesses establishments. This doesn’t just make them feel special, but it also gives them a sense of “belonging”. Make an effort to note down customer names and their usual purchases. By doing so, your customers will feel that you care enough and value them to know something about them. Greeting customers by name develops a more personal store-customer relationship. If you do not know the name of the customer yet or forgot it, you can get away from it for now, but make the customer feel that you recognize him/her by saying something like, “Hi, it’s nice to see you again.” or “Hi, welcome back.” Or “welcome to our store”.

Greetings such as: “Good morning,” “Good afternoon” or “Good evening” should be the first words out of your associates’ mouths when greeting a customer.

“Good morning! How can I help you today?”

“Hello, how is your day going so far?” What can I help you with today?”

“Hi, we haven’t seen you in a while!”

“Welcome, what can I do for you today?”

“Good afternoon! What can we do for you today?”

A friendly greeting immediately disarms the person and sets them at ease. It sets the tone for the rest of the interaction. No matter what the customer’s emotional state this will make things better. This is probably the single most important point for anyone working in any position where they greet customers.

Open with a sincere, friendly greeting.

Pay attention to the customer - not to the product, your stock or a colleague.

Greet the customer and ask a useful opening question. For example, 'Good afternoon. Can I help you find our sale items?'

Never ignore the customer.

Show the customer that they have your willing, undivided attention.

Personalize – Don’t use the same canned greeting for each customer. Be observant. Use any visual, verbal, or olfactory cues from the customer to personalize your greeting. A customer who steps in your store who looks tired, panting, and sweaty will not appreciate a simple, “Good day, how can I help you?” It’s quite obvious that this customer is not having a good day and is feeling uncomfortable. A better greeting would be, “It’s indeed hot outside. Would you want to take a seat for a moment and a glass of water?” This skill is may be difficult to attain, but with enough experience and proper training, it can become 2nd nature.

Introduce yourself – Though not a necessity especially if employees wear name tags, it never hurts for employees to introduce themselves especially for new customers. This further makes the conversation more personal.

Give space – When you are communicating with a customer, you want to    get close to them as you speak. Customers will begin to feel uncomfortable or even threatened if you start to invade their personal space. If you stand too far away from them, they will feel that you aren't interested in helping them. Because successful communication between yourself and your customers requires the customer to feel comfortable with you, it is important to get the distance correct. Never go past the personal space of the customer. This will make them uncomfortable. Stop when you’re at least three feet away from the customer. If you are a naturally friendly person, you will probably be inclined to get close to people when you are communicating. Be aware that this may make your customer uncomfortable.

As you develop your communication skills, you will become more aware of people's body space. Looking at the customer's body language signals such as facial expression will give you a clue as to whether you are too close, too far away or at just the right distance.

Be genuine and Sincere – Being genuine and sincere when you greet customers can either positively enhance the customer’s experience or turn them off. Being genuine and sincere is what makes a greeting warm and heartfelt. Just like fake smiles and greetings, customers can also feel if you are genuine and sincere with your greeting. This is a decision. This is either a Yes or No. It is either you’re genuine and sincere or not. There’s no in between.

Personal presentation

Your appearance shows your customer that you respect them, your business and your products and services. Here are some useful personal presentation tips:

• Be sure your posture is straight, confident and relaxed.

• Don't distract your customer with personal fidgeting and adjustments or by handling stock while you're talking to them.

• Dress to impress - take care over your choice of dress, and tailor your wardrobe, and make-up, to appeal to your customer base.

• Make sure your hair and nails are well-groomed.

Positive attitude

There are many things affecting your business that you can't control. Your personal attitude is something you can control.

Your attitude affects the way you approach people and events in business. Choosing to approach potential customers positively, confidently, enthusiastically and with a helpful attitude - even when you're tired, stressed or frustrated - will improve your sales performance and grow your sales.

Remember that every business exists to meet customers’ needs. If you believe your job is to understand and solve the customer’s problems, then you will exude a natural, helpful confidence.

Say “Thank you.” At the end of a transaction — or even a pleasant conversation — thank customers for their purchase or their visit. This demonstrates that you value their business and want to see them again.

A final tip: Get to know your customers and, when they do come back, don’t hesitate to greet them by name. “Good morning, Mr. Customer! How can I help you today?” Try to remember your conversations and draw on the information during people’s subsequent visits. Paying attention to details — one customer’s dog just won best in show, another customer visits her mother on Tuesdays, etc. — helps to build rapport.

“Stop & Drop”

"Stop & Drop" is a very big term used in the world of retail and every sales person selling in the retail industry and in sales needs to understand the significance of this term and imply it in their day to day selling life. From the name itself stop & drop signifies that every customer that walks into your store is a new customer and a very important asset for your store and your organization and keeping in mind that the customer is the most important person I’m our business every sales person should have a keen attention and observation on every customer that enters through that door of the store. In other words, it means that as soon as the sales person sees a customer entering the store irrespective of whatever you are doing at that moment "stop" doing it, "drop" everything the next moment that means keep aside the job that you are currently doing and take ten steps forward now to receive and welcome the customer with a warm smile,

Whatever job you now have in hand is also equally important and is a part of your daily duties but right now nothing is more important than welcoming and attending the customer. Even before the guest can approach you, the sales person should approach the customer ready at all times to assist and help the customer in every possible way. every sales person attending to a single customer or group should not leave the side of the customer until and unless he exits from the store and should go out of the way to fulfill every need and expectation of each and every customer.

Every sales person needs to know that without the existence of a customer nothing would ever exist and they also need to know that the salary is not paid to them by the company they work for but is paid by the customer to them by doing business with their organization. after conducting surveys from the last 20 years and understanding the psychology of the customer and what they expect , it is rightly said that every customer that enters your store wants to be greeted and acknowledged at the welcome stage for it is the customer who says " I have removed my precious time and come to your store, treat me like god, treat me with respect, understand my need, listen to what I say, show me your best product, for I don’t care how many other guest are right now in your store give me all your importance and help that I require. and then and then only will i decide whether I would like to do business with your company or not".

Many a times over the years when I had the opportunity of visiting various stores, I came across many sales people ignoring customers walking into the store they don’t realize the importance of the customer. They feel that the job assigned to them at the very moment is more important than attending to the customer. I would humbly urge branch managers, floor managers and seniors on the operation floor to train their staff to first see to the look out of the customer than their duties. many at times it so happens that customers feel neglected at the welcome stage or entrance of the store that after strolling around for some time they slowly leave the store without even the sales person aware of their presence which is a big loss to the company in loosing even one of the customers walking out of the store and also a future customer for our organization.

This is the main reason I always urge every organization I have trained in the retail industry or non-retail to always have at least a minimum of two sales people standing at the entrance of the store at all times to welcome, greet and direct customers to the right category or product he or she is looking for.

Remember my first priority in the store is the customer and nothing and no one is more important than the customer once he enters the store and until he leaves the store.

Keep in mind every customer is a new customer irrespective of how many times he walks into the store he should be treated in the same manner and respect like you treat the other guest foe every customer is valuable and an asset. “Remember every customer is a new customer"

“A CUSTOMER WILL FORGET WHAT YOU SAID, A CUSTOMER WILL FORGET WHAT YOU DID, BUT A CUSTOMER WILL NEVER FORGET HOW YOU MADE HIM FEEL.”

Turning "Just Looking" into "I'm Buying"

You’re working in a busy retail store and you’ve been positioned toward the front of the store to meet and greet customers. The tenth person has entered the store in under an hour and, for the tenth time in under an hour; your warm and friendly greeting is met with; “Just looking, thanks!”

As a sales person, hearing this on repeat can feel, at times, pretty demoralizing. At this point of the conversation you feel cut-off at the knees and it can be a hard place to recover from.

Whenever you the customer say the words that thank you I’m just looking” the next moment you should smile at the customer and say “please go ahead and have a look we have a large variety of brands on display, the store is all yours please be free to look around and if you need my assistance in any way I’m always here to help you and serve you better.” Give them the feeling of ownership where as they feel that the store not only belongs to them but whenever they need any help there are professionals standing by to assist them with whatever maybe their need.

Thinking about the sales process, it’s not just that there are ten (or so) steps to follow. We need to follow these steps in sequential order to maximize every customer encounter and skillfully close sales.

The first step in this process is greeting your customer. Using the Fly-By technique gives you a unique, non-invasive way to greet your customers which will also improve your chances at closing a sale by increasing the number of sales you can successfully open.

So, if this sounds all-too-familiar to you practice the following steps to hone your skills at becoming a skilled sales-opener:

Step 1: Have something in your hand.

This will give your customer the impression that you are busy with other things and have not lined them up for your next sales pitch. They’ll feel less threatened by you.

Step 2: Don’t walk directly towards your customer.

Remember that personal space extends much further in front of a person than to the side or back. You can cross this space or walk parallel, but not directly towards your customer. Also, remember that greeting a customer from behind may not be a successful way to start your interaction.

Step 3: Smile, make eye contact and use a greeting.

When you get close enough to your customer, smile, make eye contact and use a greeting. Say “hi”, or something appropriate to them, but keep it brief!

Step 4: Complete the task that you were on your way to do.

Jumping into the sales pitch too quickly can scare your customer off, or make you come across as a pushy salesperson. So relax, take a breath, and finish what you were doing.

Step 5: Double back and approach the customer.

Make sure that you leave some space between you and the customer so that they feel comfortable. This is when you move into your opening lines and start a conversation with the customer.

“It’s not what you sell! It’s why you sell that makes the difference.”

The 5 Minute Space Technique

The 5 Minute Space Method- This is a very important part which every sales person should follow to master professionalism, when any new guest enters the store, after greeting and welcoming the customer the sales person should allow 5 minutes of space for the customer to have a look around. Keeping in mind that this particular customer has walked into your store for the very first time and would first like to look around to see the wide range of variety, brands and different models that the store has or is on display. Many a time I see a lot of sales staff just crowding the customer or literally falling on the customer. This is something that really needs to be avoided if every sales staff needs to prostrate professionalism at the store or branch. The customer would always want you to respect their privacy not all customers are the same and of course if they ever require your help they will surely call out or look out for you for your assistance.

Professionalism exist in letting the customer browse or look around before he can decide on something for, he would surely like to see the products and varieties on display before boiling down to one or two products.

Stay Present Without Hovering As a salesperson, you have to strike a careful balance between being helpful and being overzealous. Customers want you to be available to answer questions, open a dressing room, or ring up a purchase the second they’re ready — but they don’t want you hovering over them as they browse. The secret? Keep yourself busy straightening shelves, and use your peripheral vision to wait for that moment when your customers start looking around.

The job of the sales staff is of course to help the customer in choosing the right product but let the customer be free for some time to take his own time to wander and look around to his heart content and then when you feel that he needs your assistance do politely approach the customer and start in assisting the customer.

After you have welcomed and greeted the customer and understood what product he is looking for do not forget to guide the customer to the right place where the product exists. Very politely tell the customer that he could take his time to look around at the various brands of that particular on display and that you would be standing just nearby once he is done looking ready to assist him in any way by saying “Mr. customer the store is all yours, please be free to look around as we have a large variety of different brands on display for your requirement and if you need my assistance I would be happy to serve you on the same”

Two different things happen over here first you are informing the customer of the different brands on display and second you are offering your assistance as on when the customer requires, putting the customer at ease without invading their privacy at any given time.

Secondly giving space is also about refraining from getting to close to the customer especially to the opposite sex this in regards to body odor, bad breath, or unhygienic smell from one’s clothes or body which could very embarrassing from the sales person point of view and disgusting from the customers point of view.

Turning "Just Looking" into "I'm Buying"- You’re working in a busy retail store and you’ve been positioned toward the front of the store to meet and greet customers. The tenth person has entered the store in under an hour and, for the tenth time in under an hour; your warm and friendly greeting is met with; “Just looking, thanks!”

As a sales person, hearing this on repeat can feel, at times, pretty demoralizing. At this point of the conversation you feel cut-off at the knees and it can be a hard place to recover from.

Whenever you the customer say the words that thank you I’m just looking” the next moment you should smile at the customer and say “please go ahead and have a look we have a large variety of brands on display, the store is all yours please be free to look around and if you need my assistance in any way I’m always here to help you and serve you better.” Give them the feeling of ownership where as they feel that the store not only belongs to them but whenever they need any help there are professionals standing by to assist them with whatever maybe their need.

Thinking about the sales process, it’s not just that there are ten (or so) steps to follow. We need to follow these steps in sequential order to maximize every customer encounter and skillfully close sales.

The first step in this process is greeting your customer. Using the Fly-By technique gives you a unique, non-invasive way to greet your customers which will also improve your chances at closing a sale by increasing the number of sales you can successfully open.

So, if this sounds all-too-familiar to you practice the following steps to hone your skills at becoming a skilled sales-opener:

Step 1: Have something in your hand.

This will give your customer the impression that you are busy with other things and have not lined them up for your next sales pitch. They’ll feel less threatened by you.

Step 2: Don’t walk directly towards your customer.

Remember that personal space extends much further in front of a person than to the side or back. You can cross this space or walk parallel, but not directly towards your customer. Also, remember that greeting a customer from behind may not be a successful way to start your interaction.

Step 3: Smile, make eye contact and use a greeting.

When you get close enough to your customer, smile, make eye contact and use a greeting. Say “hi”, or something appropriate to them, but keep it brief!

Step 4: Complete the task that you were on your way to do.

Jumping into the sales pitch too quickly can scare your customer off, or make you come across as a pushy salesperson. So relax, take a breath, and finish what you were doing.

Step 5: Double back and approach the customer.

Make sure that you leave some space between you and the customer so that they feel comfortable. This is when you move into your opening lines and start a conversation with the customer.

The Warm Up – Stage 2

The warm up stage is considered to be a very important stage in the selling process as this is the stage where the sales person comes in contact with the customer for the very first time and needs to quickly form a very good impression in front of the customer even before he can start warming up or building up a good relationship with the customer. A solid bonding with the customer in every aspect right from the start to the end will decide the outcome of the sale.

Once the customer has been welcomed to the store, it is time to find out what your customer requires to purchase. The qualifying stage indicates the sales person matching the customer’s requirement in regards to the product they are looking for along with the one we have in stock.

We make our first impression in the first 7 seconds of seeing someone — this happens sometimes before you even start talking. Most people think that we don’t make our first impression until we start talking, but this is not the case. Be sure that before you even start the conversation, you are approaching it with open and confident body language.

Customers are entering your store because they want to fill a need and you have a product or service that they want and will pay for.  No one goes to a store in search of a new friend or companion.

It is not the customer’s intent – or your first priority – to become personal friends at the beginning of the sales process. However, it is your job to be pleasant, interested in the customer’s needs, and to provide a high level of service. Developing rapport is aided when you demonstrate the value that you and your company bring to the customer by having interest in them.

The professional salesperson starts each day with the goal of creating new relationships. The objective is to be friendly, engaging, and interested in the customer and the solutions they seek. Always position the customer’s needs ahead of yours.

When you are focusing all your attention on the customer and the outcome they want, a feeling of connection and trust builds between you and the client. That feeling of trust will transfer in words – and silently in body language – back and forth between you as rapport develops. Some of those customers will become friends as the sales process moves forward, and others will not.

The 10-5 Rule: The 10-5 Rule is simple and says that anytime you come within ten feet of a customer you should attempt to make eye contact. When you are within five feet, you acknowledge them verbally with a “Hello,” “Good Morning,” or something similar.

The Rule says that everyone should always engage with the customer.

The Rule prevents the “Ostrich Syndrome” or the habit that some employees have at looking down or away when they walk past a customer for fear that the customer is going to cause them more work. It is true that the customer may cause more work, but isn’t that what we are in business?

When you ask a question be prepared to keep quiet and listen to the answer. Many new salespeople think that they have to keep talking to entertain the customer. This is not true. The customer would much rather talk about themselves for the most part rather than listen to you. Questions to get them talking:

"What brought you into our store today?" "Which category or product did you come to look at?" "Did you see our advertisement?" Finding out if it was an ad that brought them in is very important. The amount of money a retail store spends on advertising is astronomical. Knowing which ads are working is imperative to a retail company so they can focus on advertising that works. This conversation should not last very long but will give you a few minutes to feel your customer out. If there is more than one, try and figure out which one will be the mouthpiece (the one who will most likely answer your questions), but never ignore anyone in the group as you never know what kind of influence each person has over the buyer.

It is also during this conversation that you should try and find out which part of the group is actually looking to what. If there is only a single person, try and get to know as much as you can about them. Get them talking for once on a roll, a customer will lay out everything for you that you need to close a deal with them.

Small talk is a great way to break the ice and establish a friendly, human connection with shoppers. Small talk greetings and questions should invite two-way conversation. Avoid questions that can be answered with a yes or no — they can quickly lead to dead ends. Orientation is essentially welcoming and familiarizing customers to the space in your store. These types of interactions direct customers to what they need and also help them feel comfortable while shopping. Sometimes, customers will tell you exactly what they’re looking for. In that case, orientation is more straightforward: Guide those individuals to get exactly where they want to go. You could also offer helpful information they might not have thought of.

For example, if someone’s looking for running shoes in your sports apparel shop, you could also point out that that the running socks are buy-one-get-one, and available on your way to the shoe section. Timing is everything. More important that what you say, is the fact that the visitor is acknowledged — not necessarily served — the moment they enter. One study revealed that 68% of customers who leave do so because they feel like no one cares that they’re there.   Picture entering an establishment waiting to be served. Then use your watch to count off 30 seconds. You realize that even half a minute is too long to wait.

We know that understanding customers is the key to giving them good service. So, how do we go about understanding them? All customer-facing functions need to get to know customers on a one-to-one basis as each person deals with them face-to-face; in that way individuals can anticipate each customer's requirements and exceed expectations. The skills involved in building ordinary relationships and establishing contact and rapport with customers are basically the same. Customer-facing people need to be comfortable using these skills in order to do their job well. Making people feel special is one of the essential elements in forming good customer relationships. This is true of any relationship, whether it is an intimate partnership or a professional contact with a customer. Like so many other personal skills, this can be learned and developed.

Remember: it's not enough to feel positive about your customer; you must show it in your words and actions. People cannot read your mind - they can only see your actions and hear your words.

The qualifying stage or warming up with your customers requires you to have a good understanding of their needs and wants. By improving your understanding of your customers, including their purchasing motivations and habits, you can personalize the customer service you provide.

Establishing a customer’s ability to buy is the bare minimum for qualification. Many salespeople like to qualify further before they spend any more time with the customer. A deeper level of qualifying might determine how interested the customer is, how much money he could spend on a purchase and if there are any other impediments or concerns. How deeply you decide to qualify customers will vary depending on your preferences. If a customer does complain about your questions, you can simply explain that you want to make sure your product would be interesting for him, so you don't end up wasting his time. That's usually enough to sweeten a customer’s mood.

Qualifying at the basic level probably relies on a few stock questions, but if you decide to qualify more deeply, you may need to come up with more customized questions to ask. This is particularly true if you're selling more than one product and you want to determine which product is the best match for a given customer.

Another detail you should establish early on by qualifying is whether or not you are speaking with a decision-maker. You'd be wise to qualify on that detail early on so that if you are indeed not speaking with the decision-maker, you can find out who the decision-maker is and sell to him or her.

Remember Every interaction matter. Every. Single. One. It’s late. You’re tired. Hungry, too. And you’re just about ready to call it quits for the day. Stop. Breathe. And take a moment to remember that every customer and every interaction matters.

The Professional Approach - Stage 3

Reading your customers when they first walk in the door will help you out a lot when deciding how to approach them and what questions to ask them. If they seem happy and outgoing when you first greet them try to start a conversation with them about their day, what they are looking for, what their needs are, and so on. People like this are the easiest to talk to and sell products to because they are open to talk to you and are usually not the anti-sales associate type. Understanding customers is the key to giving them good service. To give good customer care you must deliver what you promise. But great customer care involves getting to know your customers so well that you can anticipate their needs and exceed their expectations.

To understand your customers well, you need to be attentive to them whenever you are in contact with them. The potential rewards are great: you can increase customer loyalty and bring in new business through positive word-of-mouth recommendation.

Most people prefer to buy something rather than have it sold to them. There is a subtle yet significant difference between the two. When people decide for themselves what they want and go out and get it, they feel like they have bought it. On the other hand, if a salesperson convinces them to purchase something, even if they need it, the customer may feel that it was sold to them. It often makes them feel like the businessperson has seized the power in the relationship. If you want customers to feel good about the relationship and are interested in customer retention, you have to give them what they want.

There are people who are grumpier when they come into the store and walk in not wanting to talk to you at all. These people are tougher to crack. If they push you away on the first approach give them their space. When you constantly stalk customers, who do not want your help they will often end up leaving because they feel uncomfortable or that you are just trying to get some money out of them. The best thing to do in this situation is to back off and wait until they find a product, they seem interested in. You can then approach them and say "I see you are    looking at ____. This is a great product for____. Have you ever used it before?". If they open up to you this is the time to start a conversation and move in on the sale. If they seem annoyed that you are talking to them then leave them alone for the rest of the time they are shopping or you might lose them. Break the ice. When you first meet a customer, take a minute or two to get to know him or her. Don't start the conversation immediately with business talk. You want to put the customer at ease and help him or her relate to you first. It only takes a minute to comment about something general.

Show them where the product is: This is a very important aspect that every salesperson should do that when the customers mentions what product he or she is looking for, the sales person should accompany the customer right to the place where that product or category is displayed instead of just pointing out to the direction where they can find it. Guiding and assisting the customer at the initial stages implies high end of professionalism and character. As soon as a customer walks into your store you as a sales staff first job is to warmly greet and welcome the customer by acting as a guide to the customer. Like I always say a sales person puts on a lot of different hats and plays various roles as a guide, friend, helper, actor etc. in understanding and helping the customer in his buying journey.

This is the very first mistake that maximum sales staff at major stores and outlets all over commit right at the entrance by just pointing out the location instead of walking along with the customer right to the place where the product is actually displayed. Now many at times it may so happen that at major stores you will see a lot of sales staff standing near the entrance to welcome and greet customers as they enter. Now this is a very good practice that should be followed at every retail outlet. So even if you have welcomed a customer at the entrance and the product the customer has come to purchase is actually not the product that you as a sales staff is selling, irrespective of that remember that since you have welcomed the guest it is now your duty to assist the customer or guide the customer to the right category. As you reach the location where the product is displayed do not forget to introduce the customer to your fellow staff handling that particular product or category. You could do so by saying “Mr. customer this is my colleague Mr. so and so who actually looks after this category and he will now be happily to assist you on the same, my name is so and so and I too am here to help you before you leave if you ever require any assistance I would be happy to assist and serve you”.

Now these all small courtesies may seem quite small to you but for the customer it actually means a lot and these small touches makes a world of a difference to you as well as for your company’s goodwill. Remember the customer will always appreciate these kind gestures of the sales staff and surely recommend and speak to others of the same.

This is a very important thing that needs to be kept in mind because a many a store has different levels or floors on which multiple products are being displayed. A first-time customer visiting that store for the first time will not have an idea which product is displayed on which level. Now although many of these huge stores may have store locators displayed at the entrance of the store or level not every customer would glance at it at the first go. This were the sales person should act as a guide in assisting the customer if he is not attending any other customer at the moment to the right floor or level. This is one of a professional gesture that one can display in providing not only superior customer service but world class service to every customer entering the store.

So, remember, if someone walks into your store and asks you to help them find something, don't just say, "It's in Aisle 3". Add the extra step; say, "Let me show you" and lead the customer to the item. Better yet, wait and see if he has questions about it, or further needs. Whatever the extra step may be, if you want to provide good customer service, take it. They may not say so to you, but people notice when people make an extra effort and will tell other people. And that good word of mouth will win you more customers.

Ask yourself, "how might you..." Help customers find what they're looking for faster? Help customers find the right product they need?  Build a more personal relationship with each customer? Enable a unique and branded shopping experience? Empower customers to spread positive word-of-mouth?

TAKE YOUR CUSTOMERS WHERE THEY NEED TO GO, NOT WHERE THEY WANT TO GO

A Magical Statement – Stage

Even before the sales person can explain about the product or conduct a demo in regards to the same, there is one powerful statement that every sales person in retail selling should use so as to send a very strong message across to the customer standing right in front of them that now he or she can be rest assured that we have come to the right place and are going to be assisted in buying the right product from the right person.

The customer who has walked into your store has come with a lot of expectations, and unless those expectations are met the customer is not going to buy the product or be convinced in any way or be completely satisfied. to put the customer at ease at the very beginning of the sale presentation i request every sales person to use this one powerful statement to win the confidence of the customer and to also gain his trust at the earliest stages so as to make him feel that the sales person is here to guide him and understand everything he needs and according to his way.

The statement goes by " Mr. customer even before I can go forward and explain to you about the product, its various features that come along with the product or of the fantastic benefits and even before I can demo the product, I would kindly request you to first please go ahead and explain to me that what is it that you require or need in this panel, refrigerator, air conditioner, washing machine, microwave, etc., because only based on your needs, requirement, or expectations will I then go forward and suggest you to take home today from here one of the best products or brand we have on display, because it’s our company motto complete guest satisfaction and value for money and I promise you that after buying this product from us today you will always remember me and my company for a very long time to come".

Why is this statement so very important? To be uttered at the very start of your conversation with the customer, that is even before you can let the customer know anything regarding your company or product, you as a sales person would want to create that sense of satisfaction on the minds and heart of the customer that this sales person over here is the one who wants to actually help me in giving me what I need and just not about making a sale. This sense of feeling once it sits in the mind of the customer, he opens up to you by being comfortable and by accepting you as one of his own to make this sale now much easier in all ways possible. The customer now starts to trust and believe you which maybe did not happen at the other stores of your competitor and moves the customer along with you now in the comfort zone.

The next moment the customer understands that this sales person is really here not only to help me but is also concerned about my needs and my requirement. The very next moment he opens up by revealing all that his needs are thus making the sale and closing of the sale now much easier.

The main reason of uttering this statement at the very start is to generalize in the minds of the customer only one big thought that now I have come to the right place and I am speaking to the right concerned person who is not thinking about making a sale but who is very much focused on helping me serving me in the best manner and now I am convinced that my need, requirement and my want will be 100% fulfilled.

The sales person acting as a guide, advisor, helper and friend will now be in a better position to take care of the customer and provide him with superior customer service.

The other day I popped into a local watch shop because I had lost the small piece that clips the pieces of my watch band together. When I explained the problem, the proprietor said that he thought he might have one lying around. He found it, attached it to my watch band – and charged me nothing! Where do you think I'll go when I need a new watch band or even a new watch? And how many people do you think I've told this story to?

The shopkeeper made nothing during our exchange in his store. But I'll certainly be taking my business to him in the future and who knows how many other customers will be visiting him because I've told them how well he treated me? To provide good customer service, keep your eye on the customer, not on the profit.

Remember Don't make promises unless you will keep them. This may well be the most important of all rules for good customer service. Not plan to keep the promises you make. Will keep them. Reliability is one of the keys to any good relationship, and good customer service is no exception. If you say to a customer, “Your new bedroom furniture will be delivered on Tuesday”, make sure it is delivered on Tuesday. Otherwise, don't say it. The same rule applies to client appointments, deadlines, etc.. Think before you give any promise and make them carefully - because nothing annoys customers more than a broken promise.

Think C.A.R.E.-Customers Are Really Everything

The Depth of a Need – Stage 5

You’ve heard it explained multiple times in varying nuances: the buyer is now in control of their purchase process. The buyer is in the driver’s seat. Sales reps need to adjust to the buyer, not the other way around. As buyers gain more control of their purchase process, salespeople have shifted to more of a consulting role, and in order to succeed they must have a deep understanding of buyers’ needs. But what are those needs? This information is important because “sales people struggle to understand and act on customer needs because they lack a common definition of what a need is,” needs are basic requirements met by your product or service

“The most important thing in communication is hearing what isn’t said”

Understanding the difference between a customer’s wants and needs is a major key to succeeding in business. Often what a customer wants is diametrically opposed to what they need. As a businessperson, your job is to give the customer what they want. Helping them to understand what they need is also important. However, it’s not your responsibility to convince customers to get what they need. Businesses make money by satisfying their customers. Often, it’s easier to sell them what they want than what the need. So that’s where businesspeople should primarily focus their energy. Wants and needs are not the same thing. This can induce quite some confusion on the business’ side about the best practice in such situations. Two guys walk into your corner shop and you overhear one of them speaking to the other: “God, I’m hungry! I’m going to get a Mars.” Clearly, that customer has a need, to fill the void in his belly. But he also has a conflicting want, his craving for the chocolate bar.

You know that the sugary stick isn’t the best choice to fight hunger. He would need a whole meal sandwich. But it will be presumptuous, perhaps even patronizing, to tell him that his own solution is not a good one. Who’s to say that Mars doesn’t grant him bigger satisfaction?

A definition for a need is "something that solves an actual or imaginary problem."

A want is simply something that we’d like to have for whatever rational or irrational reason. Expectations are the anticipated circumstances of a purchase.

In sales, a need is something that solves a real or imagined problem. A want, on the other hand, is simply something that would be nice to have. Often customers have no idea what they need, they simply know what they want. When you give them what they want, in the long run this enables you to build a lucrative ongoing relationship with them. One in which they feel they’re in control What the customer wants is often more of a powerful motivator than what they need. This becomes clear when you listen to your customer and ask them to tell you why they want what they want. Usually they have a burning desire to get what they want and simply what you to show them how they can get it. Customers tend to get more value, joy, and satisfaction from purchasing what they want versus what they need. Successful businesspeople understand this and know how to use it to their advantage. Understanding what your customer wants and giving it to them at a price they can afford has made countless businesspeople successful. Plus it’s a lot easier to sell people what they want than what they need.

Many a times during training i do ask my fellow trainees to undergo a role play in trying and selling any product of their choice. the reason i do this is to try and gauge one important factor and that is to understand how does the sales person probes or understands the need of the customer. i often here many sales people talking about understanding the need of the customer first and then going forward and pitching the product. but do they really understand what the need of the guest or the depth of a need is.

While talking about the need of the customer I would like to take the liberty of explaining to you the depth of what a need is all about and also emphasis on the two types of need the customer has within himself in detail. The need of the customer is nothing but the physical attributes of the product or in lay man words all the good features and benefits of the product that exist in particular product and that is now going to make the life of the customer easy and more comfortable.

Dig – Dig deeper to understand every need of the customer is a very crucial and important thing that every sales person selling in the retail industry needs to understand. The deeper I dig to understand all the needs of the customer the better I am in a position to choose the right solution or product to offer to the customer. Unless the sales person understands every need of the customer, he is not in a position to sell well and will in the later on stages face some type of objection from the customers perspective. To avoid these objections that can hamper closing to a large extent the sales person must probe to the ultimate to understand every need, concern and pain points of the customer to serve the customer better and also close maximum customers therein.

A very simple trick in sales is that, given the customer what he wants and he will be happy to buy from you. This all can be achieved only by satisfying every need of the customer. The deeper the sales person probes for the need the better will he be in understanding the customer well. Today’s customer is only concerned about what you can offer him the best, he is not concerned about anything else. Imagine giving the customer what he asks for and how happy and satisfied will he be in buying the product.

There are basically two types of need that exist in a customer want or requirement. The first need is the basic need he is looking for and the second need is the advance need that the customer is looking for. Remember it is the second need that is more crucial for the customer than the primary one the second need is what the customer is actually looking for in a product and wants to hear from the sales person. So, let’s go ahead and see what these two needs are all about. The first need of the customer is the primary need of the customer for example whether the customer is looking to buy a basic model or a high premium model in panels for example OLED, whether the customer is looking to buy a1 ton AC or a 2-ton AC or whether he needs a basic model or an Ac with an inverter, whether he is looking to buy a basic home use model in laptop or he is looking to buy a superior model with graphics, or higher configuration etc.,

The second need of the customer is the advanced need of the customer and his main requirement Whether the customer has come to buy a panel, refrigerator, washing machine, air conditioner, microwave oven, a toaster, hair dryer, etc. what is it in these products is he looking for is the actual need of the customer. whether he requires more space, more compartments, a two door or three door fridges, more height, more cooling, more memory, more pixel in regards to clarity, better sound, Bluetooth etc. these all are considered to be the depth of a need that a customer is looking for. All those attributes that exist in the product that will make the life of the customer a better one and give complete value for his money.

In regards to this every sales person needs to understand that by probing deeper and understanding every need of the customer and then going about and offering that one good product that has all these require needs that the customer is looking for is what is going to make the customer completely convinced and satisfied at the end.

A couple was having problems with their plumbing. The plumber got under the sink, looked around, then hit an elbow joint as hard as he could with a hammer, and the problem was solved. The couple was overjoyed and asked how much they owed him. The plumber said $75.25.

The couple said, "That's ridiculous. All you did was hit a pipe with a hammer. We want an itemized bill."

So, the plumber took out a piece of paper and wrote out $75.25.

.25 cents for wear and tear on the hammer and $75.00 for knowing where to hit the pipe.

Remember….

1. people don’t buy computers, they buy ‘what they can do with a computer’ — to do their work, to surf the internet, etc.

2. people don’t buy a power drill; they buy what the power drill can do — to create a hole in the wall

3. people don’t buy weight loss pills; they buy what the pills can do — to help them lose weight so that they can look and feel sexy to attract the opposite sex.

so, your job is to figure out what your customer wants, and match those wants with the benefit of your product.

The Devil Is in The Details – Stage 6

“Ditch the Pitch”- As it is so rightly said, that don’t make a presentation but have a beautiful conversation with the customer. If there would be any secret recipe of a “perfect” sales conversation, it would probably mean that all companies would achieve and exceed their sales targets. Even if this doesn’t exist, it doesn’t mean that we cannot maximize our chances for success, by following the right steps that facilitate building a relationship of trust with your customers. The sales presentation should be structured in such a way that it enables rapport building from the opening to the closing stage.

Remember the rule of three which simply means that every customer can remember three pieces of information really well, add any more items and forgetting everything after that is bound to happen.

Be a teacher not a preacher ------------------

The perfect pitch is nothing but to go about and explain in detail everything about the product. It is the customers right that even before he can buy the product the sales person needs to keep no stone unturned but should explain all the benefits as well as the features of the product. The complete picture regarding terms and conditions, price warranty etc. should be told to the customer. what I mean to emphasis is that if there are ten features in a product then all ten features should be explained in detail to the customer because there are many sales people in the retail stores who are lazy and do not give there 100% they speak about few features and then wait for the customer to ask questions.to convince the customer to buy a detail presentation should be used by the sales person as there is no standard pitch for any customer. The pitch should consist of three parts, the first part where you explain the awesome offer along with a few good benefits the second part of a little less beneficial benefits and conclude the presentation by ending with again a few awesome benefits. Remember do not give out all the best benefits at the start but keep few for the end.

Always deliver or have a jaw dropping moment with the customer where in the sales person delivers an exciting, impressive and memorable presentation or conversation, which grabs the listeners attention and is remembered long after the presentation is over.

You have probably heard many times about the acronym AIDA. It stands for Attention, Interest, Desire and Action and is commonly used in sales and marketing to describe the main phases of the customer’s decision. It focuses on engaging the customers and involving them in the entire process, which translates to relationship building.  Let’s go through each of the phases for a better understanding:

Attention. You should have a very strong opening, in a professional, energetic and positive tone, in order to get the customer to listen to you. The opening line sets the tone for the entire sales presentation and is the foundation of rapport building;

Interest. In building interest, a brief overview of the product/service you are selling is being provided to the customers. Therefore, if you are unable to present this in such a way that will hook your customers, everything else will fade. You need to hold the customers’ attention that you managed to capture in the previous stage.

Desire. Desire is the most complex phase and the longest from the view point of its time span. It is a process which requires asking effective questions to uncover needs, listening actively to the response, offering the right benefit in a creative manner and adapt whenever needed. This is the stage where a relationship is being built, along with rapport and trust.

The action part basically means the attempt to close the sale, with the use of a closing question. This concludes the sales presentation, as you are actively asking for a decision and engage in an attempt to have the customers’ commitment to purchase.

Once you have the conversation started you want to keep it going. The most charismatic sales people look for conversation sparks. They bring up topics, look for ideas and ask questions that spark energy or get the customer excited. If you orient your questions and intention around eliciting sparks, it will be much easier to keep the conversation going.

Having a structured approach enables in delivering an effective presentation to your customers. Jumping back and forth from a stage to the other will only confuse customers and defeat its whole purpose of relationship building. Following the above stages doesn’t mean that all your customers will purchase (which would be great, but it’s impossible), but will definitely maximize conversion rates.

The best and highest paid professionals, regardless of chosen field, know how to stack the deck in their favor. Observe, if you will, the deck of a bass boat and you’ll find an array of more than a dozen fishing rods in various weights and lengths matched with the perfect lure for each use. Even the fishing line has been carefully paired with the rod and lure to perform at an optimal level. Bass pros use a term to describe throwing the right lure at the right time in the right circumstances using the right tools: it’s called, “presentation.” Now, how ironic is that? Great sales people approach their work in a similar fashion. They never use a one-size-fits-all approach. The needs of each client are carefully considered and perfectly paired with just the right solutions. The highest paid salespeople leave nothing to chance. They stack the deck. Always.

“For what you say is equally important to how you say it”

The F. F. B Method – Stage 7

Features tell Benefits sell:

Selling by building a relationship focuses on building rapport with the customers, gain their trust and uncovering their needs. Therefore, the process should aim for creating desire by showing the value of the product/service, as this greatly supports the clients understand what they will get in return when purchasing.

In other words, you need to show how will the product/service make the customers’ lives easier or how will it enhance the customers’ experiences.

One of the worst mistake’s salespeople make, even highly experienced ones, is “feature dumping.” Here the sales professional drones on and on about the features of his or her product or service, without really knowing what the buyer really wants. Or maybe the sales professional does know but is unable to customize his or her presentation accordingly.

Feature dumping causes the sales process to get off track because the sales professional is failing to answer the buyer’s most fundamental question: “What’s in it for me?”

Assuming that up to this point in the sales call you have helped the buyer identify his or her needs by asking questions, it is only natural that the buyer wishes to gain knowledge or an understanding of what it is you can offer that will satisfy these needs. In other words, by first helping the buyer focus on his or her problem, the buyer now wants information on how this problem can be solved.

Feature dumping frequently occurs because the sales professional has talked about his or her product or service before truly understanding what the buyer wants. Feature dumping can also occur when the sales professional does a poor job relating a feature back to the buyer’s needs.

In order to do so, there are three steps that should be followed in presenting the product/service, which can be defined by the acronym FFB: FFB stands for feature, function and benefits. Many a times I see sales people confused or are not in a position of giving out the feature or benefit in a proper way. In the hurry of closing the sale they just go ahead and blurt out all the features and benefits one after another without realizing whether the customer has understood or not or how greatly was the impact. Giving out the feature or the benefits is an art that every sales person should master. Every feature should be explained so well to the customer that every feature should then be registered in the mind of the customer for now and also future reference.

To explain the benefits and feature in an excellent way I would suggest that the FFB method be used and every sales person should explain the feature along with the benefits like a rubber band. Just like when you pull a rubber band and it expands in the same manner or way the feature should be pulled and explained in detail. Every feature and its benefits should not only excite the customer to motivate him to buy this product today but should also register in his mind so well that no matter how many times he thinks about it he should not be satisfied until and unless he buys the product and that is why I urge all my sales people to tell the features but sell the benefits like a pro. “For feature tell but benefits sell”.

Let me make it easier for you all by explaining how the FFB method should be used with an example, assume I work for zodiac and the specialty of zodiac is its shirts, now my first feature when I am explaining to the customer would be wrinkle free. Now wrinkle free is my feature my second f stands for function so what does the function do the function over here is that you do not have to iron these shirts since it is wrinkle free. now my third b stands for benefit which says that whenever I’m late for work or a party all I have to do is pick up one of these wrinkle free shirts that does not need to be ironed and wear it an am on the go never to be late anywhere I wish to be. This is the way you need to pull every feature as much as you can and explain it in detail to the customer focusing of course more on the benefits of the product because as I always say the customer is more interested in the benefit of the product rather than anything else.

In the same way if you are telling the customer about a phone that has Bluetooth don’t just rush by just telling him all the feature quickly but by explaining to him in detail what is the advantage of Bluetooth and how it will actually benefit the customer to the maximum. Many a times I see a lot of sales people in the hurry of closing the sale they mess up by rushing up things and not taking the effort of explaining the features of the product in detail thus forcing the customer in the end in not being able to make up his mind in taking the right decision or end up by the customer saying a big no. a lot of sales people also do not explain all the features to the customer they tell a few and then wait for the customer to ask some question so that they will be able to answer it promptly. Remember it is the right of the customer to be told everything about the product in detail thus appreciating the effort of the sales person by the customer.

It is my sincere opinion that every sales person first starts by explaining the benefits to the customer in sync with the feature because the customer is more interested in how much is going to gain by purchasing this product today.

Let me share with a beautiful trick of how you could at the very start impress and convince the customer. You could do so by first explaining only those features which the customer is expecting when you had probed for his need and understood because in doing so you are directly satisfying the need of the customer by giving him what he has asked for and needs then go ahead and explain the remaining features by charming and impressing the customer, remember do not give out all your feature at the very start do keep some for the end when the customer throws an objection to once again convince on the product by revealing more features and benefits he will gain by purchasing this product today.

Another beautiful way of selling your benefits is by telling a story to the customer which will not only excite the customer but also explain the significance and importance of the product. The more the detail the better it is to convince the customer how really this product is important for him to purchase.

The best lesson I ever learned about the power of sales stories was during a vacation to Iceland last year. I was at the airport gift shop looking to pick up some last-minute souvenirs for friends. I was thinking of getting a couple of fridge magnets that would cost no more than 5 euros apiece. The store had a huge selection of those, ranging from Icelandic landmarks to elf figurines. They were all very pretty and I had a hard time deciding which ones to get. Then I noticed one magnet that looked cheaply made. It was a square piece of wood with a little magnet glued to the back. On the front there was a symbol painted in red, which looked like an eight-pointed star drawn by a toddler.

“What is this?” I asked the store clerk, a 20-something blonde.

“Ah, this is a magic symbol for the Icelandic fishermen!” she said.

She went on to tell me that when Iceland was first occupied by the Vikings, most people’s livelihoods depended on fishing. It was a dangerous occupation given the harsh climate. The Vikings worshiped the Norse gods, and this was the magic symbol the fishermen wore or carved on their boats to appease the gods and bring good fortune and protection to their fishing trips.

“How much is it?” I asked

“10 euros.”

I bought five of them.

If you think about it, what happened in that transaction was quite magical. Before the clerk told me the story about Vikings and gods, the magnet wasn’t worth a dime to me. After she told me the story, which blended elements of history, religion and exotic adventure, the little piece of wood suddenly had so much meaning that I had to get it -- gladly paying a premium price that doubled my budget.

And that is the power of a well-told story. It gives meaning to a product that is otherwise impersonal. It differentiates your product offering from your competitors’ and makes it more memorable. It builds relationships and inspires your audience/customers/stakeholders to make decisions beyond pure logical calculation.

Mirroring- The Art of Reading Customers:

People feel comfortable around people they like. The same goes with our customers, they purchase from whom they enjoyed talking to. Only using the right choice of words and following the correct steps are not always sufficient.

There are both verbal and non-verbal cues that have to be picked up and analyzed in order to ensure a successful sales presentation. In building a relationship, mirroring your customer is very important, as it helps building trust and rapport, which is a vital component of the success in a presentation.

What can be mirrored? Choice of words, body language, pace of speech, volume of voice and many others. This creates subconsciously the feeling that you understand your customers and helps you to better bond with them. Mirroring is also a component of active listening, which is essential in effectively selling to your customers. However, you need to be careful of not overdoing it, as it may create the exact opposite effect. Mirroring doesn’t mean imitating your customers. If for instance the customers have a very different accent, use closed gestures or look like they are not paying attention, you shouldn’t be doing the same. Instead of building rapport, you would risk making your customers feel uncomfortable.

Mirroring is essential in empathizing with your customers, as it creates the effect of complementing their verbal and non-verbal messages. Through it, you show your customers that you care and pay attention to everything related to them, which will enable you to maximize your opportunity of closing the sale.

However, there is still plenty of body language you should be paying attention to while you’re actively listening. Let me give you a short list of tells you can easily pick up on during a conversation with a customer.

Mirroring can serve as a powerful sales tool because it can lead your customer into subconsciously believing that you're acting like him because you're his friend, or that you'd make a great friend because you're so much like him. Salespeople can use mirroring to quickly build rapport and trust with their customer.

It's extremely important to be subtle, as mirroring only works if the customer doesn't realize what you're doing and that you're doing it on purpose. If a customer does pick up on your behaviour, he may think you're making fun of him. This is particularly the case if you mimic something that's unique to him, such as the way he speaks certain words. Overt mirroring can feel insulting to a customer, and you risk turning into a caricature of him, which is sure to offend.

1. Eye Contact

Where a person’s eyes are looking is one of the easiest ways to tell what they’re focusing on If the customer is looking at you, or the products you’re working with, that’s a good sign. It means they’re engaged with you and are interested in what you have to say and sell.

If they’re looking around, at someone else, out the door… anywhere that’s not where you are – that’s not a great sign. Usually if this is the case you should say something like, “Let me know if you need anything else,” and let them do their own thing. No eye contact doesn’t mean you won’t be able to close the sale – but it could spell trouble if you don’t pay attention.

2. Hands/Arms

Another important thing to pay attention to is what people do with their hands and arms.

Typically,, if someone’s arms are crossed, they are uncomfortable and probably not interested in what you have to say. You should tread gently: let this customer know you are there to help. If you’re talking with a customer who is clearly shy and uncomfortable with talking to you, I recommend acting in a more reserved manner and avoiding things like answering questions the customer has yet to ask. In addition, because this posture reflects a closed off mind, I mostly suggest avoiding suggestive selling. Suggestive selling does not work well on someone who is not interested.

Open arms and palms facing towards you, however, are an excellent sign. If your customer has taken this sort of posture in your conversation, you’re doing well. In fact, I would definitely suggest going for it with suggestive selling. (Of course, make sure you’re showing them items that are actually related to what they want, not just some pre-placed item that your manager wants to get rid of.)

3. Facial Expression—Particularly the Curve of Their Mouth

Lastly, you should be paying attention to the expression’s you customer is making. This seems like a no-brainer, but it’s important to pay close attention to your customer’s facial expressions. Even if a customer is pulling a straight face at you, most people’s mouths are fairly expressive in small ways.

Often, the corners of the mouth will be curving slightly up or slightly down. Down is not good for you – it indicates frustration or annoyance. Curving up, though, is an excellent sign. Additionally, you should pay attention to how tightly the lips are held. If they’re pressed tightly together, it can mean the same thing as crossed arms.

That’s the three major areas of body language you should be paying attention to while actively listening to your customer. Keep in mind that while the customer’s body can give you an indication about how they feel towards you and your product, it’s the listening that is going to yield you the important information about what they want.

Avoid mirroring a person's accent or copying any unusual phrases. Additionally, avoid mirroring any negative body language, such as crossed arms, turning away, or closing your eyes.

Don’t Ask Customers to Buy. Ask Them To… Invest!

Think about that question for a moment.  First think about what the question means and then how you would answer it based on your approach to selling.

Customers don’t want to buy anything.

Buying means, they’re giving somebody money and receiving something in exchange.  Sure, it’s something we do, both in our personal life and our professional life.

However, think about what you buy. Are you buying or are you investing?

Regardless of what you’re buying, you’re really investing. We buy things because we want some benefit out of what we bought.  That’s investing!

Now let’s shift this to the selling process.

When we take the approach of asking the customer to invest rather than buy, it shifts our thinking and our selling technique.

When we focus our mind on showing the customer the virtues of investing with us, we are far more inclined to uncover the customer’s needs and desired outcomes.

Conversely, when we are focused on the customer simply buying, we are far more likely to sell our product’s features and push those features, even to the extent of ignoring the benefits the customer really desires.

You should drive every sales call with the sole purpose of getting the customer to invest.

Customers are looking for a benefit out of everything they buy.  In fact, a customer will buy anything at any price – even at an amazingly high price – if they feel the benefit, they’re going to receive is greater than the money they’re investing.

The concept is easy to understand.

Present more value than the customer is investing and you have a sale!  Everything you say should be geared to helping you understand what the customer wants with regard to benefits, needs and desired outcomes.

This approach means you ask questions that allow the customer to share their needs and desired benefits.  Then you ask follow-up questions that get them to build upon what they have shared.

Develop your questions when preparing your presentation, and then use them at the beginning of your first meeting with your customer.

This approach is totally different than if you are just trying to figure out how to get the customer to buy.  If you were using the buying approach, you would likely start the call extolling the features of your product or service and the great capabilities of your company.

Of the above two approaches, which do you think the customer would be more likely to engage in?  Definitely the approach that involves questions!

As you engage the customer with questions, you not only discover their needs and desired benefits, you also have an opportunity to understand the urgency and severity of what they have shared.

Customers will share with you what they want, but that in and of itself is not good enough. The customer has to fully explain the magnitude of their needs.

Sometimes they don’t even understand the magnitude of their needs until you get them talking, but this is where your big money is made.

Needs and desired outcomes all take on different levels of importance, and when you add the elements of risk and time, you have the ability to create a significant reason the customer should invest with you.

Use what the customer shares with you as the guiding point as to what to ask them next.  The customer will guide you if you ask the right questions, and they will build upon what they shared with you.

Shifting your focus to getting customers to invest with you is both a mind-set and a process, but it’s one that every salesperson should embrace.  The reason is simple. Your ability to close more sales and at a higher price is significant with this approach.

Customers who are investing are far more pro-active in making a decision than customers who are merely buying.

It’s not your product features that are important. It’s the outcome the customer will receive that will determine the probability of them making an investment with you.

Buying Signals – Stage 8

Buying signals are referred to as signals that the customer gives the sales person in the earlier stages of the buying process showing interest in the product and willingness to buy it. Many a times sales people are so carried away with their presentation that they fail to recognize these signals that are given by the customer to the sales person much before the closing stage and acts as a bonus and gift from the customers point of view in making the sale closing much easier even before it can be asked by the sales person. Every sales person should be alert in catching these buying signals and accordingly move the customer to the closing stages.

Sales people are always looking to pounce on every opportunity they can get their hands on. It takes immense effort to assure sales prospects that the product is good enough and it matches their requirements. At times, sales prospects are worried about their decision to get the deal done.

However, as a sales rep, if you are not required to grind too much to sell, there is nothing better than it. Many a time, sales customers give you certain buying signals that you need to act upon. If customers show their willingness to buy, it is a perfect icing on the cake as you need not get too much into detailing of products/services.

Here are a few of the buying signals that sales customers give, and something that sales rep must act upon quickly to get things rolling in their favor.

When they ask about a specific product: This is one of the major signals from a customer to let sales reps know about their slow inclination towards a product. The questions are usually related to color, style or some other details about the product. It means something has triggered them towards your offering.

Asking about product pricing: Pricing of the product is often the aspect that decides whether the product is a ‘yes’ or a ‘no’ for the prospect. More often than not, the purchase of a product revolves around its price. And once a prospect asks about it, a sales rep must take it as an indication that a purchase might be on the cards.

Asking about the benefits: When a prospect goes deep into the process and asks about something like the warranty period, you must understand that they are trying to find out if the service you provide is reliable enough, or not. If this happens, that prospect is close enough to becoming a customer.

Asking about the start of service/delivery date: These questions indicate that your prospect has already decided that your company is the best choice and is probably eager to complete the deal. A good sales reply would be “when do you need it”?

Asking about the terms and conditions: By asking about the terms and conditions your sales prospects are making sure about what to expect from you and your organization. If this is the case, a sales rep can take it as a buying signal and proceed towards getting things done in the right manner.

When they ask about your organization: When a prospect asks you what your organization is all about, how long have you been present in the market, and who your customers are - the prospect is trying to know about the reliability factor? Hence, do not hesitate to put the foot on the pedal and set things up nicely for the future.

Asking about the mode of payment: Whenever money comes into the picture, a prospect is more rooted on buying. Therefore, if questions such as - “how I make the payment?”, or “when I need to make the payment?” come up, be rest assured that the prospect has started to incline towards making a purchase.

Repetition: Sales reps often do not take repetition as a buying signal. If a prospect is overly worried about a certain aspect of your offering and comes up with questions relating to it repeatedly, it must be taken as a signal of purchase. Moreover, you must try to give them a suitable enough answer so that they are not worried too much about it.

Asking “Where do we go from here?” If a prospect asks you, “where do we go from here”, or “what do we do next”. Stop, whatever you are doing and focus on getting things done as the prospect would have already closed the deal in their mind.

Buying signals are very important in sales, but they are hard to spot. I figured that a list of common buying signals examples would be helpful.

Smiling

If a customer smiles while you are presenting benefits or pricing, it is usually a good sign.

Nodding

Nodding at the right time is also a buying signal.

Leaning Forward

when customers lean forward, it usually means they are interested in what you are saying, so, if well-timed, leaning forward can be a strong buying signal.

Asking About Next Steps

when customers ask about processes, or the next step in a process, it usually means they are interested.

Asking About Time Frames

when customers ask how long it would take to finish the sales process, they are ready to buy.

Positive Statements

Positive statements such as, “that’s good,” “wow,” “I like that,” and other similar statements are buying signals.

Positive Comparisons

when a customer says that something about your product is better than a competitor, it is a buying signal.

Surprised Statements

Surprised statements such as, “interesting,” “I didn’t know that,” and “really?” while talking about the benefits is a buying signal.

Displays of Excitement

When customers get excited about your product, they are ready to buy.

Payment Options

When a customer talks about payment options, they a thinking about buying.

Detailed Questions

asking several questions about specific details is a buying signal. The customer is showing interest in the product.

Indecisiveness about Options

If a customer is indecisive about two options, he or she wants to buy. Help the customer make the choice and close the deal.

Questions About After-Buying Services

If a customer asks about any service you offer after purchasing, such as your warranty, your return policy, or your ongoing service, they are thinking about buying.

Repeat Questions

If a customer asks a question a second time, they are usually trying to verify something important to them before they buy. Close the deal.

If I Had It, I Would…

Customers telling you what they would do if they had your product is a buying signal. For example, statements such as, “I could use that in the kitchen,” or “this would go well with the decor” are buying signals.

Dilated Pupils

when people see something they want, their pupils dilate. If you see dilating pupils when you are showing customers benefits or price, they are ready to buy.

Availability Questions

Questions about availability of option, such as color, are buying signals. For example, “do you have one in green?” or “do you have one with/without __________” are both buying signals.

Questions about Discounts

This one is a little odd. People think that customers concerned about price is a bad thing but talks about price means that the customer wants to buy. Overcome the price objection and close the deal

Rapport with your customers – Stage 9

A business’s long-term success depends on its ability to accomplish its business purpose. In fact, studies show it costs five times more to create a new customer than it does to keep an existing one.  And, an extremely satisfied customer is five times more likely to return than one who is merely satisfied.

Rapport is mutual trust in a relationship. It is something that must be built and maintained, not something that happens as a result of one or two interactions. There are four steps to building rapport with customers.

We all have heard the old sales adage: “People buy from people they like.” When you have a strong relationship with a customer, you tend to have more influence with that customer. That means the customer respects your experience and advice, they are more likely to value your contribution to the decision process, and there is a greater chance of such customer becoming a “long-term” customer.

One of the quickest and most effective methods for building sales relationships is building rapport. Rapport enables smooth communication because it allows people to be at ease. Sometimes rapport happens naturally, you might instantly hit it off with someone. This is often how friendships are started. Other times, you have to be more deliberate in building rapport with someone.

Mirroring and matching are based on the powerful concept that people like people who are similar to themselves. Conversely, when people are not similar, it is more difficult to have a relationship with that person. You can quickly develop rapport with a customer by mirroring and matching:

Another powerful rapport building technique is to find common experiences with the customer and then bring those up during the conversation. This is something we all do when we first meet someone talk about the weather, sports or current events. This is a fast way of building rapport, but be sure that you don’t focus only on this step – if you don’t mirror and match your customer, the customer won’t feel that your rapport building is natural or sincere.

The 3rd strategy for building rapport is active listening. Did you know that research suggests that we only remember 25%-50% of what we hear? That means that we miss up to 75% of what the customer is saying!  Active listening is a fundamental sales communication skill that is important not only for building rapport but for all other aspects of selling as well.

Active listening isn’t merely hearing. Hearing is the physical process of transmitting sound waves to the brain; while active listening means that you're really suspending your thoughts and you understand what you hear. When a customer perceives that you are actively listening to them, they feel important, understood, appreciated, and respected.

Building a strong relationship with a customer is foundational to successful selling, and a great relationship begins with developing rapport. A sale occurs when your customer feels comfortable and trusting enough to buy something, they need from you. Comfort and trust are the key words in that statement, but how do you achieve this with customers?

The way to make a customer comfortable and trusting of you is to build rapport. Rapport is about establishing an environment of understanding, respect and safety which gives the other person the freedom to express their ideas and concerns. It’s not about agreeing with everything the other person says, but rather making the person feel listened to and understood.

It is a fact that as customers become satisfied with a business, they continue to frequent it.  And, as they do, their value to the business increases.  As a result, we must treat each customer from a life-long perspective rather than as a single purchase event.

Solution: Set the customer at ease. Relieve their anxiety. Explain the service procedures carefully and calmly.

Think of your customer as your partner. You both want to produce a mutually beneficial transaction, but you need to work together to make it happen. The most effective sales professionals know how to build rapport with customers quickly, and the results are enviable. You can learn how to make those same connections too.

We know that understanding customers is the key to giving them good service. So, how do we go about understanding them?

All customer-facing functions need to get to know customers on a one-to-one basis as each person deals with them face-to-face; in that way individuals can anticipate each customer's requirements and exceed expectations.

Any sales person will need to maintain a professional attitude to their job - especially if it is customer-facing. It's up to each and every one to make customers feel welcome.

The skills involved in building ordinary relationships and establishing contact and rapport with customers are basically the same. Customer-facing people need to be comfortable using these skills in order to do their job well.

The art of building rapport with your customers is based on two main ingredients, “Trust and Confidence”

Making people feel special is one of the essential elements in forming good customer relationships.

You can show that you think a customer is worth your time and attention in many ways. It is this ability to show that you feel this - and not just say it - that makes good customer relationships.

This is true of any relationship, whether it is an intimate partnership or a professional contact with a customer. Like so many other personal skills, this can be learned and developed.

Remember: it's not enough to feel positive about your customer; you must show it in your words and actions. People cannot read your mind - they can only see your actions and hear your words.

Always make a good first impression. Your goal is to be as likable and welcoming as possible. Others often respond favourably to amiable characteristics.

Skilled salespeople cultivate a personal style that invites others to get close to them. Your dress, manner of speaking and conduct are all important. Project your charisma and invite your customers to get to know you better.

Smile – A smile signals goodwill and inoffensive intentions.

Relax your Posture – Assume an open, inviting stance and loosen your muscles.

Use Appropriate Eye Contact – Use direct eye contact about half the time but avoid staring.

Enthusiasm – Demonstrate your excitement for the product you’re selling.

Manners – Be friendly, courteous, and considerate.

When a customer comes in to your parking lot or store does anyone run out to meet them or hold the door open? When exiting the store, does the salesperson serving the customer give them a “kiss goodbye” to establish a continued satisfaction once the client is gone? A great time to build that bond is when you carry out their purchase. These little courtesies go a long way in building a relationship with your customers. Since this is service beyond the norm, it also generates great word-of-mouth advertising.

“If they like you, they will trust you, they will believe in you, and then and then only will they go ahead and do business with you”

The 80/20 Rule of Listening

“The more I listen the better will I understand the customer”

Listening plays a vital role in the life of a sales person, the sales person needs to listen very carefully everything the customer talks about so as to understand the depth of the customer needs. Once he understands everything by actively listening what the customer requires closing the sale or the customer the very next moment becomes very easy. Now the sales person is in a confident position to suggest the customer the best product which matches to his need.

Active listening is extremely helpful in building rapport between the listener and speaker. This shows the speaker that the other person is truly paying attention, which is especially important in the sales world. Prospects are often ignored or talked over because the focus is on making the sale, not the person making the purchase. When salespeople show they value the prospect's needs and opinions, it is far easier to build trust and ensures that the conversation results in a mutually-beneficial experience.

Active listening is a communication technique that helps increase understanding and rapport between a speaker and a listener. Rather than passively listening to the person talking (or not listening at all), the active listener pays close attention to the other person's choice of words, their tone of voice and their body language (which accounts for at least 80% of communication). The speaker takes in all these components and then repeats back to the speaker the most important points the speaker was touching on.

The most obvious time to engage in active listening takes place during "qualifying and answering objections" stage of the sales cycle. This is not to say those seeking to "seal the deal" should close their ears or shut down their brains during other stages of the process. Often a salesperson's prospect will spontaneously offer useful information critical to identifying their wants and needs (and most importantly objections).

“The 80/20 rule” of listening talks about that when the customer is speaking, 80 % I will listen very attentively to the customer as I need to focus on everything that he says to understand everything about the customer in regards to what he is expecting, his worries and concerns, his need etc., and 20 % I will speak to the customer. But I also say that when the customer is speaking never ever interrupt the customer what does it mean that 20 %, I will still speak because it is very rude to interrupt the customer. 20 % of speaking with the customer in this context means to acknowledge to the customer of whatever he is talking about while he speaks to give the feeling of satisfaction on the minds of the customer that you are not only listening actively but also understanding everything, he is saying by acknowledging to the same. You could do this by saying “yes sir’ “I understand sir” “I totally agree with you sir” etc. and many more.

Now the second part of the 80/20 rule says that once the customer has stopped talking the next moment the reverse function now takes place. Now it is time for the sales person to speak as he has now understood everything the customer needs and wants by listening patiently, so now 80% of conversation will happen by the sales person speaking where he now goes ahead and presents the product best suited to the customers’ needs to the customer where as it is the customers turn of 20% to listen to the sales person. Now by actively listening to the customer the sales person is not only in a strong position to offer but also convince the customer why this product is the best for him so making it easier for the sales person to close the sale. That is why they so rightly say that not passive but active listening skills are very important for every sales person.

Active listening isn’t just about standing in front a customer silently. There are a few important things you should be doing to engage in this practice:

The most important part of active listening is to not form a response while the customer is speaking. This is hard to do and is going to take a lot of practice. It’s very natural to latch on to one part of a comment and form a response to it, and then shut out the rest of the comment. To become a good listener, a sales person must resist doing this.

Active listening should engage your whole body. Things like nodding and having an open stance show the customer that you are listening to what they have to say.

Once it’s time for you to speak, give the customer a quick summary of what they said. This has a few purposes. First, it allows you to come up with a response post-comment without things being awkwardly silent. Second, showing the customer that you heard everything they had to say will often open them up to providing you with more information than they initially supplied.

Your prospect will tell you what you need to tell them to sell them.

Accurate and timely information is the key to success in selling. One of the biggest mistakes poor salespeople make is that they give information before they get information. In other words, they talk too much. If you practice this approach, you are going to make one or all of the following mistakes. 1) You will give too much information (more than is necessary to make the sale).  2) You will give the wrong information (based on the prospect’s needs, wants, desires or problems). 3. You will give information that could sabotage your success either in the short or long term. The sales super stars understand that their job is not to sell their software or services but to help the prospect become comfortable with buying their products or services and giving themselves permission to buy now. Information is power and successful salespeople are masters at uncovering needs, problems, prejudices, concerns and desires in a timely and truthful way.

Practicing active listening means that you are fully engaged with learning what the customer wants. This engagement makes a huge difference. Not only will you understand what the customer wants in a deeper way, but you also gain their trust easier.

A wise sale master once reminded me, "Two Ears, one Mouth – use them in that ratio".

Know your Apples – Stage 10

Product Knowledge - “Retail is Detail” “What would you like the product to do for you?” is a beautiful question or phrase that every sales person should ask every customer A good salesperson is expected to know the product inside out. A top sales agent goes beyond this, and devotes extra time to study the product extensively—examining flaws, comparing it with competing products, and believing in the capacity of the product to provide solutions to real-life problems. Lack of product knowledge is a real turn-off for customers. If they ask you a question, they really expect you to have an answer. Today’s consumers are digitally connected, socially networked and prefer to have gathered all the required information on the product that is to be purchased, before they even speak with your sales team. However, an intelligent consumer may approach your salesperson with a difficult question—one without an answer on your website, white paper, social media posts and so on. Is your staff adequately equipped to make that personal connection, provide a trustworthy experience for your prospective customer and tip the scale toward a win situation for your organization?  It's surprising to find out how many salespeople don't know a lot about the products or services they are selling. It is estimated that, in retail sales, 3 out of 4 times, the customer knows more about the item than the salesperson does. In many instances, the salesperson knows their product is “good” or possibly “the best”, but they can't say too much else about it. It' now easier, than ever, to be an expert on anything you are interested in. If someone knows nothing about the industry on Monday, they could be well on their way by Friday. Use the free information available to the masses to learn anything you need to know about the product being sold and positioning yourself as a credible expert that can guide the prospect.

Think about what is gained by learning more about your product. By knowing more about it than your customers, competitors and other salespeople you will gain a tremendous advantage that will lead to increased sales.

Product knowledge is the most important tool for closing sales. It instills faith, trust, and respect in the customer, which creates a positive customer experience. The importance of product knowledge represents itself the most in these situations.

Product knowledge builds enthusiasm. In order to be a successful salesperson, you need to be confident in your product. A helpful aid in enthusiasm is knowing exactly what you're talking about. If you know your product inside and out, you are able to give information as needed and the enthusiasm will be organic.

Product knowledge gives us courage. One common fear around salespeople is that the prospect will ask a question they don't know the answer to. By learning everything you can, you can minimize this risk. Product knowledge gives us the satisfaction of being experts. Sales don’t always have to be about the prospect – being knowledgeable in your product can make you feel accomplished as well. Product knowledge allows us to speak with confidence around other experts. Selling to normal prospects can be easy because they may not have the same knowledge as you do. When dealing with purchasing agents, or other industry professionals, they're going to be much more likely to test your knowledge. Understanding everything you can about what you're selling gives you the confidence you need around these people.

Product knowledge helps you respond to any objections properly.

Whether it's about the price of the product or a comparison to a competitor, knowing about your own product (plus the competition) allows you to explain the value in your own product. Product knowledge allows you to keep learning and to discover additional advantages to offer the prospects.

Eventually, you will find more and more ways to leverage these advantages with each of your prospects. If the product has hidden uses, if you don't know what they are, you won't be able to articulate them to your prospect. Know your product, know competitor's products, and know why your product beats that competitor. Sometimes it is on value, sometimes on price, sometimes on features and sometimes on all of the above. Product knowledge gives you self-assurance. If you know more about the product than you could ever expect to use, you'll be more than prepared for any situation that comes at you.

Product knowledge gives your prospects confidence in you. You want prospects to look at you like an expert, and really, that's exactly what you should be. When your prospects trust you, they'll be more likely to give you the sale. Product knowledge is power. Power that helps you close more sales. Having a high level of product knowledge can result in fewer objections for a sales person. If a sales person is knowledgeable about a range of products, and instills confidence in the customer, this can make closing the sale a lot easier. Customer objections can also be handled more effectively if the sales person has factual information regarding the product. Being well versed in not only your products, but similar products sold by competitors, allows you to easily counter objections as well.

Having a thorough understanding of the products on the shelves can allow a retailer to use different techniques and methods of presenting the product to customers. Stronger communication skills will allow a salesperson to recognize and adapt a sales presentation for the various types of customers. One of the questions you should always be asking yourself is "are my employees talking or communicating?" Too many times, they are just talking. Train your employees to sell the benefit and not the features.

More importantly, to see what the customer needs, not what he (salesperson) likes. Seeing someone completely enthusiastic about a product is one of the bestselling tools. As you generate excitement for the product, you remove any uncertainty the product may not be the best solution for that customer. The easiest way to become enthusiastic is to truly believe in the product. Remember, the first sale you make is yourself; the second sale is the product. If they believe in you, they will believe in the product you are selling.

The bottom line is that customers crave and need product knowledge. It's how they make the buying decision. It's how they know they can trust you as the salesperson but remember, using product knowledge is a skill. Don't throw up your great knowledge every time. Only talk about the features (benefits) the customer is interested in. It may be exciting to you, but may not be to the customer. The customer needs to feel that you have their best interest at heart and not putting on a show of your great intellect.

A turn of the screw

There was an industrialist whose production line inexplicably breaks down, costing him millions per day. He finally tracks down an expert who takes out a screwdriver, turns one screw, and then - as the factory cranks back to life - presents a bill for £10,000.

Affronted, the factory owner demands an itemised version. The expert is happy to oblige: "For turning a screw: £1. For knowing which screw to turn: £9,999."

“Don’t find customers for your product; find Products for your customers.”

Demo the Secret Tool – Stage 11

“Show it, sell it”- Let them use the product / Let them see the product / Let them feel the product”- Demo is one of the biggest tools that every sales person at the store has and should be used for maximum closing. Why demo is considered to be very significant is because of its various advantages it has for the customer and keeping this in mind every sales person should conduct a demo with every customer walking in at the store.

The following are considered the main advantages of conducting a demo-

Simulates Interest-

Product demonstrations provide visual support to enhance the quality of your sales presentation. Customers who are more visual or hands-on learners often need to see your product in action to fully grasp its value and potential.

The ability to see, feel your product is generally more appealing to guests than simply listening to your sales pitch.

Provides Proof-

The product, sample, video, brochures, pictures and other tools used in a demo are often called proof devices because they offer tangible evidence that supports what you say. Guests assume you will say good things about a product you sell.

Showing what your product can do, and even letting the guest experience it, provide necessary proof.

Combats Concerns-

Your demonstration also helps you combat product-related concerns presented by a buyer. Guests often come with preconceived notions or misinformation based on things they have heard in the marketplace. If a guest questions key claims or doubts your product and its performance capabilities, a demo can ease those concerns.

Conveys Ownership-

An effective demonstration also serves the purpose of instilling a sense of ownership of the product to the guest. For example, car salespeople typically try to get a guest behind the wheel to feel what it would be like to own and drive the car. Free trials have a similar intent of letting guests' experience temporary ownership of a product.

Demo Sells!

Tell people what you want them to know, and maybe they’ll understand it and even remember it for a while. But show them, involve them, and they’ll “get it” and retain it for some time. Teachers know that, and so do retailers. When it comes to showing how a product works and involving the audience, “getting it” means not just understanding the message—it means buying the product.

The benefits of demonstration as a sales method are well founded. The fact is, product demonstration as a sales tool is huge, and it’s spreading from infomercials to cart retailers. Why? Because demo sells. demonstrating puts the salesperson in control of the number of shoppers they come into contact with, and of the selling process itself.

Show and sell

A hot, new product isn’t the only kind that can reap big rewards as demonstration products, says Harris: The good news is that demonstrators can do well selling just about anything, simply by focusing on their delivery. Any specialty retailer can adapt the basics of effective demonstration to sell products already on hand (see sidebar). So, whether you’re interested in jumping in with a specific demonstration product or want to increase sales by applying new skills to your existing product lines, “demo” is the name of the game. All it takes is a personable salesperson, belief in the product, a solid demonstration script and routine, and good communication and presentation skills. It’s easy, it’s fun, it’s interactive—and it’s profitable.

One of my favorite stories was about a territory salesman who sold glass; tempered glass was his specialty. As a new salesman, he decided to perfect a demonstration technique that would make him and his product more interesting and memorable. Having recorded record sales in his territory, others began to notice and ask how he was achieving such success. His simple demonstration was to take a piece of sample glass and a small hammer and hit the glass to demonstrate the strength of his product. Because he captured the attention and imagination of his clients, he also captured a greater percentage of their sales.

The following year his sales continued to soar and, again, others noticed. When asked if he was still hitting glass with a hammer, he said, “No, this year I’ve given the hammer to my clients. I’m allowing them to hit the glass until it breaks.” First, he performed the demo, and then he engaged his clients in the demo.

The following are some of the main reasons why you need to conduct a demo and its importance:

1. Build Brand Awareness

A sales person primary function is more than just selling a product. It is also building brand awareness. When conducting a product demonstration, you are giving yourself an edge up over other brands with similar products. Product demonstrators are specialists in your products and brand. They are there to make sure consumers understand your product, see how it stands apart from other options on shelves, and learn why your product is the one for them. This helps to leave a lasting impression on consumers. They will remember your product when they are ready to purchase.

2. Increase Sales

Extensive studies conducted on retail product demonstrations reveal that in-store sampling and demos increase same-day sales, long-term purchasing habits, brand franchise sales, and total basket size of the average shopper.

3. Impact Future Sales

A good demonstration program should have a lasting effect on sales over time. Immediate sales are a good way to track the performance of the demonstration, but what about future sales?

4. Generate Leads

Lead generation is a great way to get to know who your consumers are and what their level of interest is, ultimately leading to sales in the future. Is your product an impulse buy? If isn’t, perhaps consumers need to discuss the purchase with a spouse or friend. This is a great opportunity for lead generation. Get the consumers’ names, invite them back next weekend with their spouse, or ask if they would like to receive a newsletter and specials deals via email. Lead generation is a valuable way to connect with your consumers, and to keep the line of communication open, which can lead to future sales.

5. Get to Know What Consumers Really Think

Demos can tell you what potential consumers like or dislike about your product. Even if you don’t sell a single thing during a demo, it is a great opportunity for your team to find out what consumers really think. Do they like the color options? Is the machine too big for their counter? Do they question the price over the value? Which gender or age range shows the most interest in your product? What are their reasons for not purchasing? Do they know your brand? Where did they hear about your product? All of this information can influence your future marketing efforts and updates to your product.

Objections the Hurdle – Stage 12

What is an objection? Many sales people even today our confused and do not understand the deeper meaning of what an objection is all about. Whenever a customer throws an objection what is it that the customer is actually implying? This can be understood by mastering the art of what an objection is really about.

“An objection, is not a rejection, it is a second opportunity that the customer gives a sales person letting him know that there is still some seed of doubt or concerned regarding the product or service of which I am still not convinced of, once you clear that doubt I will be happy to put my hands in my trousers and remove the money to give it to you”

Sales objections are quite common in retail, especially for merchants who are selling high-ticket items such as electronics. Usually, these objections come from customers who are unsure, uninterested, or aren’t ready to buy. And while it would be wise for you to respect shoppers’ choice to hold off on a purchase, in some cases, you might be able to nudge them in the right direction or actually close the sale. Life is full of obstacles. They come in various forms.

Objection handling is when a prospect presents a concern about the product/service a salesperson is selling, and the salesperson responds in a way that alleviates those concerns and allows the deal to move forward.

Objection handling means responding to the buyer in a way that changes their mind or alleviate their concerns.

Some reps argue with their prospects or try to pressure them into backing down -- but this isn’t true objection handling. Prospects typically end up more convinced than ever of their position; worse, salespeople lose the trust and rapport they’ve built up.

Instead of telling your prospect they’re wrong, help them come to a different conclusion of their own accord. And if you can’t persuade them, that’s a good sign they’re a poor fit.

Why Customers Raise Sales Objections

In a perfect world, customers wouldn’t raise any sales objections. Sales professionals would precisely identify each customer’s needs, and then present a carefully crafted solution that neatly addresses each of these needs. Customers would then, of course, clearly understand how they would benefit and quickly make a favorable purchase decision. In the real world, however, customers frequently raise objections and these objections can take many forms

An unfilled need is another cause of objections. Sometimes your solution doesn’t address one or more of the customer’s priorities. If the unfilled need is significant, this objection may be impossible to overcome. And that may be OK. If a customer has a need that you can’t satisfy, it may be time to walk away with your reputation intact as opposed to trying to close a deal that will result in an unhappy client. Unfortunately, sales professionals often spend too much time on opportunities that are not closeable. That being said, most customers buy even though they don’t get 100% of what they want. So, it is up to you to uncover opportunities where your solution can add compelling value.

Ultimately, customer objections are a reality, but highly skilled sales professionals proactively address the root cause of these objections early in the sales process. No matter how good you're at selling at some point in the sales process, you'll get some objections. Common objections we all hear include price, quality issues, competitive comparisons, or concerns about terms and conditions of the sale.

Good salespeople know how to “overcome” these objections. But outstanding sales professionals can prevent objections in the first place. Many objections arise not because of “what you're selling” but because of “how you're selling.”

It’s no secret that dealing with customer objections and closing the sale are two of the most difficult aspects of a salesperson’s job.

Handling sales objections can make or break a future relationship with a sales prospect. Objections that aren’t handled properly can prevent a future meeting or purchase with a prospect. The salesperson must act in a way that honors the prospect’s right to say “no” to them.

In this post, we’ll be tackling some of the most common objections retailers can encounter when selling to customers. Go through them and see if you can apply them in your business,

Many people believe an objection means a problem and a discount.  Since I’ve always taken a contrarian approach to sales, I believe just the opposite.  When the customer voices an objection, that means they’re thinking and engaging with the sales process. It also means there must be at least somewhat of an interest in buying.

To me this represents something that should be explored more with the customer — first to respond to their objection and second to build on their thinking to create a more urgent need to buy.  When the customer has a strong urgency to buy, either due to time or the value they expect to obtain from what you’re selling, they’re willing to pay for it and more than likely pay even more.

Next time the customer throws you an objection, take the time to explore the objection by first validating if the objection is real. Then use questions to further engage the customer and have them build more on their objection, especially if you’re confident you can respond favorably to the objection.

By getting the customer to build on their concern, you’re getting them to be even more engaged and connected with the product or service you’re selling and how you can alleviate their concern.  Once you’re able to answer their concern, move immediately forward with a closing statement at full price — even your highest price point.

If the concern the customer has is real and you’ve been able to get them to build on the issue, then by providing them with the right response, you’ll have a self-motivated buyer.

The worst thing that can happen to you is the buyer rejects your attempt to close. If that is the case, then you merely respond to them with another question, getting them to explain to you even more about their original objection. Their response then gives you a chance to repeat the process again, thus setting up another opportunity to close the sale.

If the customer is not pleased with your response to their objection, do not think you’ve lost the sale.  On the contrary, their continued objection provides you with an opportunity to find a greater value you can help them realize.

Before anything else: Read customers and don’t be pushy

While the tips below should give you some ideas on how to respond to customer objections, it’s important that you first read each shopper and determine the right course of action. For instance, if a shopper is in “just looking around” mode, then it’s probably best not to go for the hard sell. There’s no one size fits all approach for every customer, so don’t apply these tips blindly, and don’t be pushy or dishonest.

A sale without customers’ objections can hardly happen and objections are actually by definition part of the sales process. The golden rule is that as a Sales person, you shouldn't offer all benefits at once. The benefits should be introduced gradually once the needs (s) of the customers are being uncovered. Plus, if a customer rejects the purchase after a closing attempt, you will still have something up your sleeve.

What is also important is the structure of handling the objections, so we can maximize our chances of success.

Not properly handling objections would make you lose the control over the sales presentation, which would result in an increased difficulty of confirming the sale. Being creative in the way of further showing the value of the benefits and being adaptable to any such obstacle will set you on the path to success.

That said, let’s dive into the objections below and discuss how you can overcome them:

Objection #1: “It’s too expensive.”

Pricing concerns is probably the most common objection that you’ll encounter. And in this case, you’ll first have to identify why they’re concerned about the cost. Is it because the product is really out of their budget or are, they having trouble seeing the value of the item? Is it because they think can purchase it for less elsewhere? Whatever the case may be, figure it out prior to launching your spiel.

If shoppers feel that the item is out of their budget, perhaps you can talk about how the product can save them money in the long run. Will it lower their energy bill? Will it “pay for itself” in the long term?

If it’s a matter of getting customers to see the value in a product, then you’ll need to come up with specific benefits that would justify the cost for the shopper. Before getting into this though, you first need determine why the shopper is looking at a product, as well as how and where they’re going to use it.

How to Respond to “Can You Just Give Me a Price?”

When asked for a quick quote, your response should be, “I would be happy to, but there are so many different options and the last thing I want to is provide you with is incorrect information.   Can you tell me a little bit about why you need?

Your objective is two-fold.  First, get them feeling you’re doing them a favor by helping them, and second, uncover their real need.

Your policy must be to never give a price without first understanding the customer’s real needs and desired outcomes.

How to Deal with a Competitor’s Price that is super Cheap

At one time or another, we all have to do battle with a competitor’s price that is lower than anything we’ve ever seen before.

When confronted with a competitor’s price that is ridiculously low, the last thing you should do is think about lowering your price.

Your objective is to not allow your price and the competitor’s price to be compared.   If you allow the customer to compare the two prices, you lose!

The big difference you have working for you is trust and confidence.

You’re standing in front of the customer for a reason, because they trust you and have confidence in you.

Statement to be said:

‘What good is buying something from somebody if they can’t back up what they sold you?  What good is buying something with a certain set of expectations, only to then get something less than that expected?”

Objection #2: “Isn’t this cheaper online?”

If you’re dealing with shoppers who think they can get the same product for a lower price online (or who are already price checking with their phone), then you can bring up the “hidden costs” that come with Internet purchases.

Merchants can also emphasize that buying the product in person means they know exactly what they’re getting and can avoid the hassle of having to return an item because it doesn’t meet their expectations.

Objection #3: I need to consult with my significant other first.”

If the shopper needs the approval of their parent, significant other, or boss before making a purchase, then figure out the concerns or objections of the third party and then address them while you still have the original customer with you.

Also try to encourage the customer to bring their partner/parent/boss along to the store, so you can speak to them directly, determine their concerns, and close the sale. In some cases, trying to get the other person on the phone may help, but doing so might make you come across as being pushy or that you’re rushing the customer.

Again, the best way to deal with such objections is to ask questions, assess that situation (i.e. do they really need to consult with someone else or are they just using the authority figure as an excuse?), and react accordingly.

Objection #4: “I’ve had a bad experience with this product or brand in the past.”

First, sympathize and apologize for the inconvenience or problems that the shopper encountered. Empathize with the customer instead of being on the defensive immediately.

Secondly, find out what the problem was. If it’s an issue that you’re already aware of, then you should have the knowledge or response to address their concerns. For example, you can say that the problem has been fixed in the product’s latest model or recommend another brand that doesn’t cause the issue.

It’s also important to reassure the customer that they won’t have a similar problem again. Demonstrate that their issues have indeed been addressed and throw in a guarantee to further alleviate their concerns.

Objection #5: “I need to think about it.”

When you encounter the “I need to think about it” objection, don’t make things uncomfortable by trying to dissuade the customer or rushing the sale. Instead, accept their response by saying “I understand” or “No problem” to put them at ease.

Depending on how they respond, you may be able to grab a chance to a) address underlying concerns; or b) give them a bit of nudge in the right direction. But you’ll have to play it by ear to figure out the right approach.

Addressing underlying concerns can be done by first determining why they need to think about it. Is it an issue with price? Are they wary of encountering problems with the product? Whatever the reason is, figure it out and address it accordingly. (See tips above.)

On the other hand, if you already know the reason why they need to give a purchase more thought, and you did your best to alleviate those concerns, then you should give them time to consider the decision. But perhaps you can make the choice easier by instilling a sense of urgency. For example, you can say something like “Just a reminder, our sale ends next week,” or something similar.

One beautiful statement that every sales person can actually use every time the customer is in a denial or refusal stage is”, I’m sure you have an excellent reason for not being interested, would you mind sharing it with me”. You would want the customer to open up and tell you the main reason behind him refusing or saying a no in regards to buying the product, so that by now understanding the main concern you can once again go ahead and tackle the objection and overcome it and then move to the closing of the sale.

Resistance is through Persistence

In 1953, a beekeeper from Auckland, New Zealand earned world recognition with fame and fortune to follow. Knighted by Queen Elizabeth for his accomplishment, Sir Edmund Hillary and his native guide, Tensing Norgay became the first two people to climb Mount Everest and safe return after having tried and failed on two previous attempts.

Hillary had two obvious character strengths which literally took him to the very top… vision and PERSISTENCE. Without Persistence, all his skills would have meant nothing. These qualities and characteristics are the same as those you need to lead you to the top of your mountain. You are confronted by mountains every day. You can either climb the mountains, or remain in the foothills. Any successful person will tell you that Persistence is absolutely essential to climbing the mountains.

The individuals who remain in the foothills have never chosen to develop this strength. These people dream of being stars. They want to receive the fame and fortune. But fame is not a common suitor. Fame only comes calling after a high price has been paid, and the poor people who march in the foothills refuse to pay that price.

In the same manner no matter what obstacle, hurdle or resistance comes your way no matter how many times the customer says a “No” or brings up an objection, if every sales person has the will to keep on persisting in convincing the customer until the very end and forces him to say a yes for the sale it is that given moment where persistence overcomes resistance.

Persistence is a unique mental strength, a strength which is essential to combat the fierce power of repeated rejections and numerous other obstacles that sit in waiting, and are all a part of winning in a fast-moving, ever-changing world.

There are hundreds of biographies of highly successful men and women who have cut a path for others to follow while leaving their mark on the scrolls of history. Every one of these great individuals was persistent. In many cases, it was the only quality which separated them from everyone else. Twenty percent of the salespeople take home 80% of the commissions. The beautiful aspect of sales is that you decide to which percent you will belong, and in the final analysis as an entertainer, you must keep this beautiful truth firmly planted in your mind.

The people who never tackle the mountains, who perpetually wander in the foothills most of their lives have, in my opinion, lied to themselves and everyone else who would listen so often and for so long that they are no longer even aware of what they are doing.

They say they are content with their results. They will say that climbing a mountain is not important to them ... that they are getting by just fine the way they are. Odds are, they secretly started the climb the mountain years ago and got scared. They hit the terror barrier, quickly retreated to their comfort zone, and have been hiding behind their own false rationale ever since.

They frequently justify their sick, mediocre performance with statements like, “Why should I go all out? When I get there, the boss will just want more.”

These poor, non-productive individuals are lost, or at best, misguided. If you are not able to wake them up, make certain that you do not permit them to pull you into their trap. In fact, when you come in contact with these poor souls, let them serve as a triggering mechanism to mentally double your commitment to yourself to become more persistent.

Persistent people never know why they want. They only know that they want and they must have it, and to have it, they must do, and to do they must be, and they want it so much that they keep imaging it until they become the living, breathing embodiment of whatever they want represents, for those are steps which MUST be followed for the creative process to work in our life.

That is why ordinary people have always done extraordinary work, because ... LISTEN CLOSELY ... This is one of the greatest liberating truths you will ever hear. The ordinary people did extraordinary things because they consciously recognized what they wanted, and they refused to suppress or dismiss it. They would not let it go, even if failure, rejection, bankruptcy or death was staring them in the face. It would have to be that way, or the ordinary person would never DO the extraordinary. They would never persist. The power of their want and the intensity of their Persistence caused them to draw on resources they previously were not aware they possessed. They expressed what they had within ... GREATNESS.

When the want is weak, you'll quit at the first obstacle. The proper want is essential to Persistence. A proper understanding of these concepts will virtually guarantee you a successful life. Persistence will make you a star. “You beat resistance with persistence.” The poor people in the foothills have not learned that. Resistance keeps beating them, causing them to whine and blame. They have not learned that they are the only problem they will ever have.

Decide what you TRULY want and you will be persistent. Choose your want and persist. Life will then be what it’s meant to be.

Am I better today than I was yesterday?

The 1% Formula is a beautiful concept that I would like to so proudly speak about and also share with my fellow sales people. Many people practically look out for secrets, tricks, and hacks that will make EVERYTHING better right now. But unfortunately, life doesn’t work that way. There are no “overnight successes”. Think of all the incredible people you truly admire. They didn’t succeed because of one giant move, but rather a series of small and consistent actions over time. The sun rises every morning and does not forget to shine its sunlight and rays upon the earth. Every morning is a new day in our lives and with the passing of yesterday if we look back at what we have actually achieved that particular day will give us a better idea of how in life we are actually improving ourselves day in and day out and closing nearer and nearer to our target, goal, and dreams.

The quest to become a better version of yourself often feels like a roller coaster ride. It’s hard. And it’s usually so uneven. You can end in failure. But life is a journey, not a marathon, so you always have another opportunity to restart and improve. “Instead of trying to make radical changes in a short amount of time, just make small improvements every day that will gradually lead to the change you want. Each day, just focus on getting 1% better in whatever it is you’re trying to improve. That’s it. Just 1%. In the beginning, your improvements will be so small as to seem practically nonexistent. But gradually and ever so slowly, you’ll start to notice the improvements in your life. It may take months or even years, but the improvements will come if you just focus on consistently upping your game by 1%.”

“When you improve a little each day, eventually big things occur. When you improve conditioning a little each day, eventually you have a big improvement in conditioning. Not tomorrow, not the next day, but eventually a big gain is made. Don’t look for the big, quick improvement. Seek the small improvement one day at a time. That’s the only way it happens — and when it happens, it lasts.”  Think of the smallest step you can take every day that would move you incrementally towards your goal. Becoming 1% better every day is a simple, practical way to achieve big goals. 1% seems like a small amount. Yes, it is. It’s tiny. It’s easy. It’s doable. And it’s applicable in most things you want to do or accomplish. Your first step to improving your life and becoming the best version of your self won’t be easy. Nobody can promise you that things will be easy but they will get better. It pays to take a small action–any action–and grow from there. Remember, you are better off trying and crawling than anyone else who isn’t trying.

If I improve by 1% each day, by what percentage do I improve in a week, in a month and over one year? Week = 7 days. Month = roughly 30 days. Year = 365 days. In one week, you will improve by 7%, in a month by 30%, and in a year by 365%! The message behind this is that if you do something to improve yourself each day, over time this will compound. It's like saying for example, there are 10 people waiting in queue, 15 minutes each day to buy a bus ticket. They wait for it. And what you do, is you read this 10-15 minute, it's not much, right? But over time this will compound and you will get a HUGE effect on it! You won't see it, they won't see it, but with a few months, you start to be that 30% better, that 60% better and so on...

Another example is that if you go and train martial arts, you will get skilled and all, fit etc. right? Of course. Now, they don't stretch as much. You stay 15 minutes after the session has ended and you stretch and do extra push-ups and techniques. Over time, let's say a year, you will be much stronger, more flexible and your techniques will be better. If you improve yourself every day, you are better than you are yesterday which means you are going to achieve the goal/vision you want. By each day. Success, as we know, is made over night, but before it, you spend years on building it, it's just the media showing your achievement, not your work.

Remarkable Power of Getting 1% Better- In 1986, the Los Angeles Lakers had one of the most talented basketball teams ever assembled, but they are rarely remembered that way. The team started the 1985–1986 NBA season with an astounding 29–5 record. “The pundits were saying that we might be the best team in the history of basketball,” head coach Pat Riley said after the season. Surprisingly, the Lakers stumbled in the 1986 playoffs and suffered a season-ending defeat in the Western Conference Finals. The “best team in the history of basketball” didn’t even play for the NBA championship. After that blow, Riley was tired of hearing about how much talent his players had and about how much promise his team held. He didn’t want to see flashes of brilliance followed by a gradual fade in performance. He wanted the Lakers to play up to them

potential, night after night. In the summer of 1986, he created a plan to do exactly that, a system that he called the Career Best Effort program or CBE. Riley added a key step. He asked each player to “improve their output by at least 1 percent every day over the course of the season.  The Lakers rolled out CBE in October 1986. Eight months later, they were NBA champions. The following year, Pat Riley led his team to another title as the Lakers became the first team in twenty years to win back-to-back NBA championships.  Having said all this the bottom line is If you're trying to improve at something, just do it. Do whatever it is you want to do and stick with it. Don't expect results overnight. Don't expect immediate improvement. But work to establish new habits, learn from your ups and downs, your failures and successes, and keep pursuing whatever it is that you want. There's no secret answer. There's no hidden insight that you're missing. There are simply people who chase what they want.

“You will never change your life until you change something you do daily”

The 20-60-20 rule

Top performers aren’t born, they are found, trained and equipped with the right resources.  The 20-60-20 rule broadly speaks about on any given sales team about 20% of them are ‘A’ players, 60% are Bs and 20% are Cs.

For the past 20 years I’ve worked in and with sales teams and it seems every team is the same… A mix of 3 groups of people is always evident.

Group 1 – The top performers – always earning the big bucks and smashing targets

Group 2 – The poor performers – more than likely on the way out

Group 3 – The average rest – just doing enough to make quota and earn enough to get by.

A lot of people think they’re in the ‘A’ category or want to be but don’t want to put in the effort to get there. Someone once asked me what the secret to success was. My answer was pretty simple – working very very hard. When it comes to running a sales organization, every manager knows that there are different kinds of players you can have on your team, and they usually come in 3 categories: you have the A-Players, the B-Players and the C-Players.

A player are star performers. They are employees who put their professional lives ahead of their families and personal lives because they are striving to accomplish more or move upward in the organization. A player are the risk-takers, the “high potentials,” and employers enjoy finding and hiring them. They are also the players most likely to leave the organization for opportunities elsewhere. A player behaves the way they do because they are striving for something they want, not necessarily for something the company wants – money, power, prestige. If A players get what they want from the company, they may stay. If they don't, they will look for it elsewhere, or – and this is the interesting part – they will stay and begin to behave like B players.  It’s well accepted that these are the individuals who go above and beyond the call of duty. These are the “5-star recruits” that you want to attract and hold onto as long as you possibly can because they are the ones that can truly help move your business forward. The qualities of an A-player however are more widely debated because different characteristics are more important depending on the manager and industry that individual is working. That said, here’s a short list of qualities that would apply universally to an A player regardless of someone’s industry.

B players are competent, steady performers who balance their work and personal lives while still doing the bulk of the work of the company. B players tend to stay put, don't require a lot of attention, and they get the job done. Because B players stay, they tend to carry the corporate history with them. B-Players are consistent and reliable performers. When something needs to get done you can rely on them to get the job done correctly and in a timely fashion. They have a solid understanding of what is expected of them and do what it takes to deliver on that expectation. B-players are those who need little to no coaching but are still able to keep their productivity at the level it needs to be at. However, when something comes up that requires them to go above and beyond their job description or put in more hours than is necessary, there may be a little of push-back. Regardless, these are still people you want to keep on your team as they are very important for keeping a well-run and organized business.

C players are performers who are not achieving enough to satisfy their employers and are most likely to be asked to move along. In fact, a small number of organizations still use the forced ranking method of employee evaluation to require managers to rank 10% of their employees as C players with an eye toward removing them. The C-players are the people that are usually a little lower in the ranks because, as we’d expect, they do the bare minimum to get by. They’re the ones who seem to get their work done just barely one time. They also tend to make excuses, and need more attention / coaching during 1 on 1’s and quarterly reviews than others to get their performance to up to a satisfactory level. As a manager, these are the players you want to avoid because they’ll be the ones that can turn into time sinks and even negatively impact your team’s culture and productivity. As an individual contributor, this is the category you obviously want to avoid falling into as it will destroy your chances at upward mobility and even more so if things happen to take a turn for the worst, you’ll likely be among the first on the chopping block.

Sales is about persistence, whether that means overcoming objections or continually following a client up when all seems lost. The top performers know that when a customer says “no”, they are actually saying “I don’t KNOW enough to make a decision”. Keeping consistent on being persistent without being pushy and manipulating is the key to being above the pack. I’m a firm believer that being great at sales is about learning the language of Sales. Just like learning another language, the language of Sales needs to be learnt and then practiced consistently. If you make cold prospecting calls, outbound follow up calls, or take inbound phone calls, you need to practice your phone techniques. Additionally, the top performers practice their questioning techniques, overcoming objection techniques and closing word tracks. To be truly great at sales, this should be done daily.

Commitment is the key ingredient that separates sales winners from losers. Top performers show this five-part commitment to selling: They make a commitment to their company. Committed salespeople find reasons to be enthusiastic about their companies, realizing their futures are tied together. They make a commitment to their job. They stay abreast of developments in the sales field and their industries in general. They know what worked yesterday may not work today. They recognize that past success doesn’t guarantee future performance. But they know persistence, constantly striving for knowledge and refining existing talents will. They make a commitment to their customers. Committed salespeople always try to deliver the very best for their customers. They’re always available when problems develop and do everything in their power to act in their customers’ best interests by focusing on customer needs. They make a commitment to themselves. They recognize they’re in absolute control of their life. How they spend their time, how they educate themselves and how they develop their sales abilities is their responsibility. They understand they must be people of action. Knowledge isn’t enough. It’s necessary to both know and do — and top salespeople know this. They have exceptional will power and regularly take on unpleasant tasks and accomplish them. By taking care of these tasks before they become urgent, they give themselves much more time to handle emergencies.

Winning the sales game is not a birthright or a God-given talent. Selling is a skill, and some people are better at it because they’ve worked at it.

Slicing the Price – Stage 13

Price plays a very crucial role in retail selling and the selling process. Everything boils down to the price at the very end if by any chance price is not handled in a proper way the entire hard work put in by the sales person can drop the next moment along with the sale and that is why the sales person should master the art of handling price with the customer in a very tactful and smart way.

Price is the only one thing that the customer doesn’t like to hear and that is the reason sale staff should be trained never to pitch the price at the start or in mid of your presentation but should be revealed or disclosed only at the end just before closing the sale. if for any reason the customer proactively asks about the price during the presentation then and then only the sales person can go ahead and tell the price to the customer. Price is the only one thing that sounds very big in the mind of the customer and that is why the sales person should now be ready to tackle the objection from the customer regarding the price.

It is so rightly said that if the sales person has pitched the product in the right way and shown the customer the value of the product then maybe in the end the customer will not create such a big fuss on the price, because value beats price by 60% and strong relationships with the customer also beats price by 65%.

Never ever commit at the very start to the customer about slicing the price or offering a very big discount because you may never know what the customer is expecting or how much is he actually expecting. That is the reason I always say that start offering discounts from the minimum and then move upwards depending on the situation, offer and also on the customer. Remember your existing customers are your regular customers for who you can give a very good discount but for the first-time customer unless he insists for which he will offer a minimum discount in this way what will actually happen is there will be a balance between both discounts and the sales staff doesn’t end up earning less incentive and is in a win win situation where at the end of the day both the customer as well as the sales staff are both happy and content

Don’t Discount Your Price. Increase Your Value. Why would you want to cut your price? Just because your customer is looking for you to reduce your price does not mean you need to do it!

When we start playing with our price and thinking we need to discount it to close a sale, we open up Pandora’s Box.

In the 1960s, if you wanted the best price on something, you went to Sears. In the 1970s and 1980s, Sears was replaced by K-Mart. By the time the 1990s arrived, it was Wal-Mart with the cheapest price.

And now we’re watching Amazon overtake Wal-Mart as the lowest price provider.

Lowering your price is never a “one-time” event. It’s permanent. The money you give up is gone for good and, worse yet, you’ve established in the customer’s mind what the price should be going forward.

When the customer is asking for a lower price, keep in mind what they’re really saying. They are saying the price you’re looking for does not match the value they expect to receive.

Customers will pay any price.  That’s right!  They will pay any price, as long as they feel the value, they’re going to receive is worth it.

Next time a customer asks for a lower price, ask them to clarify what it is they really want — what is the outcome and/or benefit they want to achieve.   I would hope you know what this is before you quote a price, but I’m amazed at the number of times salespeople tell me they don’t know.

“Your objective is to create value”. Show them via the questions you ask how they will receive the value they’re looking for. It all comes down to value — the value for which the customer is looking.

“Why Discounting Your Price is a Bad Idea” The customer is not refusing your price because it’s too high. They’re refusing it because the value is too low.

The real reason you had to cut your price is because you failed to match the value you offer to the outcome the customer desired.

Too many times we can be far too quick to assume the only reason the sale has not closed is due to our price being too high.  We think it’s too high because either we fail to believe what we can deliver or we think it’s too high because the customer said so. Either way, it comes down to a lack of knowledge.

We cannot become fixated on what we sell, because what we sell is irrelevant. We need to focus our time on the outcome or the benefit the customer will receive. All of our conversations with the customer need to be focused on understanding the outcome.

Your job is not to communicate price, as the customer who buys on price will leave you on price. Low price is not a sustainable competitive advantage! When the customer is making their decision on price, you must accept that as a failure on your part to communicate properly with the customer to allow the expected outcomes to become clear.

Ask yourself, “How many questions do I ask that get the customer talking about their outcomes?” How do you position value? Make it your goal to never communicate price until you understand fully the needs of the customer and the outcomes they’re looking for.

If you can’t articulate your value package in a manner that addresses their outcomes, you’ll never be able to sell without a discount.

Discounting your price is nothing more than giving away your profit. See how long your business lasts once you get in the mode of discounting. You may generate volume short-term, but once the discounting has begun there is little way to stop the slide from becoming an avalanche.

Next time your customer asks for a discount, know your objective is to not reduce the price but to increase the value the customer will receive from paying the full amount you’re asking.

The King of selling - Master Closer

He's the person that everyone else calls for help on a deal. Why is he the one called and not you? Because he is the best, and everyone knows it. Something sets him apart from other salesmen. He not only acts like a master closer but thinks like one; he listens, he learns, understands, and uses a lot of charm and wit to solve problems simply and directly. He uses logic, and it is usually deadly.

Two things set a master closer apart from other salesmen; self-confidence and showmanship. A master closer knows he is good, and he shows it. He has manners, poise, and a super-positive attitude about himself. People want to be associated with and emulate him. He is good for everyone; he is a creative catalyst.

A master closer is special in many other ways. For example, he knows exactly how to act when he enters a room, a football stadium, or just a phone booth. He is always in control, and it shows. As you will soon learn, anyone can be that good if he knows how to act and direct himself — like a closer instead of a salesman. You can be a closer simply by understanding the power that accompanies this distinction and learning the importance of harnessing this very real power.

A closer (from here on I will use the term “closer” but I'll be referring to master closers) can chew up and spit out a salesman anytime he wants. I've seen it happen over and over again. The reason is that the salesman or customer can't out-think or out-maneuver the closer. The closer can out-mind-manipulate a customer every time. You will soon become aware of how this can actually be learned.

A closer can think faster and better on his feet than the customer and can change his approach to suit any environment he is in, any time. He simply blends into the surroundings as if he belonged there. He makes himself so comfortable that the customer has no choice but to also feel comfortable.

If we want to talk about showmanship, a closer use all of the resources at his disposal to sell his product the way an actor uses props. The closer doesn't miss a trick. He is entertaining to the customers and makes them feel appreciated. The customer feels confident about the closer and thus feels confident about the product.

The closer is forever selling, convincing, driving, and always winning — because he is sold not only on his product but is also ultra-confident about himself. This doesn't mean that a closer is egotistical, but he does like himself and what he accomplishes. He likes people, and he wants them to like him. The closer is personal, personable, and in many ways, lovable. He is somewhat of a desperado and he can draw upon that tough quality as quickly as is necessary (desperado in the sense that he thinks for himself, is aggressive and is totally self-reliant). He is an independent self-motivator. He is also hard to control to some degree, and that's good because any knowledgeable sales manager would not expect his best people to be totally controllable and obedient. The reason some salespeople rise to the top and become the best is usually because they can think for themselves while having the freedom to maneuver “their way.”

So you see, the master closer is many things, but all the elements in his character are aggressive, charming, and positive. He is the one who can carry the ball anytime and make the touchdown. He'll always win. He knows it, the other salesmen know it, and the customer soon learns it. The master closer is the king of sale

Just because you can sell, doesn’t mean you can close. Selling is useless if you can’t close. The money is not made in the sell; it’s made in the close. Being a sales person is one thing. Being a sale closer is another. Closers have a unique ability to see things to the end. When the objections start to rise, salespeople flinch. Not closers; they stay in the sell until it’s closed. Just because you have a good attitude, look nice and can talk a little doesn’t mean you can close shit. Closing is not about looks, talking, or attitude. It’s about being fearless of rejections. Sales closers are not afraid to hear the word “no.” The guys and girls who can close deals do so with thick skin and an agenda to handle their business.

There’s a Big Difference Between Sellers and Sales Closers All it takes to work in sales is a good attitude and a willingness to achieve the impossible. Being a closer take lots of patience, practice and persistence. Closers stay in the sale until it’s done. In this world of selling, closers don’t move on until the job they are doing is done. Closers finish what they start. Salespeople tend to give up on the first or second objection. They worry the prospect may not like them and may start to judge them for being aggressive. Closers know what they sell is in the best interest of the prospect and they will stop at nothing to push the prospect to make a decision for their own good.

Closers are not afraid to hear “no” and then keep pushing the prospect closer to “Yes!” Closers can remove emotion from the equation and stay in the sell until it’s done. Their follow-up is relentless, and their work ethic unreal. Closers keep companies afloat and in the black.

Sellers are Afraid to Have Hard Conversations and Will Want to Bond with the customer More Than Close Them

I’d rather be paid than liked. That’s the attitude of a closer. Sellers don’t think that way. They’d rather be liked than paid. It’s one thing to provide good service; it’s another to get paid for providing good service. If you’re going to close sales, you’re going to have to make prospects uncomfortable. Salespeople aren’t cut out for that part of the job.

If you’re a closer, next time someone asks you “What do you do for a living?” instead of saying, “I’m in sales,” say “I’m a sale closer.” It sets you apart from the rest. Simply having the confidence to present yourself in such a way means you’re bold enough to hold the title.

Salespeople can also convert into closers. With enough desire, experience and drive, a salesperson can morph into a closer. Most of us closers started out as salespeople. We worked our way into becoming the sales beasts you see before you. With each turn, we took mental notes from our wins and losses. Eventually, we armed ourselves with enough information to break through to the closer side of sales.

In sales terms, closing is generally defined as the moment when a customer decides to make the purchase. Very few customers will self-close, making it necessary for the salesperson to instigate the close. This can be unnerving, especially for new salespeople, as it leaves the salesperson open to the chance of rejection from the customer.

While closing the sale is necessary, it doesn't have to be a big deal. A salesperson who has done a good job in the early stages of the sales process will only need to give a simple nudge to the customer to start the close. It might be as simple as saying, "Sign here to make it yours," while handing the customer a pen and a contract.

Close like a pro– Stage 14

Closing of the sale is one of the most crucial steps in the sales cycle or sale process. You may have a powerful conversation with the customer, build an awesome rapport with the customer, but in the end if you cannot close the sale or the customer everything else becomes insignificant. They say that if you have handled all the stages before in a great way closing of the sale becomes very easy and champion sales people never ever face any type of objection or hurdle from the customers point of view before closing.

Selling is like walking through a minefield. Take one wrong step, and your deal can blow up in your face. Great sales people know how to navigate this minefield and successfully move sales opportunities to closure. Customers go through some predictable stages when they're thinking about making a purchase. They may be open to having a conversation. They start to focus on what's important to them, their priorities, and requirements. They start to gain knowledge about the different solutions to choose from. Then they enter into an evaluation stage. They start looking at the trade-offs, the pricing, and how the different products or solutions stack up before making a decision.

What we need to do is work hard to identify where are the prospects in that process and what can we do to help them through? To become their adviser, to point out, "Hey, there may be some stages you're going through. Can I provide you information? Maybe I can ask some questions to help understand your needs and provide you with information to help move you along."

When we take the time to ask those questions and understand where they are. Now we can determine "okay, what actions are we expecting the customer to take at each stage that suggests they're ready to buy? Closing should be the easiest part of selling. It's the natural culmination of a sales conversation. You've helped the buyer identify a problem and then proposed a solution. Nevertheless, I've met many sales professionals who in spite of having excellent selling skills are reluctant to ask for the sale. This reluctance can, of course, impair a sales career and be intensely frustrating to sales managers.

The most common forms of reluctance and recommendations on how to overcome them:

#1 Fear of Rejection

The most common reason sales professionals are reluctant to ask for the sale is a fear of rejection. No one likes rejection; however, when a buyer says no it means that the buyer doesn’t want your product or service now. It doesn’t mean that the buyer rejects you as a person. In other words, don’t take it personally.

#2 Lack of Confidence in the Solution

Some sales professionals are reluctant to ask because they lack confidence in their own solution. For example, they convince themselves that there is no difference between their own product and a lower priced competitor, or that the competitor’s solution is somehow superior.

An effective way of building confidence in your own solution before asking for a commitment is to ask yourself: How will the buyer benefit from my solution?  What makes my solution unique?  By focusing on how your solution will benefit the buyer, you'll increase your own confidence.

#3 Not Sure When to Ask

Less experienced sales professionals are often not sure when to ask for the sale. Ask to early, and you come across as being pushy; while by asking too late, you may miss the optimal moment. The best time to ask for a commitment is when the buyer has completed his or her purchase process and is ready to make a decision. That means the buyer has articulated problem that he or she wants to solve and has acknowledged that your solution is the best way of solving that problem.

Another appropriate time to ask for a commitment is when you receive positive commitment signals from the buyer. Common commitment signals include questions about terms, delivery, implementation, next steps or financing; asking specific product related questions, looking for assurances (“Is that your best price?”  Or, “What does the warranty cover?”); or being open to trial closes

#4 Not Sure How to Ask

Another problem for newer sales professionals is not knowing how to ask for the sale. While there are many different ways to ask for the sale (e.g., choice, assumptive, urgency), I always recommend that when in doubt use the direct approach: simply ask the buyer to buy. For example, “Would you like to move forward with this?" Every sales person needs to master the art of closing. As discussed in the earlier chapter every sales person can close a sale if he masters the art of reverse selling then and then only will he be able to close maximum customer using the 15-minute close technique. Before you can expect to close a sale, you must first earn the right to ask for the sale. You earn the right by delivering on your promises and by following up on customer questions.  90% of sales people fear closing as they have the fear that the customer may now object or say a big no. what they fail to understand is that “closing is my right.”

Closing is an art form that takes practice. Practice closing at every stage of the sales process and be conscious of the type of close you are using and who you are using it on.  If you don’t want to practice on clients then practice on your friends, family, waiters, retail cashiers, whoever. Once you start paying attention you realize how much you close for on a daily basis without even thinking about it.

Poor salespeople focus on just closing the sale. Successful salespeople focus on closing the sale and the relationship.  Which is your approach? For many salespeople, the close of the sale, typically comes at the end of the sales presentation. It represents for many, the final act in the sales process.  It is unfortunate that these poorly informed or trained salespeople, lack adequate understanding of the role of selling in today’s competitive world.

Selling is not about only closing the current customer on a particular product or service that solves one of their pressing problems, needs or desires.  It is about building a trusting relationship and partnership with them, by becoming a resource, and helping them solve their on-going problems, or satisfying their continuing and evolving needs and desires.  Sales people know that the lifetime value of a client is far more than the value of one sale or transaction.  They take along view of the relationship.  It is not just about this sale but future sales, referrals and customer trust and loyalty.

When you’re ready to close the sale, your eye contact should only go in two places. Either looking at the item you’re selling, which may include the product, or directly into the eyes of your customer. Looking at anything else shows a sign of weakness and your customer will notice. When you are verbally delivering your close and the price, you need to make sure your eyes are squarely fixed on the eyes of the customer. If you can’t give your customer eye contact when you’re closing, how do you expect your customer to believe in what you’re selling? How do you even expect you to believe in what you’re selling?

If you’re not confident enough to deliver eye contact at the moment of closing, there is no way you’ll ever achieve a high degree of success. To overcome this problem, I recommend something that many people laugh at, but at the same time, admit it is extremely effective. Each morning, look into a mirror and verbally state your price point 20 times while looking at yourself. Again, it seems stupid, I know. However, I have had more salespeople over the years send me a note or call me and tell me how after they began doing this strange activity on a daily basis, they’ve been able to dramatically increase their closing ratio.

Statistics show that if you can get your customer to say “yes” at least eight times through trial close questions then you will secure a sale! When asking trial close question, always help the customer to say “yes” by nodding your head up and down–they will automatically nod with you. Have you ever tried to say no while you were nodding your head up and down?

Using trial close questions as one of your closing techniques in the presentation is like going down Main Street through traffic lights. As long as the lights are green, you can keep on going. If you ever come to a red light, you have to stop. At the yellow lights, you either proceed cautiously or come to a stop; at that point, a change has to take place before you can proceed down the street.

The same is true in closing. Each trial close is like a traffic light with the dealer at the controls. As long as he gives you a “yes” (a green light) you can keep on moving with the presentation and progress toward the sale. The minute you hit a “no” (a red light) you have to stop, handle the objection and then ask more trial close questions

The golden rule in sales is simple: "After a closing question is asked, the first person who talks loses." In other words, if you've earned the right to ask for a sale, ask for the sale then say nothing. Rookie sales professionals often talk themselves into and out of a sale. Their excitement and nervousness put their mouths on auto-drive, and they often end up either missing a buying signal or, worse yet, keep talking and end up bringing up something that the customer hadn't thought about yet. New thoughts in a closing situation usually result in sales delays.

The temptation to talk is great, but once you learn how to resist the temptation and how to close your mouth, your sales closing percentages will increase.

Closing becomes more complicated when the prospect isn't ready to buy at the end of your sales presentation. You can generally tell how ready the prospect is feeling by watching for buying signals. If your prospect's body language is tense or resistant as you're winding up your presentation, he's probably not ready to break out his wallet. In that case, closing becomes far more complicated. It's often a good idea to try a trial close before you commit to a final close. A trial close is a way to test how ready the prospect is to buy, by asking a question such as "How do you feel about what we've discussed so far?". A prospect who in fact is not ready will often react to a trial close by bringing up an objection. If you respond appropriately to the objection, he'll come up with another one and possibly yet another one. Remember that objections are actually a good sign because if the prospect is completely uninterested, he'd just say "no thanks" and show you the door. Once you've responded to all of the prospect's objections, you can either float another trial close or move to a final close, depending on how confident you feel at that point. This is generally a make it or break it point for the sale. Once the prospect has run out of objections, he has to either give you a final yes or a final no.

A no from a prospect at this point is not necessarily the end of the sale. Depending on his reasons for saying no, you may still be able to change his mind and complete the close. Even if he sticks to his no, you can thank him for his time and make a note to reach out to him at a later date. After all, things will be different for the prospect in a week, a month, and a year, so he may become eager to buy if you just give him a little time. Closing techniques can be quite powerful and should be used only as appropriate. A salesperson should never use a closing technique to bludgeon a customer in the buying something that he doesn't really want or need. Closing techniques are best used when the customer is close to buying but is held back by an unreasonable concern.

Two words: detection, and selection.

Detection: The skilled salesperson (that would be me) will recognize when the prospect has become a customer, and will not sell past the sale. How? When the prospect stops offering objections and starts asking questions about how it works, delivery times, terms of payment, etc. In other words, the kinds of questions which could only be asked if the product or service was already accepted. This can be touchy, because the questions about how to handle post-sales issues may sound like they are objections to the sale. But they are really questioning about the service, NOT about the sale.

Now LISTEN TO ME, and listen tight. The skilled salesperson may never actually need to ask for a verbal affirmation of the sale. In fact, asking for affirmation may actually kill the sale! You need to sense when the sale has happened in the mind of the buyer, even if that acceptance is at a subconscious level.

Selection: Part of the sales process involves the buyer’s selection of various options. How many? When delivered? What colour and size, etc. To the extent that a salesperson can move the prospect to thinking about these particulars, the sale itself has been more assured. The prospect is visualizing their possession of the actual product or service. If they are eager to suggest how they want their order “cooked,” it is a good sign that you’ll have an order.

Detection and selection are not necessarily in order; first one, then the other. They may shift, back and forth, in somewhat the same way as a basketball game proceeds. Take the shot? Or pass? All very dynamic. The salesperson simply needs to discern where the prospect is in the process. Thus, detection may evaluate to a move in the direction of a sale, but not yet a sale. And selection, likewise, may indicate the sale has happened, or has yet to happen.

The Close: Although “the close” is a feature of much old-fashioned sales doctrine, I, personally, dismiss it, because of the ritualistic nature of it. Classically, it is portrayed as a scene in which the customer takes a pen and signs an order. Ta-Da! Ridiculous. If everything is building to a formal close, then the close is the obvious point at which the salesperson can be shot out of the saddle. Let’s get by that.

Adding on / Upselling – Stage 15

As businesses seek to improve profit margins, they often find it necessary to look beyond core products and services. The fast-food industry pioneered a technique adapted by many large businesses, across a range of industries, called add-on selling or upselling. In essence, when a customer arrives at the cash register, the clerk suggests an additional item to buy. The add-on selling approach often proves profitable, yet many small businesses fail to take advantage of it. For example, clerks at a bookstore might ask customers if they also want to purchase a bookmark. The addition of a bookmark makes the book buyer’s reading experience easier, while also increasing the size of the sale. A hardware store customer who buys a wheelbarrow will probably not want paint samples, but he might need a shovel. Staying conscious of the customer’s needs lets the salesperson direct him to an appropriate add-on. The add-on should sound like a solution, not a sale.

From the name itself add on means adding one or more products to the basket or sale apart from the primary product. This practice is very good as it not only benefits the customer in taking the trouble of coming back to the store but on the other hand is also an additional incentive for the sales person for selling more items or products. Example a customer has come to buy a mobile phone after doing so the sales person may add on one or more items by convincing the customer to go in for a screen guard or additional battery etc.

Many sales people are confused with the word up selling and add on. Upselling from the word itself is upgrading the customer from a less superior product to a more superior or premium product thus benefitting not only the customer in acquiring a better and bigger product but also the sales person in earning more incentives. Example a customer had come to buy a 32 inches television but now the sales person has convinced the customer to go in for a 48 inches television after understanding his room area as well as his need. Here the sales person unlike add on had upgraded the customer to a better product.

One of the biggest examples in add on is none other than Mc Donald’s who teaches us on a daily basis what an add on is all about. For example, if you go in to buy maybe just a burger with a coke they will convince you to buy a French fry along with it thus making it into meal for just by shelling a little more money and let me tell you that they do this with so much of ease as they have adapted this rule as their daily practice and are now able to earn the extra buck.

Sales is scary. Let’s be real, sales is a risky job. You only get paid on what you sell, and you have to make a sale to feed your family. So, the stakes are high. If we miss a sale, we miss a meal. Salespeople stay hungry, so the thought of missing a meal is scary. It’s these fears that keep massive amounts of salespeople from making massive amounts of money.

I’m talking about the upsell. The upsell is the easiest money you’ll ever make in sales. It’s so much easier to sell something else to someone who’s already sold than it is to close the initial sale. As a matter of fact, the most lucrative upsell campaign in the history of sales is “would you like fries and a drink with that?” Think about it, they already sold you on a burger, why not ask if you want sides? This single question and single upsell has made McDonald’s and many other fast-food chains BILLIONS.

We know “fries with that” is a billion-dollar campaign that’s stood the test of time, yet most salespeople never ask for more. When the prospect buys a car, it’s a lot easier to sell a warranty with it. When they buy a home, it’s easy to sell an alarm system with it. So, why do so many salespeople settle and not ask for more?

It all stems from the fear that they will lose the first sell. When you sell someone a home, think about what else they will need. Internet, an alarm, electricity and more. You can get connected with these service providers and sell their products for them and get a commission. You can make free money selling the client stuff they already need. Someone is going to do it; it might as well be you.

It was two in the morning and I couldn’t sleep. I was channel surfing and came across one of those late-night infomercials. They were selling the Ronco 33-piece kitchen knife set for three easy payments of $13.33. And, if you ordered with your credit card right now, you’d get another 33-piece knife set absolutely free – just pay shipping and handling. At two in the morning, that was an offer I couldn’t refuse. I dialed the number and immediately was transferred to a sales associate.

The saleswoman, Sarah, was thrilled that I called and with the nicest tone of voice was ready to help me right away.  She didn’t have to do much for me to bust out my credit card but right as I was going to give her my information she paused and started to have concerns about my safety. The knives were extremely sharp and she didn’t want me to get cut, so she added a wooden block that would hold my knives. How considerate of her. Except the wooden block was an extra $49.99. Ah-ha! There it was, the upsell I was waiting for. When I asked her to remove the wooden block, she insisted that I keep it because it was for my own safety. She was extremely persistent and it seemed as if she really did “care”. In the end I decided to purchase the wooden block so I could protect myself from my new kitchen knives. She was good.

How did this upsell actually happen? What psychological triggers were in play to help the saleswoman make the upsell? Let’s take a deeper look into upsells and how consumer behavior ties into it all.

1. Be patient. In my example, Sarah waited until I started reading off my credit card information then went in for the upsell. Once the customer has their pockets open and are ready to buy, they will be more willing to purchase additional items.  If you try to upsell too hard before the customer is ready to purchase the original item you might scare them off and lose the sale entirely.

2. Learn more about your customer. The more information that you get from talking to your customer, the more you know about their needs. Once you understand their needs you can upsell them more easily. Sometimes customers don’t know that you offer additional products and will be happy to buy from you rather than continue their search for another vendor. Always make sure to let your customer know what options they have.

Most salespeople settle with one sale, but successful closers always ask for more. All you have to do is ask for the business. It’s easier, more comfortable and highly profitable. If you don’t ask for more you damn sure won’t get it.

Likewise, every retail sales person should also make it a point to adapt this add on rule within themselves on a daily basis so as to not only keep on selling more items or products on a daily basis but also start earning more incentives for themselves.

To make this much more interesting let me go ahead and give you two small examples which are implied even by an un educated sales person who understands the importance of selling as well as earning more money for himself. Like I always say that every sales person should have that hunger for sales in his heart then and then only would he be able to achieve the impossible.

The first example is about the vegetable vendor you must have experienced it yourself that whenever you go to the market to purchase vegetables after buying one or two of these vegetables and you hand out a fifty rupee note to the vendor and if your total has actually added up to Rs he will never return the 10 rupee note back to you bur will try adding on one or two items along the primary product by offering you 3 sour limes in return for the   rupee note this is add on from the vegetable vendors point of view.

The second example is of a shoe shine guy who sits on the road ready to shine your shoes I am sure you must have had experienced that whenever you go to him to shine your shoes that un educated person also knows that he needs to make more money for himself and so as he keeps polishing your shoes he asks you whether you would like to change your shoelaces  or whether he could put an in sole under your feet for better grip of the shoe what is he doing here? He is actually selling you an add on to earn the extra buck over and above the first sale.

I sincerely urge all my fellow sales people to make add on your daily habit if you want to not only achieve more than the others but also if you want to make more money by selling more products. Understand by just pitching on an add on you do not end up losing anything but if the customer goes for it you will end up earning the extra buck or incentive for yourself and I say to you the huge amount in incentives along with you salary at the end of the month is more satisfying and appealing to everyone and that is what makes the difference.

Extended Warranty

Extended warranty from the name itself is the warranty over and above the company’s warranty. This is one type of warranty I feel very proud enough to train every sales person I interact with. The reason being that this warranty not only benefits the customer, but also benefits the sales person to a very large extent. of course, it goes without saying that this warranty is actually made for the customer itself and is a must that every customer buys at least one warranty along with the product. Now how does this warranty actually benefit the customer? Say for example the customer buys a product and along with the product he gets a warranty say for 1 year free. Now what happens is that the customer is secured for one year with the warranty, but after one year for any given reason this product that he has purchased tends to get spoilt or faulty he will end up calling for a technician to get the product repaired. The technician will come over to check on the product and determine the problem. He will end up charging the customer his service fee. Now besides his fee the customer will also end up paying for the damage part or replacing any part that needs to be replaced or changed.

On the other hand, if the customer purchases an extended warranty from day one itself, he not only protects himself from these damages but also ends up avoiding paying more money for spare parts to be replaced or paying the technician his charges. For the next 3 to 4 years he safe guards himself as well as the product purchased.

A real Salesman- only can accomplish this:-  A keen immigrant lad applied for a salesman’s job at London’s premier downtown department store. In fact, it was the biggest store in the world – you could get anything there. The boss asked him, “Have you ever been a salesman before?” “Yes sir, I was a salesman back home”, replied the lad. The boss liked the cut of him and said, “You can start tomorrow and I’ll come and see you. “The day was long and arduous for the young man, but he got through it. And finally, 6:00 PM came around. The boss duly fronted up and asked, “How many sales did you make today?” “Sir, Just ONE sale.” said the young salesman. “Only one sale?” blurted the boss. “No! No! You see here, most of my staff make 20 or 30 sales a day. “If you want to keep this job, you’d better be doing better than just one sale. By the way “How much was the sale worth?” “300534.00 pounds” said the young man. “What”,” How did you manage that?” asked the flabbergasted boss. “Well”, said the salesman, “This man came in and I sold him a small fish hook, then a medium hook and finally a really large hook. Then I sell him new fishing rod and some fishing gear. Then I asked him where he was going fishing and he said down the coast. So, I told him he’d be needing a boat, so I took him down to the boat department and sold him that twenty-foot schooner with the twin engines. Then he said his Volkswagen probably wouldn’t be able to pull it, so I took him to our automotive department and sold him that new Deluxe 4X4 Blazer. I then asked him where he’ll be staying, and since he had no accommodation,

I took him to camping department and sold him one of those new igloos

6-sleeper camper tents. Then the guy said, while we’re at it, I

should throw in about 100 Pounds worth of groceries and two cases of beer.

The boss took two steps back and asked in astonishment, “You sold all that

to a guy who came in for a fish hook!!” “No” answered the salesman, “he came in to buy a box of Sanitary napkins for his wife and I said to him, “Sir, your weekend is screwed anyway, you might as well go fishing.” Boss – “You sit in my chair……. “

Extended warranties continue to evolve to meet the needs of today’s demanding consumer. Whether it is providing customer services on demand or reducing the anxiety caused by technology churn, these product coverage options provide shoppers financial protection and peace of mind. For retailers, a low-cost marketing plan for extended warranties (also known as extended service plans) can help improve customer retention and loyalty. While communicating the benefits of extended warranties to shoppers, retailers can seize the opportunity to engage today’s appliance and consumer electronics buyer in discussion. With more and more shoppers doing a significant amount of research prior to purchasing, this discussion provides an opening to satisfy the consumer’s need for information. While explaining the benefits of an extended warranty plan the retailer can also educate the buyer about available products and services. An extended service contract is a contract between a goods purchaser and an obligor, a company required to satisfy the duties of repair, maintenance or replacement of the purchased product. Satisfaction can be accomplished by direct performance with an in-house service team or outsourced to local companies. The terms and conditions of the service obligation are set forth in the extended service agreement.

Building a Relationship

Building a relationship is as challenging as building a house. Any wrongly placed brick can destroy it within seconds. In sales, building relationships with your customers is vital. So, how can a relationship be quickly built? Relationship is like Taj Mahal. Everybody wonders how beautiful it is but no one understands how difficult it was to build.

It’s sad, but many a salesperson has killed all chances of repeat business the moment the sale was closed. He or she did so by forgetting that this is where the SALE BEGINS. With many salespeople the sale is finished the moment the deal is closed. Nothing could be further from the truth. That’s when the sale really begins. A salesperson-customer relationship should be a long-term marriage. Repeat business is what adds up to success.

I have seen salespeople who, when they see an unhappy or angry customer come back after the close of a sale say – “Here comes that creep,” and will actually hide. They will duck into the washroom. They’ll ask others to cover for them. They’ll do anything to avoid facing and handling that customer. Whether you’ve ducked the customer or passed the buck, that was the moment the long-term sale was lost. Yet, it really should be where the long-term sale begins. Because I “stood in front of the product,” I couldn’t hide. Instead, I would put out that little extra effort to be nice, to take care of something, to go out of my way on the customer’s behalf even though there was no immediate commission in it for me. Ten minutes of my time perhaps, time during which others thought I was making nothing. WRONG I was saving a sale!

You must remember that your job isn’t simply to go from sale to sale, putting all of your effort into developing new customers—you must make the time to take care of your existing customers. When you give steady reliable service and keep in constant contact with your customer, whenever a problem does occur, you can work with him to solve it. People are truly grateful for the extra effort you put into servicing them, and they don’t forget it when the time comes to buy again. Repeat sales are so easy and require little effort in comparison to the first time these customers were sold. Considering the amount of time, it takes to generate a good lead, no salesperson can afford to lose established customers because of poor servicing. It is many more times expensive and time consuming to gain a brand-new customer than it is to save an old one. Excellence in servicing customers during and after the sale has everything to do with closing sales—future sales.

We firstly need a strong foundation, which means mastering the product/service that you are selling and starting by being prepared for any outcome your presentation will have, be it a sale or a rejection. This has to be followed by adding the resistance pillars. The first pillar consists of asking the right questions to uncover the needs of the customers. If we don’t have this information, we don’t know what we should focus on. The second pillar is active listening as we need to better understand the customers and ensure that we correctly perceive their needs. A third pillar is made up of closings or the attempts to obtain the customers’ decisions. Our last pillar is proper objection handling and gradually introducing benefits that fulfill the needs of our customers. In between has to go the mortar, which means the energy and enthusiasm you exert. The customers are so busy with dozens of other aspects of their lives and will not buy anything from someone that looks and sounds fatigued and passive.

The right foundation, paired with the correct pillars and the best quality mortar will create desire. What about the roof that has to resist to any extreme weather conditions? This is retention, which means ensuring that you maintain a strong relationship with the customer that will not only generate sales over and over again, but also will bring along referrals, which means more business.

On top of all these, you need to be patient as the customers don’t value people that are anxious in closing the deal.

How long does it take to build a relationship? It depends on so many factors, which makes this difficult to be answered. However, in sales it has to be quick. No company can afford waiting years to convert a potential client to a sale. In tele sales, a relationship or at least its foundation has to be built in a matter of minutes. In face to face sales, the same has to happen from the first meeting and developed in time, depending on the type of product/service sold.

How can we shorten the time to the minimum possible in order to effectively sell our products/services? There is no secret recipe, as it varies for each customer. However, an approach that may help if thoroughly followed is the ABC principle. Firstly, you should Ask as many questions as possible, in order to uncover the needs of the customer. Asking question shows to your customers that you have a genuine interest in understanding them and enables rapport building. Based on these needs, you have to describe the benefit that would suit those needs and show its value to the customer. This step will help you gain the customers’ trust as you present your product/service as a solution for their needs. And as the majority of your customers will not stop you to say “I will take it now”, a successful Sales Influencer has to close. This means asking for the customer’s agreement that what was offered is beneficial for that particular need (closing throughout the presentation) or for the purchase decision (closing the sale).

By following this principle, you will be able to show your customers that you care and understand their needs and that you know how your product/service will benefit them. This way, they won’t feel like being forced to take a decision but will rather feel that committing to purchase is just a natural step as the foundation of a relationship was already built.

Let me go ahead and explain to you with a beautiful example of how long-term relationships with your customers can have a lasting impact on the minds and heart of a customer for a very long time to come, this example is about one of my very close friends of whom I know from the last 18 long years. Mr. x is working as an Lic agent for lic from 18 years and has been selling policies in my family from 18 years my family considering to be Avery large family have all ended up buying insurance policies only from Mr. x. the reason behind this is only because of one important factor and that is the long-term relationship he has with each and every family member including myself. The reason everybody in my family loves buying from Mr. x is because up till date Mr. x has never failed to maintain that string bonding and relationship with his customers. He had never forgotten a birthday of any of my family members till date, never forgotten any wedding anniversary days, any important festivals like Diwali or Christmas etc., in fact from the last 18 years he has never forgotten to give us all a ring one day prior to Emi payment dates just reminding us on a very friendly note that tomorrow is our date to pay our policies and the Emi amount. Who wouldn't love to buy anything from such a beautiful sales person for he has that awesome phrase in his mind that “once my customer, you will always be my customer”? now this what I call as a beautiful long-term relationship with your existing customers, never ever forget your customer.

The purpose of a business is to create new customers and to keep existing ones.

Referrals – Stage 16

Referrals can be defined as acquiring new customers who are suggested or referred to by our existing customers. Referrals are the most valuable methods used by sales people to generate walk-ins. 8o % of business is generated by referrals. Sales referrals are among the most valuable prospecting methods used by salespeople at small businesses to generate new leads. A sales referral takes place when an existing customer provides the name and contact information of a prospect to his sales rep. Sales reps usually ask for referrals following a successful sale and at various points during a relationship with a customer.

Sales referrals are among the more prosperous prospecting techniques because they provide a personal connection to otherwise cold prospects. Rather than calling prospects to whom the salesperson has no personal connection, referrals allow salespeople to contact new prospects and mention the person who offered the referral. This helps establish some possibility of trust with the premise that, if the person offering the referral has provided the salesperson with the prospect's information, he believes the prospect could benefit.

When the salesperson contacts the new customer, he might say "This is X from Company Y. Your friend, Z, is using our product, and he believes you could use the product for the same benefit?" This personal segue provided by the referral and a name recognizable to the prospect paves the way for the salesperson to meet the prospect, sell the product benefits and develop a long-term relationship. Referrals are the most powerful tool in any sales person's arsenal. A referred prospect is much more likely to be ready to listen to you, trust what you say and - ultimately - to buy from you.

Referrals make your job easier, and help you sell more with less effort and in less time. What else could any sales person ask for? Customer referrals really rock as a cost-effective way to gain new business and regain old customers. But how do you generate more referrals…higher quality referrals? And how can you squeeze more mileage out of the referrals that you’ve got?

Here are seven steps to getting more and better referrals, and raising your net promoter score:

Step 1 – Create a referral-generation plan: Referrals are not automatic. Some “just happen,” but most occur because you do something to trigger it. Some business owners assume that a great product or terrific customer service will generate referrals by default. Not so. You have to learn to ask, and make sure employees are on board as well. Most customers are open to being asked for referrals. Some even appreciate the opportunity to tell friends, family and associates about something good they’ve discovered.

Referral tip: The worst time to ask for a referral is at the cash register or when you present a bill. Look for opportunities earlier or later in the process when customers are more receptive. The most powerful words you can use in asking for referrals are, “I need your help.” If you’ve served your customer well, if you’ve built rapport and trust, then he or she will be happy to give you referrals. You just have to ask. Remember, you’re asking for help so you can help their friends or colleagues. In this way, they’ll be helping you because they like you and they’ll be helping their friends. It is a double benefit for them.

Reinforce why you want referrals. Don’t hesitate to tell a customer that your business is dependent on referrals. This statement reinforces your commitment to quality work and good service. What kind of fool would be in a business that’s dependent on referrals if he weren’t going to do a quality job in the first place?

Get permission to explore or brainstorm who they know. “I was wondering, with your permission, if we could explore for a second who you know that might be able to benefit from the same working relationship, we’ve been able to establish. Would that be OK?” Or “I’m glad that I’ve been able to help you. I’m thinking you may know others who would also benefit from what I do. Could we brainstorm on who else we can help?”

Assure your customer that you will respect his relationship with the referral, as well as the referring client’s privacy. You are not seeking these names to exploit or harass the friends of friends. You are seeking the names of more people that you can help. You can put your referral source at ease with the whole process by explaining how you will go about contacting anyone who is referred to you. Be prepared to show them examples of letters or other forms of contact you regularly use in the referral process.

Step 2 – Provide support: Don’t ask customers to recommend you to others without offering them some backup. It can be as simple as a supply of your business cards, or a link to a special page on your website. Or it could be a brochure, your latest newsletter or some other type of printed material that describes what you do and can reinforce the referral.

Step 3 – Offer incentives: But incentives can be tricky. The type of incentive you offer must fit with the kind of business you run. It could be a discount, service credits, an upgrade, a free item or some other trigger that will entice clients to provide referrals. Don’t be afraid to test offers to find out what works best. Communicate details of your referral program to your best customers through whatever means you have available, including a mailing. and be sure to thank customers when they make referrals.

Step 4 – Ask for the right information: Getting a name and number isn’t really a referral at all. It’s just a lead. Use a referral form, checklist or web-based system to capture details that will make the referral more valuable. The best referrals are where a customer actually facilitates a meeting, visit or purchase by the referred person, in person, by email or otherwise. This makes the customer an active agent on your behalf. Learn something about each referral. Does he play tennis? Is her hobby interior design? You will be able to develop a high level of trust and rapport by initially saying, “Jan tells me you’re quite a tennis player.” Using personal knowledge like this will also position you as a friend of a friend. It will make it very difficult for a prospect to say no to an appointment request

Step 5 – Target your most influential customers: Seek referrals first from your most influential customers, especially if your resources are limited. These might not actually be your best customers, but they are the people whose opinions would carry the most weight with others in your industry, community or customer base. By targeting these customers, you have a highly focused effort with a good chance to generate the highest quality referrals.

Step 6 – Target related businesses: The service industry is one of the most adept at fostering referrals between complementary disciplines – and others. Consider the same strategy yourself. Contact businesses that provide complementary services to your own and ask for referrals.

Step 7 – Build your relationships: This takes time, but it’s critical because many of your most influential customers won’t provide referrals until you gain their complete trust. You’ll want to treat each customer contact as if it’s critical to your next referral. Through each sales, marketing or customer service “touch” you are building a foundation of trust that that will one day lead to a valuable referral.

Get the Exit Right – Stage 17

Just as you greeted your customers as they entered your store, it’s essential to make sure they leave happy. If you can, thank them for visiting your store even if they didn’t make a purchase. If they do buy something – and hopefully they will! – give it a quick look over before bagging it to make sure there are no faults. A simple quality check can solve so many potential headaches at this point. In today’s competitive world of cut throat competition it is very important for the sales staff to master perfection in every aspect and just like the welcome stage it is very important for the sales staff to also get the exit right. In other words, it means that when the customer has purchased your product and is about to leave or exit the store the sales staff needs to master certain essentials at the exit stage.

Thanking the customer for purchasing the product, for visiting your store and asking him to do visit us once again are some of the formalities the sales staff should attend to at the time of exit. Here I would like to share with you some small wow factors that can be used to charm the customer so as to keep bringing the same customer back to your store for repeat business. The sales person in order to impress the customer should follow certain essentials at the exit stage so as to create a highly professionalism attitude and mannerism which will leave a lasting impression on the minds of the customer.

First, I would suggest that the sales person accompany the customer right till the exit of the store and thank him with a smile before exchanging warm good byes. Second, he should if possible carry the smaller items or products purchased by the customer and accompany the customer right till the exit and then hand it over them by thanking them for their presence and also for doing business with them, but I would like to share with you a beautiful secret of what could be done to impress the customer without him or her expecting thus creating the wow factor and that is is to carry the parcel of the customer right up to not only the exit of the store but right up to the car parking or the vehicle of the customer, do not forget to open the door politely for the customer and ask him to comfortably be seated and then placing the item on the back seat of the car or wherever it can be placed and with a smile thank the customer genuinely from your heart and do ask him to visit your store once again.

Many a times it may so happen that like a royal welcome a royal exit would not be possible especially during big offers days or especially during festival seasons. At this point of time the sales staff should at least try and thank the customer at the very spot he closes the deal so as to still let the customer feel a sense of satisfaction and courtesy. Many a times it may also so happen that the customer just before exit may have some difficulties in filling out the booking form at this instance the sales staff should always be alert and ready to help the customer in filling out the booking form and payment procedures.

Another beautiful thing that can be also done at the time of the exit of a customer is by touching the feet of the customers especially senior citizens or elderly people as a mark of respect and humbleness in not only seeking their blessings but also by thanking them for visiting your store and for even buying your product. Remember a customer is considered to be like a god in many places and countries. Leave the customer with such a beautiful lasting impression that he will always want to keep coming back to your store whenever the need arises to buy a product and will always remember you, your company and the world class service you rendered to him/her on their last visit. Be sure that this very customer will go out and certainly speak to many more customer about the same thus creating a huge goodwill and reputation out in the market not only for you but also for your company.

All these small gestures showered upon the customer is something which the customer will never ever forget for a very log long time to come and makes follow up with the same customer much easier to build a long-term positive relationship with the customer.

Like the first impression the sales staff needs to create at the welcome stage in the same way I would say that he also needs to create a last or a everlasting impression in the mind and heart of the customer by getting the exit always right a beautiful statement that can be used at the exit stage is “ Mr. customer thank you so much for purchasing this product today or thank you so much for doing business with us today , it was a pleasure serving do come again or visit us again good bye Mr. customer”.

Under Wendy’s umbrella This is a short tale that we wish we had more information on. Posted on Reddit without any additional details or a follow-up, the submitter was at least able to capture a really heart-warming moment: amidst a pretty harsh rainstorm, a Wendy’s employee went outside, removed an umbrella from one of the tables, and walked an elderly man to his car.

The word superior customer service stands for everything the sales staff does perfect or excellent right from the welcome to the exit stage to give the customer a world class service at any point of time.

The Post Mortem - Follow Up – Stage 18

Customer relationship building should be your number one priority. If you think you’re done once you’ve sold something to a customer, you’ve got it all wrong. The real selling begins after the sale. It’s a well-known fact that it’s a lot cheaper to keep an existing customer than it is to go out and find a new one. Why? Because there will never be a greater business asset to you than your existing customer base—your number one priority. They already know who you are and what you can do for them. They represent your greatest growth potential. KEEP IN TOUCH with your customers. Keeping in touch with your customers is good business and goodwill. Even if I never hear from the customer after the sale, I keep in touch. A lot of salespeople take their commissions and then forget about the customer. Keeping in touch with your customers is critical. It’s the most important thing you can do with your time. Always let your customers know how important and special they are to you. Let them know you don’t take their business for granted, and tell them often.

If you respect people, treat them right, and keep in touch with them, they’ll become yours for as long as you want them. If you stick to a disciplined plan for staying in touch with your customers, they should never find a good reason for leaving you.

Respect Your Elders- Customers A frail old man went to live with his son, daughter-in-law, and four-year old grandson.

The old man’s hands trembled, his eyesight was blurred, and his step faltered. The family ate together at the table. But the elderly grandfather’s shaky hands and failing sight made eating difficult. Peas rolled off his spoon onto the floor. When he grasped the glass, milk spilled on the tablecloth.

The son and daughter-in-law became irritated with the mess. “We must do something about father,” said the son. “I’ve had enough of his spilled milk, noisy eating, and food on the floor.”

So the husband and wife set a small table in the corner. There, Grandfather ate alone while the rest of the family enjoyed dinner. Since Grandfather had broken a dish or two, his food was served in a wooden bowl. When the family glanced in Grandfather’s direction, sometimes he had a tear in his eye as he sat alone. Still, the only words the couple had for him were sharp admonitions when he dropped a fork or spilled food. The four-year-old watched it all in silence.

One evening before supper, the father noticed his son playing with wood scraps on the floor. He asked the child sweetly, ‘What are you making?’ Just as sweetly, the boy responded, “Oh, I am making a little bowl for you and Mama to eat your food in when I grow up.”

The four-year-old smiled and went back to work.

The words so struck the parents so that they were speechless. Then tears started to stream down their cheeks. Though no word was spoken, both knew what must be done.

That evening the husband took Grandfather’s hand and gently led him back to the family table. For the remainder of his days he ate every meal with the family. And for some reason, neither husband nor wife seemed to care any longer when a fork was dropped, milk spilled, or the tablecloth soiled.

I know after an event or date you can be tired and all you want to do is flip on some Netflix and call it a night. But, take a few minutes to do a post-mortem. This can be in your head as you drive home, talking with a spouse or roommate or writing in a journal. Answer the following three questions:

What went well tonight? What did I learn? Who should I follow-up with?

The art of conversation is a skill — you have to keep learning and honing your ability. Your post-mortems can help you identify patterns and remember to follow up on

According to Harvard Business Review, the biggest complaint that customers have when dealing with any business is poor follow up. Fifty six percent complain that they need to re-explain their issue when calling back. Sixty two percent report having to repeatedly contact the company to get their issues resolved.

As a result, 65% are likely to speak poorly about the company and 48% of customers go on to tell 10 or more people about their bad experience.

How Should a Small Business Train Their Staff in the Art of Customer Follow Up?

1. Set Expectations First

If you don’t set expectations, your customers will set their own. By being proactive, you can influence how they perceive their satisfaction with the eventual outcome. Be specific about what needs to be followed up on and when you will get back to them. Then, get back to the customer in the promised time frame even if there is not a resolution.

2. Focus on After the Sale

Businesses are usually great following up to get the sale, but then don’t contact the customer until they need to make the next one. This only shows that the business is interested in the sale – not the success of their customer.

3. Pre-Emptive Strike

If there is a time of year or a product where many customers experience problems, don’t wait for them to call you. Get on the phone or email them. Sage Solutions does this with their accounting business partners around tax time to try to anticipate problems their customers might have in their business.

4. Remember

A special anniversary of customers doing business with your company or other milestones is an excellent excuse to reach out to customers proactively.

5. Be Special

Reach out with a special offer and with no strings attached. Too many times, companies only make special offers to attract new customers.

6. Get Personal

People do business with those they know, like and trust. If it fits your brand, be more conversational in customer communication. Use real employee names when sending emails or leaving messages.

7. Empower Your Staff to Make Their Own Decisions

After sufficient training, give your employees the power to do what is best for customers in specific cases that fall outside normal guidelines.

1. Revamp your customer service

Consumers always remember companies with great customer’s service, so make sure that yours is top notch. Establish a special follow up procedure, where your employees would call consumers to ask them whether they’re happy with your product or service. Follow up to make sure your clients received the product or provide some updates on the delivery arrangements – all this will show you care about your customers and rely on their trust.

2. Seek consumer opinion

When following up, it’s great to ask your clients what they think about your product. Your interest in what they think about your company’s offer will make them feel valued and engaged with your brand – and this is the first step to building a lasting relationship.

3. Personalize it

When contacting your clients, make sure to remember their name and your previous conversation with them. Refer to their last purchase and ask about it. All this will help them feel more ‘at home’ with your business.

4. Send birthday cards and seasonal greetings

If you’ve got a comprehensive client database, this kind of follow up can be easily automatized. Sending e-mails with seasonal greetings and featuring some relevant offers, discounts and sales advertisements will give you an opportunity for regular updates. Sending a birthday card, you can attach a special promo code or a personalized selection of products related to the ones bought by the client.

5. Reward consumer referrals

Grant your customers’ special promotions or discounts if they refer your company to their family and friends. This follow up will help you to build a stable consumer network built on trust and loyalty.

6. Offer something of value

This is especially relevant if you’ve got a team of sales reps eager to find new customers and establish closer relationships with your regulars. Every time they contact a client, they should offer something of value – information about developments in the industry, an interesting article that matches the interests of the customer or a notice about what’s new at the company.

7. Send a hand-written note

Sending a thank-you note in a e-mail won’t impress anyone. A handwritten note is a great idea – not only is it more personal, but also very original. This applies mostly to situations where the sale is arranged personally by a sales representative. Establish this policy and you’ll see your reps develop closer relationships with your customers.

Industry experts agree that it’s best to follow up within two weeks after the sale. Following up is easy, costs a fraction of your time and can be vital in establishing valuable and long-lasting consumer relationships.

“Always remember that sales may go up and down, but service stays forever”.

The Magic Words Customers Want to Hear

Establishing customer service guidelines is nice, but you need to put those principles into action with everything you do and say. There are certain “magic words” that customers want to hear from you and your staff. Make sure all your employees understand the importance of these key words:

“How can I help?” Customers want the opportunity to explain in detail what they want and need. Too often, business owners feel the desire or the obligation to guess what customers need rather than carefully listening first. By asking how you can help, you begin the dialogue on a positive note. And by using an open-ended question, you invite discussion.

“I can solve that problem.” Most customers, especially B2B customers, are looking to buy solutions. They appreciate direct answers in a language they can understand.

“I don’t know, but I’ll find out.” When confronted with a truly difficult question that requires research on your part, admit it. Few things ruin your credibility faster than trying to answer a question when you are unsure of all the facts. An honest reply enhances your integrity.

“I will take responsibility.” Tell your customer you realize it’s your responsibility to ensure a satisfactory outcome to the transaction. Assure the customer you know what they expect and will deliver the product or service at the agreed-upon price. There will be no unexpected expenses or changes required to solve the problem.

“I will keep you updated.” Even if your business is a cash-and-carry operation, it probably requires coordinating and scheduling numerous events. Assure your customers they'll be advised of the status of these events. The longer your lead time, the more important this is. The vendors that customers trust the most are those that keep them apprised of the situation, whether the news is good or bad. And make sure you follow up with updates.

“I will deliver on time.” A due date that has been agreed upon is a promise that must be kept. “Close” does not count.

“Monday means Monday.” The first week in July means the first week in July, even though it contains a national holiday. Your clients are waiting to hear you say “I deliver on time.” The supplier who consistently does so is a rarity and well-remembered.

“It will be just what you ordered.” It will not be “similar to,” and it will not be “better than” what was ordered. It will be exactly what was ordered. Even if you believe a substitute would be in the client’s best interests, that’s a topic for discussion, not something you decide on your own.

“The job will be complete.” Assure the customer there will be no waiting for a final piece or a last document. Never say you will be finished “except for ...”

“I appreciate your business.” This means more than a simple “Thanks for the order.” Genuine appreciation involves follow-up calls, offering to answer questions, making sure everything is performing satisfactorily and ascertaining that the original problem has been solved.

Studies show that the vast majority of dissatisfied customers will never tell you they’re dissatisfied. They simply leave quietly, then tell everyone they know not to do business with you. So, when a customer does complain, don’t think of it as a nuisance—think of it as a golden opportunity to change that customer’s mind and retain his or her business. Even the best product or service meets with complaints or problems now and then.

Neglecting any of these steps conveys the impression that you were interested in the person only until the sale was made. This leaves the buyer feeling deceived and used, and creates ill will and negative advertising for your company. Sincerely proving you care about your customers leads to recommendations ... and repeat sales.

Mind Your Manners

Manners are becoming a lost art but they are a sign of professionalism and respect and will go a long way toward increasing your chances in business and the professional world. Here are 12 manners to adopt as a regular habit:

1. Use a surname with Mr., Sir, Ms., Miss or Mrs. No matter how well you know a person, addressing him or her as Mr. or Mrs. shows respect and says you are there to serve. No matter how many times the customer says, "call me Jim," it never hurts to continue with Mr. or Mrs.

2. Use “yes, sir" and "no, sir." We have become a culture with almost a complete disregard for formality. But when people are buying a product or service, their position should be elevated regardless of their age. As buyers, they are in an authority position. You are not equals and “yes, sir” and “no, sir” confirms that you know that.

3. Say, "It's my pleasure.” Rather than responding to a customer request with “no problem,” an enthusiastic "it's my pleasure" shows your willingness to assist.

4. Offer, "thank you for your time." Remember time is valuable. Thanking customers for their attention at the start and the end of an interaction shows appreciation, empathy and understanding. Never say, "I don't want to waste your time or mine." Your time is not important. Their time is.

5. Don’t interrupt. People serving a customer often make the mistake of listening to respond but not to understand. Make understanding the priority. Interrupting is a sign of disrespect and never improves a relationship.

6. Provide a full acknowledgement. Before responding to customers about anything, give them a full acknowledgement by replicating their remarks along the lines of "Thank you for telling me that and I agree with you." Just listening without doing so might prompt a buyer to feel unheard and disrespected.

7. Be present. Texting, answering calls or doing other tasks while serving a customer is not multitasking. It's multi-rudeness and will cost you multimillions. Give the person standing before you your full engagement.

8. Say thank you. Then add thank you and thank you again! You can never thank customers enough. Use every medium possible to show thanks. Text the person 10 seconds after the exchange, then call, email and say again in person thank you. Following that up with a handwritten note is the most powerful way to demonstrate thanks. The message "I just want to tell you again how much I appreciate you as a customer" is a powerful written statement.

9. Don't leave out “Excuse me." This is just simple common sense. If you’re reaching in front of someone or moving into his or her physical space, acknowledge this by saying, "excuse me." It’s respectful. Also, if you enter a room while people are talking, this is a polite way to be acknowledged and have your question answered quickly.

10. Hold the door open. Never be the first person to walk through a doorway. Hold the door for all people no matter their position. Mannered people are responsible people who look for opportunities to be decent to their fellow humans. Holding a door for a stranger is an act of kindness.

11. Try saying, “I’ll be happy to find the answer for you.” It's unprofessional to say, "I don't know." Also, it's bad manners to say this even if it's true. "I don't know" could sound like you don't care. Respond with “Great question. I will find out for you.” This demonstrates a willingness to serve customers and answer their questions.

12. Add, “It's an honour to work with you.” Go out of your way to show appreciation and make customers feel important. If you can't communicate this notion with sincerity, have someone else work with this customer.

Maybe all good manners just go back to the Golden Rule: Do onto others as you would have them do unto you. You may in fact find that good manners will turn into good money--I did. So, listen to your mother and mind your manners. It's the little things that add up to making a great impression with every encounter. Focus, smile, listen. It doesn't take much these days.

Never Give Up -Will of steel

“Fall down 7 times get up the 8th time”- Never ever give up in life, for once you acquire the will of steel no matter what happens or how many hurdles and pain life throws in front of you or no matter how many times you may face failure you will never ever bend to failure or quit until you achieve what you are striving hard to do so. Just like steel is very difficult to bend or break in the same way if you are determined and decided never to quit or give up nothing will ever be able to stop you from achieving success. “For obstacles can’t stop you, no problem in this world can ever stop you, only you can stop yourself if you give up.”

If you have the skill and will do achieve then nothing or nobody can ever stop you from achieving your goal or your dream for it so rightly said that if you don’t build your own dreams then someone will hire you to build theirs. Never ever cry over the past for past is a waste paper present is a newspaper and future is a question paper, come out of your fears and past, control the present by never giving up and secure the future. For as it is said that the one who falls and gets up is much stronger than the one who never will

There was an experiment done years ago, where Jumping frogs were placed in jars with lids. Though they had plenty of food and water, the frogs still tried to escape. They jumped and jumped, banging their heads on the lids again and again. This went on for 30 days, and then the lids were removed. But the frogs no longer jumped because they didn’t believe escape was possible. They had given up, even though Freedom was one hop away.

Sometimes life knocks you down so often, you start to assume it will knock you down every time. You essentially give up trying because your mind had been conditioned to believe that it’s not worth the effort. You may decide it’s safer to stay where you are...But here is the truth, there is no lid on your jar! You can do more and handle more than you think you can. You can decide to do more than just exist, you can choose to live life, if you can put away the fears of giving up and try again and again.

Don’t be disappointed if people refuse to help you remember the words of Einstein “I’M thankful to all those who said no because of them I did it myself so like Einstein never ever give up keep trying and never lose hope in yourself for only you and you alone can achieve and do it. For life is the most difficult exam. Many people fail and give up because they try to copy others, not realizing that everyone has a different question paper.

Remember Obama retired at 55, whereas Donald trump started at 70, warren buffet started investing at 11, whereas colonel sanders started selling chicken(KFC) at 65, Jeff Bezos failed several times before amazon, whereas mark Zuckerberg succeeded in his first project, for as I always say that if you never give up then your time is coming hold on and be strong because no one is ahead or behind as everyone is running their own race.

I humbly urge all my fellow sales staff to never give up to something you really want to achieve because it’s difficult to wait but it’s more difficult to regret it later.

Failure isn’t that bad. In fact, you could even learn from it. Therefore, it is something that we should embrace. Even Henry Ford failed- he failed a lot, but he utilized what he learned from these failures and built a successful company that’s still going strong even today.

This man viewed failure as an opportunity to begin (and try) again, only more intelligently this time. He even managed to overcome significant setbacks before arriving at the winning formula that made him reign in the automobile industry today. He faced bankruptcy before launching Ford Motor Company.

Likewise, he faced several failures before his first Model T was ever made. Despite failing as a business man, he was determined to become successful. With that, through persistence and determination, he became one of the richest entrepreneurs globally.

Sir Thomas Edison isn’t as intelligent as you thought he was. In fact, during his early days, even his teachers told him that he’s “too dumb to learn anything and there’s no hope for him.”

He even stopped his formal education at the age of 12. Not only that, he also failed more or less a thousand times with his inventions. Likewise, he even got fired from his first two jobs — after leaking acid on to his boss’ desk, but he didn’t give up and he didn’t let those failures drag him down.

Instead, he ignored those criticisms and despite being almost penniless, he turned out to be the most successful inventor of his generation. Having a great influence from motion picture cameras to creating the light bulb.

Come to think of it, if he did give up, you’ll probably be using candles up to now

Those who achieve that ultimate level of success, who live in the rarefied air of the upper ½ of 1% have had just as many if not more setbacks than those who fail. They’ve had obstacles—they’ve had failures which in many cases took them to their knees. But they got up. They failed to let a detour be a derail. Think about that; when one comes to an obstacle in their path, something that must be overcome in order to continue their journey to that ultimate destination, it must be dealt with. Go around it, go over it, go through it and figure out a way to circumvent it. Do whatever it takes in order to continue your journey. Don’t give up at the first sign of any kind of resistance. That’s where failure takes place. That’s where the gather is of those who say, “I guess success if just reserved for other people.”

Fall Down 77 times, Stand up 78

Adore or detest his politics, it doesn’t really matter for the point of this story. Ross Perot’s biography includes an incredibly inspiring sales story. According to Sam Wyle, Perot quickly became a top employee at IBM. In fact, one year he fulfilled his annual sales quota in a mere two weeks.

Yet, when he tried to pitch his ideas to supervisors he was largely ignored. This led him to leave IBM in 1962 to found Electronic Data Systems (EDS). To get the business going, he attempted to sell the products to large corporations for his data processing services. “Perot was refused seventy-seven times before he was given his first contract.”

Motivational Sales Lesson: Never give up! You may have been turned down by ten prospects in one day, but that eleventh phone call could be the one that helps you score your biggest deal of the quarter. In Sales, the ability to develop tough skin and pick yourself up after losses or disappointments is critical.

This is the story of two frogs. One frog was fat and the other skinny. One day, while searching for food, they inadvertently jumped into a vat of milk. They couldn't get out, as the sides were too slippery, so they were just swimming around.

The fat frog said to the skinny frog, "Brother frog, there's no use paddling any longer. We're just going to drown, so we might as well give up." The skinny frog replied, "Hold on brother, keep paddling. Somebody will get us out." And they continued paddling for hours.

After a while, the fat frog said, "Brother frog, there's no use. I'm becoming very tired now. I'm just going to stop paddling and drown. It's Sunday and nobody's working. We're doomed. There's no possible way out of here." But the skinny frog said, "Keep trying. Keep paddling. Something will happen, keep paddling." Another couple of hours passed.

The fat frog said, "I can't go on any longer. There's no sense in doing it because we're going to drown anyway. What's the use?" And the fat frog stopped. He gave up. And he drowned in the milk. But the skinny frog kept on paddling.

Ten minutes later, the skinny frog felt something solid beneath his feet. He had churned the milk into butter and he hopped out of the vat.

“Remember if you fail do not give up, for fail means “first attempt in learning” So, stay strong and never give up.

Last word: You can do it.

Thank You!

Table of Contents

Believe - To live a life of high achievement, you must fully believe in yourself and your ability. If you don’t have a huge amount of belief in yourself, then there is no way you can expect anyone else to believe in you.

Commitment - Commitment is the willingness to do whatever is required to succeed in sales, at reaching quota, achieving goals and closing a particular deal or account. What Is a Commitment Exactly? A commitment is a pledge that obligates you to a certain course of action. Whatever the topic—whether it is to lead a healthier life, to have a better relationship, or to renew your approach to work—a commitment is one of the most important principles of success. Commitments are extremely powerful. They influence how you think and act.

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Stages of success

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The Fox Technique

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T.L.C- Think like a customer

Fall Down 77 times, Stand up 78