Serving not selling. Won’t sales training change this?

Selling effectively can be a difficult business skill to master. Successful sales people will guide customers towards buying the product or service they need to solve their problems, without coming across as being aggressive. Customers will not feel sold to if the seller is good at his or her job.

Sales people have somewhat of a bad reputation and the public perception of sales in general is quite negative. Most people when they hear the word “sales” immediately think of the stereotypical shady double-glazing salesman or unwanted and annoying cold calling.

Consumers don’t like feeling pressured into making a sale but effective sales isn’t about being pushy and overbearing, rather it is about asking the right questions and guiding customers towards a solution.

How can sales training improve relationships with customers?

Appropriate training in sales techniques can help professionals that need to sell as part of their job work more effectively, as well as making more sales. Many managers are reluctant to train their staff in the art of selling, for fear that an over-zealous approach to sales will put off potential customers. However, the aim of sales training is not to teach your staff to be more aggressive in their technique.

Sales training does not teach individuals how to be more pushy or persuasive in order to convince people into buying. Rather, effective training in selling technique helps sales people to understand how they can enter into dialog with prospective customers. This conversation between the seller and the prospect is important to identify and understand their needs and subsequently provide the best solution for their particular problem.

Why asking the right questions is important for effective selling.

Asking questions allows customers to feel involved in the process, rather than like they are just being sold to. Knowing what questions to ask in order to identify the problems of your customers and offer appropriate solutions is one of the most important aspects of sales.

Training your staff to ask potential customers relevant questions about their needs demonstrates to the prospect that you understand their requirements. Effective sales people work together with the customers to find the solution that is best for them, rather than the one that is easiest to sell, or will make the most profit.

Effective questioning can uncover problems that need solving. It is equally important for your staff to demonstrate that they are listening to the customer and understand their needs. This is the difference between effective customer service and selling without considering the true needs of the customer.

What is the link between leadership and effective selling?

Many customers do not know exactly what they want when they come to a service provider or vendor and are in need of guidance to understand exactly what they need and what product or service will meet that need.

Leadership is actually one of the most important aspects in making a sale. If potential customers are given too many options, it can be overwhelming and be very difficult for them to make a decision. It is the job of the sales person to cut down the available options and lead them towards the best solution.

Sales training can aid your staff in developing leadership skills and questioning techniques in order to become a more effective sales person.