The 8 stages of selling

Struggling to make more sales?

Here are the 8 stages of selling that will make sales more effortless and natural for you:

1. Greet or introduce 

Introduce yourself with a smile. People form opinions within the first three to five seconds of meeting you. Your voice, dress, eye contact, manner, caring and confidence are important.

2. Establish rapport

Similarities forge bonds. The quicker you can ask people questions about their lives that lead to common threads between you and them, the easier it is to sell. Let them talk more. Find common ground. Show genuine interest. 

3. Identify their need

What’s their primary or immediate need? What solution is most important to them? Discover what appears to be missing or problematic in their lives. The number of rejections you receive during the sales process are inversely proportional to how well you’ve established their need or pain. The deeper and broader their need, the easier it is to make the sale.

4. Confirm & restate their need

Be certain that you’ve established their real need, beneath the layers. When they’ve told you what their need or void is, repeat this back to them to gain clarity and a spoken point of reference. Never assume always make it stated. 

5. Create & offer value

Tailor you work as a solution to their issue. Make an offer they can’t refuse by giving them what they want. If someone says they can’t afford, don’t have the time or don’t want something, all that means is you haven’t demonstrated value in their terms. In this case, restate the need and communicate more value. People never have a lack of money, they have a lack of desire and motivation. If you provide the motivation, they’ll find the money. 

6. Close. 

Make the sale. Ask for the money. Don’t leave it vague or unspoken. Be clear on the terms. Confirm the appointment, get the credit card details and arrange delivery and payment. Do not leave it to them. 

7. Provide service, care & value

Deliver the service you promised, then a little more. Call back on the answers to your specific questions, link your services or products to your customers’ specific values and your products will sell themselves. Continue the fair exchange process long after the money is in the bank. 

8. Ask for referrals & feedback

Once you have incrementally over delivered and you have a raving fan customer, ask them if they know anyone else who could benefit in the same way. Ask for the contact details of three people for every person you ask. Ask for any feedback in a safe environment so they will be honest about what you can improve, and implement relevant iterations. 

Any others that I've missed?

Thoughts and happy to answer any questions.

Rob