Telling isn't Selling

One of the top mistakes you can make in sales is simply telling your prospect about your product or service.

Telling isn’t selling. Presenting a list of features, figures and facts about your product or service is NOT the same as selling it. Make “Telling isn’t selling” one of your core sales mantras, and repeat it to yourself before every sales call or presentation. This mantra will remind you to be an effective salesperson rather than a walking, talking pamphlet. You are a salesperson, not just an information source.

When I worked for Kirby, I learned that it’s not enough to merely tell your prospect what a Kirby does. You have to walk them through a process that encourages them to think about why they need that Kirby and how it will improve their quality of life.

When you help your prospect realize why they need your product or service early on in your sales presentation, the likelihood of hearing the “I’ll think about it” response at the end of your presentation diminishes.

Now, if telling isn’t effective, then what is?

Ask the right questions. Every question that you pose must serve a specific purpose. It’s important to ask thought-provoking questions that make your prospect consider why they need your service now.

By asking questions, you prompt your prospect to actively listen and reflect on what you’re saying. When you ask your prospect how they feel about something you’ve shared with them, you guide them to consider their feelings long before your presentation is over. Remember, emotion can drive sales, so it’s important to address how your prospect is feeling now, not later.

Learn to ask “closing questions”. When you’re preparing the questions you’d like to ask your prospect, make sure to use “closing questions”. These are questions designed to guide your prospect to buy into your thinking or your service offering.

Here’s an example of a closing question that a health and wellness coach may ask: “We need an effective wellness program in order to reach our health and fitness goals, don’t we Jessica?”

In this case, your question prompts your prospect to reflect on their own unmet health or fitness goals, and acknowledge how they would benefit from investing in the wellness program designed to help them better achieve those goals.

More importantly, asking a closing question gives your prospect the opportunity to articulate their concerns, thereby allowing you to address and alleviate them well before the end of the presentation.

Be a likeable salesperson. This may sound obvious, but the more likeable you are, the more success you’ll see in sales. When your prospect senses that you are genuine, honest and personable, your prospect not only considers why they need your service, but they also begin to like and trust you enough to give you their business.

Create comfort with your word choices. Use caring language to create strong rapport with your prospect. Make a conscious effort to say “we” instead of “you”. For instance: “We deserve better, more sustainable results from our wellness programs, don’t we Adam?” By positioning yourself as your prospect’s friend and a member of their team, you demonstrate that you relate to them and care about their needs.

Let’s recap the key lesson here: Don’t wait until the very end of your sales call or presentation to address your prospects’ concerns and try to close the sale. Get into the habit of asking questions early in the presentation that are designed to help your prospect recognize why they need your service, and show that you’re offering great value for the cost.

*** Celeste Giordano Coaching