Three secrets to selling easily and effectively

Recently I helped a client create a sales presentation from scratch. On the first slide he stopped me and asked, “Why aren’t you just jumping into what our service is all about? You know, always be closing right from the start?”

Of course he was referring to the movie Glengarry Glen Ross in which a sales "motivator" played by Alec Baldwin tells everyone they are a bunch of losers -- because they can’t close deals. To be winners, they’re told to always be closing.

Is that the simple secret to selling more of your product and services? No!

To help frame the real answer, let’s define the basic difference between sales and marketing.

Marketing is all about understanding what a targeted audience wants and beginning the conversation on how you fill the need. Sure, there’s lot to do like positioning, branding, lead generation, engagement tactics, and solution delivery -- yet, at it’s core marketing eventually comes down to one thing: creating relationships.

Then selling kicks in. Here’s where you continue the conversation and show buyers that they not only need what you have, they want it. It’s a process from the start of the journey to the close. All along the way you’re helping people.

Ah Ha! It’s all about creating relationships and helping people.

Not actively helping others obtain their goals and going for the close before you develop some trust is risky. It increases the chances that you’ll be thought of as a pushy sales person or marketer. Think of this way: Selling is what you do for people, not what you do to people.

So, maybe in a sense you are always selling, except the product is you. This is just as true for companies that sell multimillion-dollar equipment as well as for retailers that sell to consumers. You are the business in the eyes of the buyer.

But, it’s not a “me” centered approach. Here what it all boils down to. The secret to selling more products or services is to help your customer by 1) asking questions, 2) educating, and 3) telling stories.

Help by asking great questions. There’s no better way to learn about your buyer than asking well thought-out questions. Ultimately that helps your prospect -- because the more you know about what they’re trying to achieve and where the roadblocks are, the better you’ll serve them. Plus, it creates a real dialog that aids in getting your buyer to like and trust you as your expertise and value is revealed. Make a list of open-ended questions that establish rapport, uncover what's holding them back from reaching their revenue or other goals, determine the impact of overcoming these challenges, and define what success looks like. Now practice these questions! The bonus is that when you get to know buyers on a deeper level, it’ll become easier for you to fine-tune your message.

Help by offering meaningful information. This the natural follow-on to asking questions. Educating your prospects and customers is better than a sales pitch. Giving away relevant and timely information will help your buyers make informed decisions and brand your company as a trusted leader that knows what its talking about. Use content such as ebooks, articles and blog posting, case studies, seminars and webinars, videos, and consultations. There are huge benefits to educating your audience. Prospect will now be smarter about how you can help them solve problems, leading to a simpler selling effort. The bonus here is that posting your educational content on your website and promoting it through the media will increase traffic to your website.

Help by telling stories. It’s easier to sell a story than a product or service. Story telling helps to get people interested in what you have to say, warming them up to have a conversation. Anecdotes demonstrate your offering’s value -- how it solves the problems others had that are similar to what your buyer is going through. Stories also serve to validate what you are selling by providing a form of proof along with a built-in customer testimonial. Your narratives will paint a vivid picture in your prospect’s mind and can be used anywhere -- over the phone, in social media, at a networking meeting, or anytime you don’t have your service or product available for showing Telling a story is the ultimate consultative strategy. Why? Because we humans use stories to connect, educate, and persuade. It’s a powerful way to engage in conversation and reveal the buyer’s story.

When you have a process to help your buyers based on asking questions, educating, and telling stories your business will gain new customers. It’s a “give to get” way of marketing and selling.

Drop the always be selling mindset. Focus instead on always be helping!

Ron Stein is President of FastPath Marketing (www.marketing-strategies-guide.com) and the author of the Rapid Impact Marketing & Selling Playbook. As a speaker, coach, and consultant he works with small business owners helping them to accelerate the path between their vision and the actions needed to reach, win, and keep customers. Ron is the creator of the FastPath to More Customers Now! 7-step marketing system based on more than twenty years as a successful business owner, corporate CEO, business development executive, and salesman. He is also a mentor at two nationally recognized business accelerators. Ron offers one-on-one and small group mentoring, conducts seminars, and consults. He can be reached at 727-398-1855 or Ron@FastPathMarketing.com.