Four selling techniques you’ll need to learn to sell, sell and sell
People hate being sold to. Correction: people hate knowing they’re being sold to. But sometimes you need to nudge customers along the way to a purchase. The trick is learning how to pitch a sale to a customer in a way that doesn’t sound like a pitch. Customers prefer information and facts instead of a provocative marketing spin, and they prefer to feel like they arrived at the decision to buy naturally instead of being convinced.
It sounds like a fine line to walk, but with practice and the application of the following selling techniques, you too can be the master of suggestive selling.
Hook them in
It’s important to hook your customers as soon as you have their attention. Open with your most irresistible deal or promotion. There’s a very small window when customers are open to suggestions before they choose to look elsewhere. Remember, also, that most customers walk into stores already knowing what they want. Therefore, even though you need to present your best promotion, you needn’t be forceful about it. Something along the lines of “Hi, have you heard about our 80% off sale on all blue items? If you swipe your loyalty card you also stand a chance to win on-the-spot vouchers for today only.”
Make it personal
Today’s customer wants to feel like your only customer, which is why adding a personal touch to your selling techniques can go a long way. By asking questions that are related to the purchase, you show the customer that you’re invested in making sure they have the right product for their needs. For example, if a customer is looking for pants, in order to help them along you’d probably have to know what the occasion is, whether it’s during the day or night, and whether they’re looking for versatile pants that they can wear in a number of different ways. To you, this information helps you sell to the customer, but to the customer it seems as if you’re sincerely invested in their pants search.
Knowledge is (buying) power
As mentioned earlier, consumers want information more than they want advertising fluff. More than that, sounding informed about the products you’re selling makes you seem trustworthy and credible. So answer questions honestly, but strategically. Play up product features that the customer might not know about but would greatly benefit from. Customers are used to comparing prices when shopping around. By guiding them through the value and benefits of different products, you’re more likely to highlight the unique selling points of what you have to offer.
Keep them happy
The client is always right, they say. And while, empirically, this can’t be true, there’s wisdom in it. Customer satisfaction directly influences sales, therefore keeping your customers pleased at all times is a priority you can’t afford to neglect. Don’t make your customers wait, don’t make them have to deal with inefficient systems or incompetent staff. These small considerations add up to improve the overall customer experience and can often mean the difference between a customer walking out, buying one item or buying five.
Once you’ve closed the deal, it would be a shame to lose the sale because you can’t accept card payments. ZipZap lets you process card payments anywhere within and away from your business. Download the ZipZap brochure below for more information.
