IT'S NOT
REALLY SELLING
Most
people are uncomfortable selling. In fact, even many professional sales
people dislike cold calling intensely. So, why do most of us have
an aversion to
this most important business activity?
It could be because we fear failure. It could be because we take the rejection
personally. But I think the major reason is because deep down in side we believe
that selling means pressuring people into doing something they don't want to
do. We think that selling involves twisting someone's arm half way up their
back and forcing them to part -most reluctantly - with their money. We don't
want to do that, of course. We see ourselves as being really nice people and
nice people don't persuade others to do what they don't want to do. Besides,
we don't want people to think we are pushy.
But this is the totally wrong idea about selling and your own every day behaviour
proves it. Most of you work hard for your money and few of you will have more
money left over at the end of the month than you know what to do with. Yet
every day, you and I willingly reach into our pockets to give someone our money
- often even without them even asking for it. Indeed, there are many situations
where if the seller refused to take our money, we would be most upset. Why?
Because we believe they have a solution to a problem that is bothering us.
Imagine how you would feel if at the end of a hard day's business out of town,
the bartender refused to sell you a drink or the hotel operator turned you
away because they didn't feel good about taking your money!
The fact is that people will happily pay for solutions to problems that bother
them. It is only because people have problems that any of us are in business
in the first place. As every successful sales person knows, the secret to making
a sale is to identify the problems that prospective customers have, and then
show them how you can provide them with the solution to that problem. Thus
selling is not persuading people to part with their money. It is giving them
an opportunity to obtain a solution to their problem. If we remember this we
will all have more confidence in selling - even in cold calling. We might even
become more enthusiastic about presenting our products and services to prospects,
and that has got to be good for you because enthusiasm sells.
We would also be less quick to discount our prices because we would understand
the value of our product or service to our customers. We would feel more certain
about what customers will pay to receive the benefits our product or service
will provide them. Most importantly, we would know how to present our offer
so that people see the value and not just the cost. This will help not only
the profitability of your company, but of your entire industry. We need to
realise that regular discounting and price wars hurt everyone.
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