called discovery, or qualifying the prospect – is an essential compo- nent in the “art” of selling. What you want to learn is which of
the experiences your systems and solutions provide are of greatest value to your potential customer. This is not a question for which prospects will have a ready answer. However well-informed they might be, most vehicle owners are not aware of all the valuable, exciting and fun things you can do. Because of this, they also have no accurate idea what your systems and servic- es might be worth.
It is your job to create awareness of these experiences and to evalu- ate the prospect’s level of interest
1. Who is your company and what kind of customer experience do you hope to deliver? 2. Why, out of all the options available to them, should customers choose to do business with you? Your company name, logo, and tagline should attempt to communicate the answers to these questions – in a few words that accompany virtually every presentation of your brand. You should also have a two- to three-para- graph explanation of your brand, and why it is unique and special, that can be included on your Web site, and in your company collateral.
Develop a System to Stay in Touch - To maintain customer relationships – and actively grow referrals – you will need to communicate with them regularly via phone, e-mail, and postal mail. In this era of e-mail and text, personalized postal communications can really set you apart. For example, I am always impressed when I receive a thank-you card from a store or service provider. But guess what? Hardly anybody sends thank-you cards. Just. Plain. Dumb. You can mail holiday cards and birthday cards, too. I
mean, who doesn’t like getting a birthday card? Especially when it comes with a gift. Doesn’t have to be anything big, maybe a $10 discount on any item $100 more, or 20 per- cent off any installation. The point being, you want them to remember you and – maybe, even – revisit your store.
THE ART OF SELLING Next, we’ll look at two selling practices that will help you become more effective at converting prospects to paying customers. Assess Needs, Wants and Desires Before You Start Recommending Products - You cannot present a valuable solution to a potential customer if you don’t understand their needs and expectations. This practice – sometimes
in each. Then, with this information in-hand, you can propose solutions and options that directly address the needs and expectations of the prospect. Write-up Your Proposals and Follow-Up - Back in the
days of superfast sales floors, there wasn’t always time to write down the details of a conversation you just had. (If you’ve still got such a floor, please share your secret!) But if you can get the prospect’s name, plus a phone number and/or e-mail address, the deal doesn’t have to die just because they want to “think about it,” especially if you take some notes and use them to follow-up with a friendly, “I haven’t forgotten you” call the next day.
BREAK THROUGH THE NOISE
In his book “The Ultimate Sales Machine,” author Chet Holmes talks about the most powerful force for creating sales success: “And that force, my friends, is pigheaded discipline and determination.” Good sales and people skills will never become irrelevant. Maybe you have to work harder than you once did to capture a customer, but you’ve also got more to offer than ever before, and more ways to communicate and maintain a relationship. And that’s the key – to your marketing and your sales efforts, up against the Internet and impersonal box stores – you want to build relationships. Being persistent, staying in touch, nurturing your customer base. It still works. With discipline and de- termination, you can make it work for you. ■
Steve Firszt is a 30-year veteran of the consumer elec- tronics industry. For 20 years he served as president and co-owner of a full-service A/V retailer/installer that grew to 4 stores with 75 employees. Today, as owner and “Head Coach” of Fast=Forward Business Coaching, he works with the owners of retail and installation companies in the con- sumer electronics industry. You can visit his Web site at
www.ffbizcoach.com.
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