You’ve heard it a million times:  someone has the gift of gab, could tell a story for three hours, is a ‘chatty Cathy’…since they talk so much, they should be in sales! Right?

Worst. Advice. Ever.

We’re confident that if a sales person does most of the talking with a customer, they can kiss that sale good-bye. The real art of a successful sales person isn’t how much they talk, but how well they listen to their customer’s needs. It’s about asking the right questions at the right time, then pausing to process what was said. Many times when a question is being answered, you can virtually see wheels turning in one’s head, ready to pounce and ask the next question. Are we guilty of this?  Of course! But, we also care enough to make ourselves better and are fortunate to receive some of the best training in the industry.  In this blog, we’d like to pass a bit of that knowledge along to you!

Be best prepared. You can never be too prepared when selling your service or product. Research the company and know a lot about it before your meeting. Anticipate the most difficult questions being asked of you. Remember, the customer is there to talk, too.

Write things down. You’ve just asked all the best questions in the world, the customer is spilling the goods, giving secrets and you’re there smiling and completely agreeing with every word…”Yes, definitely, uh huh, we agree” WRITE IT DOWN.   They are taking time to share their knowledge/experience with you; be respectful of that. No one can remember everything.

Show you are listening.  After your customer shares information or an issue, it’s often a good idea to recap:  “Let me see if I understand you correctly…” or “If I’m hearing you right, what you are saying is…”  Share examples of where you’ve helped other clients and make it relevant to them.

Don’t just say. Do.  Once your meeting has concluded, walk the walk.  If you say you’ll follow up—do it.  If you say you’ll provide a reference, do it.  The worst thing a sales person can do is talk up a big promise and under deliver on it.

While this snippet of information may seem elementary to some, we see sales professionals break these rules all the time!  Of course, we would not be good sales people without putting in our pitch:  We are in business to help companies find quality employees at any level, and we’d love to hear what makes a great employee for your company.

Let’s chat. We promise not to do all of the talking!!!

This blog was a group effort brought to you by: Bridget Eustace, Andrew Suppes, and Nate Desimone from the Contemporary Personnel Staffing and Professionals Incorporated Sales Team.  If you’d like to see how they can help your company attract & keep the best talent, give them a call! 315.457.2500