We are all salespeople from the time we are born. Don’t believe this is true? Think back to your childhood days. Do you remember when you would ask your parents to stay up an hour past your bedtime?
What were some of the key points you would use to persuade your parents? Perhaps you said you needed to recuperate after a hard day at school. Or you told them you would go to bed early the next day to make up for the loss of sleep that night. There are certain ways to sell your argument that transcend the item or topic involved in the discussion.
Selling car insurance tips are going to have a lot in common with getting someone to buy chocolate bars for sixth-grade camp funding back in the day. A lawyer might try to convince you to be their client in the same way they would ask someone out on a date. We’re going to talk about the best tips to sell any product or service, no matter how big or small.
Table of Contents
#1 – Be Authentic
There are a lot of stereotypes about people who sell products. Customers assume the salesperson will say anything to convince them to make a purchase. If you are a salesperson, try to be completely authentic with your client. Don’t use hyperbole or ignore the problems with a potential purchase.
For example, diners love when they can ask their server about the menu and get honest answers about food quality at a restaurant. Price is disregarded in favor of the dish’s quality, and waiters describe what their preferences are.
This connects the two parties and makes it feel like two friends chatting instead of a stuffy sales conversation. This is also why social media has become such an effective way to sell and advertise online in recent years.
#2 – Be Personable
Where and how you sell is very important, as it should be personable and relatable to your customers. In fact, the metaverse has made this feel even more like a reality in recent years. Every tweet or Instagram post is selling something to the world about the entity posting it.
When companies opt to go the social media route, they need to make sure they are being genuine online, too. Use this avenue for selling to your advantage, and then take this authenticity into face-to-face settings.
Trying to merge both your online and offline worlds together to sell yourself or your products makes the argument become whole. Don’t contradict yourself by selling differently online and in person.
#3 – Give People Space
This is one of the most critical ways to become a great salesperson. Pushy people are annoying and turn away customers. When you approach a customer for any kind of sale, you need to read the room. Does the person seem interested in engaging with your business?
If they are, proceed with the advantages of your product or service. If they are standoffish, back away and give them space. They might not be the right person to work with because they are not passionate about what you are selling. And this works both ways.
Show that you love sales by being knowledgeable and helpful with your customers. Don’t show them you are annoyed if they are disinterested in what you are selling. Reassure them that you will be there for them at any time that they want to re-engage with the sale.
#4 – Be Patient
Give them a business card with your info, but don’t call them. Wait for them to pursue another contact with you. If you make a second move, it looks desperate, and most customers will immediately cut off interest in the sale.
It can be hard to not get frustrated when you get denied while trying to sell. Have a short-term memory. Move on to the next person and see if your sales strategy works for them. If you are still failing, you can evaluate how to change it up in the future.
#5 – Center the Discussion Around the Customer
Far too often a salesperson will start the discussion with what the company or business can do for the customer. You need to do the reverse. If you start out with a friendly “How are you doing today?” and continue with more feeler questions toward your customers afterward, you can gauge their interests and their desires.
No customer wants to immediately hear a speech about the product or service you are selling. They want to know you are interested in them as people, not just as a sale. If you are selling car insurance, ask the customer what type of coverage they are looking for. Don’t start selling random policies that have nothing to do with the person in front of you.
This will help ease any tension the customer has when they enter the room with you. It ties into the authenticity and trust factor that was mentioned previously. If the customer sees you care about getting the best deal for them and not for your company, this is when you can make the most sales.
#6 – Understand the Industry
Even though the previous three tips have been universal for all types of sales practices, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t think about what industry you are selling in. You can change your tone of voice and strategy based on what product is being sold.
Let’s say you are selling 40-year term life insurance to a family with children. You would need to be sensitive to the environment you are engaging with. Any time kids are involved the parents are going to put their best interests in mind. Center the discussion around the children, not the adults.
Demographics and diversity can also matter. If you are selling a product in a predominantly Black market, and you are a White salesperson, be careful not to bring your opinions about black culture into the discussion. Let the customer show you how comfortable they are with racial discussions related to the product.
Most of the tips we have given you are intuitive. To become a good salesperson, you must combine your natural talent with tips and learned knowledge.
It’s challenging to train your brain to engage with people in this way unless you have been doing it for a long time. Practice makes everyone better, and you can become a great salesperson through hard work and lessons learned.
Shawn Laib writes and researches for the car insurance site, CarInsuranceComparison.com. He wants to help people understand how skills people learn from a young age can translate into jobs like sales careers.