The art of selling is just that, an ART. Like all masterpieces the more planning and creative thinking that you apply the greater the chance of success.

Listed below are my top 5 tips for successful selling.

Apply these as part of your daily sales approach and watch your numbers grow!

Do Your Homework

  • Who are you trying to sell to and what do you know about their company?
  • What’s important to them/their business?
  • What is your customer passionate about?
  • What would make a difference to their business outputs?

Know Your Competitors

  • What is your market share v your competitors?
  • How do your customers rate their products/services etc against yours?
  • What are your USP’s? (unique selling points)
  • What can you do differently that gains you/your company an advantage?
  • Know what you’re up against technically and commercially

Don’t Make Promises You Or Your Company Can’t Keep

  • Never over promise and under deliver
  • Never tell a customer what he wants to hear, if it’s not ‘doable’ explain why
  • Build a reputation for honesty – it really is the sales persons ‘best policy’ in the longer term
  • Be pragmatic, deliver bad news ahead of time cushioned within a positive longer term outcome
  • Always say what you mean and mean what you say!

Apply Common Sense In Your Approach

  • If it seems too good to be true then it probably is
  • Put yourself in your customers shoes
  • Read the ‘signs’ – never be that ‘irritating’ sales person
  • Be the ‘nice guy’ – to be a truly GREAT sales person you must have a likeable personality

Build Formidable Relationships

  • People buy from people – ALWAYS
  • Put your customer first, make them feel special
  • Be personable – develop a long lasting ’emotive’ based relationship with your customer
  • Understand and know your customer as a person, their likes/dislikes etc
  • Listen First – Always
  • Be happy, apply humour whenever the opportunity arises, people LOVE to laugh

Always remember that the 'devil is in the detail...

Understanding your customer and the competition is key to your success as a sales person . Applying this knowledge to create a plan that incorporates a common sense approach to develop a meaningful long-term relationship with your customers will provide you with a recipe for sustained success.