Recently I had the pleasure of listening to one of my CEO clients give a sales meeting pep talk. His theme was the psychology of the sale. It is perhaps the most important factor in moving TOWARD the close, rather than AWAY from the sale. Unfortunately, many sales people continue to over look the psychology behind the sale in favor of repeating the same mistakes, always resulting in no sale.
There are FOUR ELEMENTS that move a sales person to CLOSE THE SALE.
1. First are the factors relating to the impact of our sales messages. According to long-standing studies there are three important parameters which determine the impact of our message.
In matter of importance and percentage of significance they are:
Rather than working from the words within, it is more important to start with the external physical presentation. (55%) Is your body language open? Does it express your confidence in the product or service you’re selling?
Your voice quality (38%) comes in a close second to your body language, and is particularly important to those of you who use the “phone” as an integral part of your sales process. Knowing that standing up projects your voice and sometimes enables you to gain control of the communication, why do you continue to sit down while selling over the phone? Increase your effectiveness through proper pitch, pace and articulation in your speech. If the majority of your sales occur as the result of a phone call, the quality of your presentation is all in your voice.
Lastly, the study indicated that words (7%) have almost no influence on the impact of the message, yet salespeople continue to use just that – WORDS—without support from the two more important elements: body language and voice quality, or sales tools.
2. The second important psychological element is the four very distinct personality styles of your customers and clients. Every day every sales person encounters one or more of these communication styles and rather than adjust the presentation to the client, the sales person sells the way he or she wants to be sold. You may already be familiar with Meyers-Briggs, D.I.S.C. or McQuaig, yet do you really know how to recognize the client’s style and then communicate to that specifically? In most cases, probably not. Based on my years of successful sales experience, I know with absolute certainty that you can increase your profits a minimum of 10% simply by closing clients using the technique of applied personality/communication styles. If you are not familiar with Meyers-Briggs, D.I.S.C. or McQuaig, contact me for further information. It’s never too late to learn about personality styles, and then watch your profits reflect your increase in knowledge.
Once you learn the styles, you will be able to customize your presentation to the client. For instance, some clients want bullet points, some want to talk about their family first, some want a team environment, and some want only logic. Imagine the advantage you have when you recognize their style, and then utilize the best approach to access their needs or wants. Make a commitment to yourself today to learn and use this psychological element to improve your bottom line.
3.The third important element to the psychology of sales is using first, second or third party platforms to increase your credibility with your customers and clients.
Most sales people live in the first-party world — the world of telling their clients from a first-person platform. Such as “tell the client and, when you get done telling them, then tell them what you told them…..again.” Pitching your product or service from this first- party platform will rarely move you towards closure; it will always move you away from the sale.
The story telling salespersons use a second-party platform. Sometimes it is effective, though it is always better than telling something from a first-party platform. By using this indirect approach, storytelling can be effective in making points with clients.
A third-party platform offers credible evidence to your client from another reliable source that is believable and effective as compared to information or speech that comes from a first- or second-party platform. Using specific testimonials or a sales tool with different graphical images, and/or even a website written in third party are ways to increase the confidence of your clients buying your product or service.
Check out these examples:
In the third party example, the words have minimal impact, but when you add the 3rd party telling the story, backed up by photos and a website, then the story becomes REAL – again highest believability.
4. The fourth and final element in the psychology of sales is how the prospective client/customer rates your product or service in THEIR decision making process.
The four things they consider and score consistently before making a purchase are:
In each sales event, every action as well as every word coming out of your mouth is being evaluated and scored by your client. All the recent studies indicate the customer weighs the Sales Person as the most important element of the sale. Clients buy the sales person FIRST, followed by the other three: the company, product and price in a photo finish for second place.
However, companies spend millions of dollars on promoting the company’s image, the quality of the product and the value of the price, yet they completely ignore the one element which determines the sale: the person doing the selling. In fact, a recent Sales VP stated to one of his top sales people that he “did not have any funds in his budget to publicize or promote his sales staff to the target market.” In this highly competitive sales world we live in that mentality loses business instead of winning business and increasing market share.
So what is the innovative solution to these four elements? How do you overcome the psychology of the sale, your sales inabilities and effectively become top notch communicators and presenters, speak to all four personality styles, increase your client’s believability to take first place on our client’s scorecards? What can you do to FINISH FIRST IN PROFITS (FFP)?
The Fast Facts Profile™ showcases your products and services, promotes your company, and most importantly we design them to build intimacy between the sales person and the client – thus have a winning score from your client. Creating accessibility to your sales force with your company’s staff profiled in their individual FFP™ you are guaranteed to SCORE personally and professionally.
An FFP™ includes a short professional bio which qualifies the salesperson or executive to do their job, a short personal bio which introduces him or her to potential clients by revealing their interests and values, two (or three) pictures showing the client who they are by what they do, and lastly, the vital contribution they make to your organization. The last statement promotes credibility and encourages trust between salesperson and client.
Interested in Your FFP™ or a Micro Site by Chuck’s Creative Team? Contact Chuck Now!
Higher PROFITS and higher levels of Sales EFFICIENCIES - typical results that are experienced by Chuck Bauer's clients. Chuck has over two decades of sales experience and on a daily basis you will find him consulting with many sales organizations and salespeople nationwide. He is a highly sought after speaker and a member of the National Speakers Association. His information is widely published in many print and internet based publications. He is an instrument rated-private pilot, committed body builder, and mountain biker. Chuck is typically in the following cities: Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, Austin, San Antonio, Arlington, El Paso and does sales consulting in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Sales Coach Chuck Bauer is on the LOOKOUT for HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL Sales People — Sales Managers, Sales Executives, Event Planners, Business Owners — who want HIGHER PROFITS and EVEN GREATER SALES EFFICIENCY. If you know ANY of these people or companies in the Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, Austin, San Antonio, Arlington, or El Paso areas who would be interested in any of Coach Chuck's programs or services, CLICK HERE to find out about Chuck's REFERRAL INCENTIVE BONUS.
"I want to express my happiness and enthusiasm to be working with you! I've always considered myself to be a decent salesperson, but since I started to further educate myself on my craft, I've grown leaps and bounds. Your simple videos have already helped me start to realize my goals and I can't wait to see the results from your coaching."
Mickey Troccoli
Secrets Of Traders
