Expand Your Influence and Maximize Successful Sales Presentations
By Michelle Bendien
Globalization. Internationalization. Generational diversification.
These ongoing shifts and changes in the economic and demographic landscape shape the way we do business.
But how much does all of this change the way we sell? Or better yet…how much SHOULD it change the way we sell? Will making these changes result in more successful sales presentations?
Every year, more and more clients ask me to teach specific techniques for selling to different cultures, backgrounds, generations, or even specific personality types. And, absolutely, there ARE specific techniques we should know and leverage when selling to certain groups of people.
But we can ALSO adapt certain universal sales fundamentals to help us out in just about any selling situation. Here are four sales fundamentals that hold universal appeal and will radically expand your influence with buyers from every culture and of every age.
R.E.S.P.E.C.T…find out what it means to your buyer!
It’s on you to do the research. Start by identifying who your buyer is. How do they prefer to communicate or be communicated with? What are their likes and dislikes? How do they prefer that you address them?
Find out which elements of the sales and buying process might create sticking points for them and plan accordingly for those moments.
There are vast research resources available to you, and the most successful salespeople do whatever it takes to understand their customers – and their selling environment – in order to show respect.
Things Aren’t Always As They Appear
I often encounter salespeople who feel frustrated working with buyers who are different from themselves. In their frustration, they say things like:
“They are so difficult. They won’t answer any of my questions.”
“These buyers have no emotions. It’s all about the deal to them.”
“They are so rude!”
The number one rule here is to separate the person from the behavior.
Everyone desires to be understood, everyone has emotions (even if they don’t show them), and no one considers themselves rude.
We tend to judge people through our own personal filters. We must learn to understand our customer’s filters and then reframe our opinions of them.
Once we adapt our filters, our words and our actions will change as well.
Understand What ALL Buyers Want
All buyers, no matter what, are looking for a few key deliverables from a salesperson: understanding, an exceptional buying experience, and superior personal service.
At their core, everyone – regardless of the person or product being sold – wants to feel good about themselves. They want to feel good about the person they are buying from. And they want to feel good about what they are buying.
The question to ask yourself is, “How well am I delivering on these desires? Am I making the process about me or about my buyers?”
Stay True to Yourself
This may seem contradictory to my other points, but believe me, it is not.
Understanding others and serving them in a way that makes them feel comfortable and confident does not mean that you should twist and turn yourself into something you don’t recognize. Being genuine is critically important to how others perceive and receive you.
So stay focused on these universal fundamentals – but use them to develop a deeper understanding of your changing buyers and the changing world around you.
And before you know it, you will change someone’s world along the way!
