VIEWPOINT
Sales without the pitch
Applying to Business
Skills
by Maria Bayer
hether you’re working with a client, presenting an idea at a networking event, convincing your spouse that a vacation in the Bahamas is preferable to Florida, or trying to impress a date, it’s all a form of sales. Most of us shy away from being ‘salespeople’ because of the pushy connotations, but there are certain authentic, non-‘salesy’ approaches that work in your personal as well as your professional life. #1: Confidence Your clients come to you because you can do something that they cannot. They need your expertise, so remember this: Your clients’ confidence in you is directly proportionate to the confidence you have in yourself. So whether you’re talking with a potential client or a spouse, let your passion and confidence shine through and they’ll be as excited as you. #2: It’s Not About You When you focus more on the other person—their needs, their challenges, their desires—you’ll have a richer conversation, even if you didn’t say a word. Remember the date you went on where the other person did all the talking? Yeah, them. You don’t want to be like them. Instead, focus on asking open-ended questions to help uncover the person’s needs, requirements, chal10
| VISION
lenges, concerns and then sit back and listen. #3: Focus on Benefits Think back to a time where you didn’t buy something. Why didn’t you buy it? Chances are, the salesperson focused on features, but never explained why those features would benefit you. Your client will never know your product or service as well as you do, so it’s your job to connect the dots between the features and why those features will benefit your client. Can you see now how skill #2 can really help you here? Had you not listened to your client and uncovered their needs and concerns, you’d be guessing at what benefits they’d be most interested in, instead of connecting. #4: Anticipate Objections After having worked with hundreds of clients in my career, I’ve come to realize that objections are not a sign that the client is not interested. In fact, if you remember this, it will serve you well in all aspects of your life because objections actually indicate interest, and show that the other person is serious about what you’re proposing. What objections tell you is that there’s something that you haven’t addressed yet, or haven’t addressed well enough. If they have unanswered objections, that client will not buy. So skill #2 comes in handy again.
If you ask the right questions up front, you’ll uncover their objections and have the ability to address them proactively. When you do that, the client will feel like you ‘get’ them. #5: If You Don’t Ask, The Answer is NO Do you feel salesy asking your client for the business? You shouldn’t. You’re there to sell a product or service. Don’t wait for the other person to say they’re ready to work together. Instead, remember this: If you don’t ask, the answer is always no. So ask for the business, ask for the date, ask for a referral, ask a colleague to partner together. At the end of the day, we’re all in sales. Apply these skills and watch your business and personal life soar. V
Maria Bayer, the Authentic Sales Coach for Design Success University, teaches interior designers how to win ideal clients quickly and make more money without being ‘salesy’. If you enjoyed this article, I invite you to register for my free online training series where you’ll learn more savvy strategies to win clients you love: http://bit.ly/Designer_Sales_Tips