We’re all in the
selling business whether we like it or not. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a
lawyer or an accountant, a manager or a politician, an engineer or a doctor. We
all spend a great deal of our time trying to persuade people to buy our product
or service, accept our proposals or merely accept what we say. However, before
you get better at persuading or influencing other people, you need to get
better at selling yourself. Every day of your life you are selling yourself,
nothing happens until you’re successful at doing that.
Here are simple steps
to self- selling success:
You must
believe in the product
Selling yourself is
pretty much like selling anything. Firstly, you need to believe in what you’re
selling. That means believing in “you”. It’s about lots of positive self- talk
and the right attitude. The first thing people notice about you is your
attitude. If you’re like most people then you’ll suffer from lack of confidence
from time to time. It really all comes down to how you talk to yourself. The
majority of people are more likely to talk to themselves negatively than
positively - this is what holds them back in life. It isn’t just about a
positive attitude; it’s about the right attitude – the quality of your
thinking.
Successful people have
a constructive and optimistic way of looking at themselves and their work.
They have an attitude
of calm, confident, positive self-expectation. They feel good about themselves
and believe that everything they do will lead to their inevitable success. If
you’re in a sales job or a business owner or a manager then you need to
continually work on your attitude. You need to listen to that little voice
inside your head. Is it saying you’re on top, going for it and confident, or is
it holding you back. If you’re hearing - “I can’t do this or that” or “They
won’t want to buy at the moment” or “We’re too expensive” then you’d better
change your self- talk or change your job.
Start to believe in
yourself and don’t let things that are out with your control effect your
attitude. Avoid criticising, condemning and complaining and start spreading a
little happiness. Remember the saying of Henry Ford, founder of the Ford Motor
Company - “If you believe you can do a thing, or if you believe you can’t, in
either case you’re probably right.”
The
packaging must grab attention
Like any other product
we buy, the way the product is packaged and presented will influence the
customer’s decision to buy. Everything about you needs to look good and you
must dress appropriately for the occasion. And don’t think that just because
your customer dresses casually, that they expect you to dress the same way. The
style and colour of the clothes you wear, your spectacles, shoes, briefcase, watch,
the pen you use, all make a statement about you.
Smile
No need to get carried
away, you don’t need a big cheesy grin, just a pleasant open face that doesn’t
frighten people away.
Use names
Use the customers name
as soon as you can but don’t over do it. Business is less formal nowadays
however be careful of using first names initially. Make sure your customer
knows yours and remembers it. You can do the old repeat trick - “My name is
Bond, James Bond” or “My name is James, James Bond”
Watch the
other person
What does their body
language tell you? Are they comfortable with you or are they a bit nervous?
Are they listening to
you or are their eyes darting around the room. If they’re not comfortable and
not listening then there’s no point telling them something important about your
business. Far better to make some small talk and more importantly - get then to
talk about themselves. It’s best to go on the assumption that in the first few
minutes of meeting someone new, they won’t take in much of what you say.
They’re too busy analysing all the visual data they’re taking in.
Listen
and look like you’re listening.
Many people,
particularly men, listen but don’t show that they’re listening. The other
person can only go on what they see, not what’s going on inside your head. If
they see a blank expression then they’ll assume you’re “out to lunch.” The
trick is to do all the active listening things such as nodding your head, the
occasional “UH-HUH” and the occasional question.
Be
interested
If you want to be INTERESTING
then be INTERESTED. This really is the most important thing you can do to be
successful at selling yourself. The majority of people are very concerned about
their self- image.
If they sense that you
value them, that you feel they’re important and worth listening to, then you
effectively raise their self- image. If you can help people to like themselves
then they’ll LOVE you.Don’t fall into the trap of flattering the other person,
because most people will see right through you and they won’t fall for it. Just
show some genuine interest in the customer and their business and they’ll be
much more receptive to what you say.
Talk
positively
Don’t say - “Isn’t it a
horrible day” or “Business is pretty tough at present” or any thing else that
pulls the conversation down. Say things like (and only the truth) - “I like the
design of this office” or “I’ve heard some good reports about your new
product.”
Mirror
the other person
This doesn’t mean
mimicking the other person, it just means you speaking and behaving in a manner
that is similar to the customer. For example, if your customer speaks slowly or
quietly, then you speak slowly or quietly. Remember people like people who are
like themselves.
Warm and
friendly
If you look or sound
stressed or aggressive then don’t be surprised if the other person gets
defensive and less than willing to co-operate. If you look and sound warm and
friendly, then you’re more likely to get a positive response. This isn’t about
being all nicey-nicey. It’s about a pleasant open face or a warm tone over the
telephone. Before we can get down to the process of selling our product, our
service or our ideas then we need to be as sure that the customer has bought us
and that we have their full attention.
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