This blog is intended for those who have direct personal contact with their customers, either by telephone or face-to-face and who want to explore ways of increasing sales values and volumes.
Whether you operate in B-2-B or B-2-C sectors taking some time to analyse your *transactional and **consultative sales can shed new light on how to increase sales. In either case the use of skills to steer or influence the buyer to commit to your offer will dramatically affect results.
Let’s start by looking at what is likely to be most effective when presenting a proposition to a transactional customer:-
- Give the sales process impetus: – Quick, clear information
Prepare your proposition(s), get feedback from colleagues and customers on how to improve, then practice delivering them repeatedly
- Give the buyer rational reasons to buy: – Concise reasons evidencing outstanding value
Show what you offer is outstanding value. Prepare evidence using comparative products and prices to demonstrate your case.
- Give the buyer sense of security: – Show that you are the popular choice of other similar buyers
There is a strong body of evidence that buyers are far less likely to hesitate if they are assured that their decision is one that many other customers have made – there is security in numbers
- Give the buyer a sense of protection from loss: – Highlight guarantees and warranties
Buying decisions are made easier when protection from loss is clear. Research shows that buyers will pay more when they are protected from one thing: fear of loss. Make your guarantee clear, copper-bottomed, and in writing.
- Give the buyer a clear 1-2-3 route to buy: – Clear costs and delivery terms
- Confirm the product and price in writing (or on a web page)
- Make clear the delivery timings and process
- Make it easy to accept your proposition
*A transactional sale is defined as one where the buyer principally wishes only to examine the products or services you offer and the prices you charge without building a relationship with you or your business as specialists and experts.
**A consultative sale is founded on a relationship between buyer and seller where the seller seeks fully to understand the needs and concerns of the buyer in order to propose the most suitable solution(s) within any budgetary constraints.