Charm can be an amazingly effective tool in sales – and in life. Charm can build a person up. A charming person can make another’s day better and create a fond memory (if one is lucky). At its essence, charm is about making people feel better, because happy people are easier to deal with. You could imagine it as a sort of defence mechanism, I suppose. It can be a way of anaesthetizing people into a state of calmness and joviality. Essentially what we are doing is learning how to sell—but we must always remember there is a line between charm and manipulation.
The difference between bettering yourself as a salesman and trying to force action from other people is a big one, if thinly divided. If your goal is to manipulate, then your charm will never blossom the way it could, and people will be able to taste that in your speech and action. Charming salespeople mean well and progress through obstacles the best way they can. Manipulative people back customers into corners and cut their throats when all other avenues are exhausted. This type of behaviour is identified quickly, and if the obvious moral dilemma isn’t clear to you, then you should at least remember that it will absolutely obliterate your referral rating.
Most of us will attain charm through bold and funny conversation, for just an instant, then shrink back into ourselves and watch how the people around us are reacting. It is in this action that we lose it, and in this moment we are, again, “not charming”. The reason for this should be obvious if you’ve taken the time to observe the steps carefully.
Confidence is the key: freedom from inhibition—or, more accurately, freedom from self-imposed social restraint. Charming people are not worried about how they come off, while at the same time they hit each and every polite and fun social cue correctly. They do this because it is who they are. It appears as if politeness and correctitude are coded into these people’s very genetic makeup; they have a somehow preternatural sense of what is and is not pleasing behaviour. They do not shake hands firmly and laugh at jokes and maintain eye contact because they are worried about you not liking them or because they have been taught that is how you make friends. They do it because it just makes sense; it’s instinctive. That is why we are usually so wary of charming people. They just don’t seem real enough.
When it’s done right, words like art and beauty leap to mind, as opposed to attempt and failure, and sleaze. When a person has managed to analyze the world around them well enough to mirror back all the positives and very few of the negatives—really and truly incorporate that into their personality—it is a wonder to behold, and I’d recommend it to anybody. We must keep in mind here that we are not talking about changing who you are. We are talking about the way that you present yourself and the effect you have on the people around you.
It is important to remember the key to selling is honesty, integrity and a balance of charm. Put yourself in a buyer’s mindset the next time you do a sales presentation. Sell to others the way that you want to be sold.
You’ll find that working the phon
es will be a good way to generate customers when the dealership is slow and door traffic isn’t what it used to be (not that it ever is). Get on the phone; call people you’ve had before. Maybe there are people in that Rolodex who have lease maturities coming up and they’ll need to re-sign, or lease a different car, or buy one—whatever the case may be. Maybe they’ve had service inquiries. Some return customers might need repairs done in the shop. You can call and follow up with them, see how their service went, if they have any questions, etc. If they haven’t made your repairs, maybe it’s time to turn in the vehicle or flush out some exciting options for them.
You’ll want to be checking for sales leads. Check with your receptionist, and stay on top of it. If you’re the first to get the call, that’s an easy prospect. Oftentimes in sales, you’ll feel like some sort of back-alley detective, chasing down tips and following trails. People will make you chase them—expect it. But don’t try bullying them into commitment, and never attempt excessive calling and e-mailing. Your job is not to make them commit—your job is to make them want to commit, and if you allow them to lock you into the position of hounding, sleazy car salesperson, then it’s over, because they can easily justify brushing you off once you’ve made that transformation. The same way that most people will hang up or yell at telemarketers, if they feel you are transgressing upon their personal live, a boundary will have been crossed, and you will be more assailant than actual help. Selling will be very difficult to do under these circumstances, and there will be very little wiggle room.
Telephone work is delicate, because that person on the other end has no idea who you are or what you look like. They will read into your words tenfold what they normally would, and that includes inflection, tone, vocabulary, and so on. They’re trying to feel you out from the word go, but that is fine, because you are a seasoned professional with a knack for counter-intelligence. You need to know that if this person hangs up the phone and feels anger or offense, you’ve blown it, and that’s one less customer… and one step in the wrong direction.
Selling over the phone is a sales technique every salesperson must master to be a success! With these simple sales tips you are well on your way.
Always remember:
Your job is not to make them commit—your job is to make them want to commit.
Focus on the One You’re With
As I am writing this post I am sitting in the customer lounge at a car dealership while I am waiting for my service work to be completed on my vehicle.
While I am sitting here I can’t help but notice the continued lack of professionalism that is happening on the sales floor.
Although, I am grateful for the inspiration for this post, I am ready to go into full-on sales training mode!
I have watched 4 of the 10 sales reps on the sales floor answer the phone while they are talking to customers.
You need to focus on the deal that you have as apposed to the one that might never be.
The phone should only be used when you don’t have a customer at your desk. The customer in front of you is the most important thing you have. Embrace them and hang onto them as long as you can.
As a salesperson you are there to provide customer service, you are at the service of the customer. You are not the receptionist, you are a salesperson. You are there to sell, not answer the phone. Voicemail was created for a reason, so that you could return a phone call at a more convenient time.
You see most people are passive aggressive… They won’t say anything to you about answering the phone in front of them. Instead they just won’t buy.
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When I was selling cars, I would have customers come in to my office and their only concern was price, their question, comments and concerns all revolved around the bottom line of the sale.
This is the perfect scenario – this indicates that they had been shopping around and they were now price driven. I would stop them in their tracks and start my complete sales process. You see when a customer is only interested in price; this tells you something about the customer. What they are really telling you is that no one has shown them that the $40,000 truck they are looking at, is worth the amount that it is selling for and therefore it doesn’t really hold that much value in their eyes.
They don’t see the value in the vehicle; to justify the purchase, the price needs to be lower.
If the value and the price are not equal in the customer’s eyes then perhaps they’re looking at the wrong vehicle altogether. That is why the sales process needs to start at square one.
I would ask the customer to tell me what was important to them and what additional features they wanted and why. I would then look up what I had in my inventory that matched their needs and would show them that vehicle. Sometimes customers would stop me and say “I have already seen the vehicle and I only want the best price”.
I would in turn tell them “Mr and Mrs Customer, I will work on getting you the very best value for this vehicle today, but I want to ensure that the price my manager quotes you matches all of your needs and wants for your next vehicle”.
I would then start my walk around presentation and then take them for a test drive. I would always let my customer drive first and then I would ask them to pull over and I would take a turn at the wheel. This serves two purposes and it is important that the customer starts the test drive, but the sales person must always finish it behind the wheel.
The first reason this is important is that it allows the customer to ask you questions about the car while they are the passenger.
The second reason is you never want the customer to park the car themselves. Nothing will kill a deal faster than a customer that doesn’t feel comfortable parking the car of their dreams.
After the test drive I would ask my customer “If the numbers are right, can I earn your business today?” By asking this question I would know if they are still fishing for the best price or what their REAL objection was . If they are only price shopping and I felt they were unable to commit to the purchase I would give them a hunting license.
A hunting license is when you give a customer a quote at dead cost; you role out the admin fees and even the dealer holdback. The true dead cost!
If they don’t come back you know that they weren’t going to buy because no other auto dealership would be willing to touch that price.
Keep selling and the next time you have a customer that is stuck on price. Stop them in their tracks, slow the sales process down and take control of the deal.
Your desk is for working… ONLY!
I can’t help but notice how many people misuse their office space.
It is not for eating, that is what your lunch room is for. It is not for mountains of paperwork. That is what drawers and filing cabinets are for.
It is not for sitting on. That is why you have a chair and it is definitely not for your coat because guess what, someone has made millions off of an invention called the coat rack. Try using one!
I am often approached by companies to come in and speak to their employees about professionalism. They pay me a lot of money to consult with their team and give solid advice and feedback on what I see is going wrong in their working environment.
It is almost always blatantly obvious what they are doing incorrectly and the solution is quite simple: Stick to the basics and use common sense.
You can’t call yourself a sales professional if you don’t conduct yourself like one.
I follow a simple rule when it comes to being professional:
Look good, feel good.
Feel good, pay good.
Pay good, play good.
Remember these words, live by them.
Pay close attention to what your customers are saying and adapt to their requests.
If a customer walks into your office and says, “Oh I am sorry. I see you’re eating… I will come back later.” Listen to that!
If a customer walks into your cubicle sees the mounds of papers and says, “I can see you are too busy, I will come back later”. Hear that!
If a customer is sitting in front of you and you answer the phone and they walk away because they assume the phone call is more important than they are, recognise that!
Be professional and use common sense, your work space is created for you to serve customers, make money and be successful. Conduct yourself in a way that acknowledges that and your work life will change for the better.
I was young and full of enthusiasm when I started my sales career. I knew that I needed some kind of kick start to my career, I had to do more than simply attract customers, I needed a customer injection that would immediately bring money in the door.
You see I didn’t have a portfolio of lease returns or existing customers like a lot of the veteran sales reps. I was starting fresh and needed to make money NOW. I asked myself, what could I do to bring more customers to my dealership and kick-start my career?
I needed to create a marketing strategy.
I was walking around a local printing and business supply store at lunch one day when it hit me. They had a big sign up in their printing section that said “Colour Copies Now Available”. I went back to my office and used skills that I acquired in pre-school and started cutting out pictures of vehicles from our product brochures. I then pasted them on to my dealership’s company letter head and typed out some terms and financing numbers. At the top of the page I put special employee offer for________________ (I inserted various company names from my area)
I then went back to the print shop, had 50 copies made for each factory or business I was soliciting and purchased 10 gift baskets. The baskets were filled with chocolates, assorted coffees, and tea. The cost $14.95 each and were professionally put together.
The next morning I went to all of the local companies that I had identified for potential business and spoke with the receptionists. I told them that I valued the hard work they did and that I wanted to give them a gift basket as a token of my appreciation. They were thrilled.
I would then go into my sales pitch and asked them if they would do me a favour. I asked them to put a copy of the brochure that I made in every employee’s mailbox and post them in the lunch room and on any company information boards throughout their establishment.
It took about three weeks for the first sale, but after that, the sales started consistently rolling in. My efforts even attracted the attention of our city bus terminals and they wanted us to offer their employees the same deal.
This turned in to a huge money maker for my dealership on a minimal investment. This process is even easier in today’s market. The printing industry has drastically improved over the pat 10 years and you can develop great marketing materials using free templates on the internet.
Sometimes going back to the basics will boost your sales more than you could ever imagine.
So think outside the box and keep selling ahead of the curve.
What can you do to kick-start your sales career?
I have recently had some really great questions and comments from some of my readers.
Thank you to those of you that have commented and sent emails please feel free to continue to reach out.
In a recent post titled “Closing – The Right Way.” I discussed the sales process using a bicycle as a metaphor.
I have great feedback regarding this post.
One of the most common questions that I have gotten is: If the front wheel on the bike is the customer and the back wheel is the sales rep, What is the frame?
Great question.
You see the framework of the bicycle would be a combination of the product you are selling and the process itself.
The product is what brings the customer and sales rep together.
Without it, the sale wouldn’t exist and without a flawless sales process you will lose the customer.
Thank you for your comments and please feel free to send me your questions and ideas so that we can discuss them in future posts.
Vitamin C deficiency could be critical to the health of your business. Here’s a prescription to ease your symptoms and help you work towards a cure.
Vitamin C deficiency is a direct result of the following three symptoms:
- NO CUSTOMERS
- NO CASH
- AND NO CREDIT
Luckily this ailment can be cured and your career could have a long and happy life.
The remedy is simple:
- CUSTOMERS.
You need customers and the rest will follow.
Customers equal cash flow and cash flow will give you the tools needed to obtain credit from the bank.
How do you get more customers?
Most sales people and businesses are always trying to attract new customers. But what about the customers you already have?
You see, many people don’t realize the gold mine that they are sitting on. The best people to offer your services to are the customers that have already benefited from these services.
If you are in a slump or sales are slow, pick up the phone and send out some mailers to your previous customers.
The results will speak for themselves.
Closing is (arguably) the most important stage in the sales process. It is your Grail, your target, the meaning of your quest. It is the undertaking that you strive for.
After all, what is a sale without the close? Simply put: it’s non-existent.
I once watched an orientation video featuring the great story Glengarry Glen Ross, in which they outlined their foolproof tactic for directing a sale as follows: ABC
Or, in more detail, Always Be Closing
This is not the right strategy at all.
If you are always closing, you are clearly not listening. Closing is an end-stage proposition, not a state of mind you can expect to carry you throughout. It is a place you want to arrive at, not a country whose flag you secretly harbour at all times. Trying to end a sale at every juncture is rude and transparent, and your customers will not only quickly realize your plan of attack, but they will be offended by your lack of interest in their needs.
However, it’s the right idea. They even got honourable mention in the movie Jerry Maguire. Their idea is based around always driving toward the end, and that could not be more accurate.
You must think of a sale (and especially the close) as a bicycle. The rear wheel is the salesperson. It is the all-powerful “creator of velocity”, from which all sales and income effuse. It discharges money and prestige and traffic. Simply put, the bike doesn’t roll without this driving force.
This brings us to the front wheel, which would be the customer. He will roll if you push him correctly. He is there to be directed; his very function is to be propelled by the back wheel. The front wheel believes itself to be in control, because it decides which direction to take—what to buy, for example, and for how much. But the back wheel can and does guide it—this is your job.
You should think of the sales tools and tips in this blog as your pedals. If the bike flows seamlessly, and each part does its duty correctly, there is very little evidence of where (or even if) the accelerating force originates, and centrifugal force is assumed. This is also true with a sale; allowing the customer to believe that he is in control, while silently directing his motion, is the higher plane you are striving for. Once you can do that effectively, you will find the things you want shockingly close at hand.
Do you ever find yourself stumbling through a sales 
pitch?
Many sales reps use enthusiasm and charm to sell a product, but in today’s competitive market you really need to know your stuff.
Here is a helpful way to remember how to stay focused throughout the sales process in 3 easy steps:
• Feature,
• Function,
• Benefit.
These three words will keep your sale on track and keep your customer engaged throughout the sale.
When doing your sales presentation, remember to include these points in your discussion.
STEP 1- FEATURE
Make sure that you point out all the features that your product has. Elaborate on this section of the presentation and really emphasize your points.
STEP 2- FUNCTION
Show the relevance of your product’s features by explaining the function of these features. Demonstrate these functions with your client. Get them excited.
STEP 3- BENEFIT
Now that you have presented your product to your clients and they understand the features and the functions, Show them how the product will specifically benefit them.
Here’s a list of questions to ask yourself in order to get started:
How will this product benefit their life?
Will it save them time or money?
Is it a safety feature?
Whatever your product’s benefits are, this is your time to shine and make the sale.
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