The 4 Step Sales Process for Offline Success.......
Hey there,
Josh M here again with some great information to help you kick start or improve your offline businesses. I'm going to talk briefly about the 4 step sales process that I used to build my business, and although I can't go into too much detail (it would be way to long), you can get a very good idea of how the process works, and start applying it to your business to help you advance forward.
This process applies to any method of finding business, whether its cold callings and meetings (my preferred method), flyer advertising and follow up phone calls, networking at a business group, you name it, this 4 step process can guide you through any method to get you more sales and to keep you on track.
Stage 1 - The Foot in the door
Whatever method you use, there will be some way of you getting your foot in the door. You can send out flyers, send out personal videos, do some cold calling whatever you want. But know that this stage is very important.
During the first stage, you should be in a "getting to know you" frame of mind, not a "selling" frame of mind.
Don't try any gimmicky openings, they do not work, just be professional and clear. You simply want to get acquainted with the business, one human to another.
The first stage does not take long and could be just a handshake and a "how are you". However its crucial that you remember that you are acting as one human to another, making sure you stay professional, clear, and to the point.
Stage 2 - The Knowledge stage
In this stage you will want to find out the information you need in order to make the right presentation or sell. Whatever you find out in this stage will help you solve the issues that the client needs, and will inform you what you need to sell to them.
Don't just ask business owners "what do you need", this is way to blunt and will be obvious you are fishing for information.
Instead you can say something like "What is it your trying to accomplish with Web marketing". This way it sounds like you are actually interested in their goals and needs, and you are there to help them, not sell to them.
There are thousands of ways this stage can go, but as long as you remember the main point of it, to get the information you need to make the sale, then you will be OK.
This stage will take up most of the sales process time, perhaps up to 80% of your time will be spent finding out what the business needs and wants in order that you can make an educated sell and have a higher chance of the prospect wanting to do business with you.
Stage 3 - The Proposition
The purpose of the presentation is to close the sale. You are not looking for any more information, because you found out what the client wants and needs are in the last stage.
You will use the information you got in the second stage to offer some good suggestions that will apply directly to their wants and needs.
Because you found out what they want and need first, you can then simply sell to them what they want. Now you are offering to help them do what they do better, easier and make more money and save more money, buy doing what they want and need.
How can they not buy what they want? Right?
Stage 4 - Closing
You have made an opening, found out the information you need, and presented a valuable product that matches their needs and finally, we are ready to close.
Don't try any gimmicky closes, these might work sometimes, but most of the time will work against you. They will make you look stupid and unprofessional. The best thing to do is carry on being professional and to the point.
The best thing to say is "Mr Prospect, It makes sense to me.... what do you think?"
By saying it makes sense to you, you are inviting the business owner to silently agree with you, and then when you ask their opinion, they can either agree and go ahead towards the sale, or they will say that it does not make sense to them. If it doesn't make sense, then you want to find out what the problems are so you can get back on the right track.
Now you know the 4 step sales process, you will know what stage you are on and how you need to move forward to complete the sale.
There are a couple of final points I would like to make about the whole sales process which are very important.
Firstly, you must make you find out the information before making any proposition at all. If you present to early, you will risk the client being turned off, and you will lose the sale.
Secondly, know that the most important stage is the knowledge stage (stage 2). The first and last stages are just logical and professional, and the presentation stage can only be done once you know what you need to present. So that brings you back to the knowledge stage being the most important of all.
Make sure you listen to what your client's wants and needs are, and be very attentive to what they are saying. Besides coming across as attentive and aware, a good listener and a friendly person, you will also be gathering all the information you need to make the perfect presentation that they just cannot turn down.
I hope this helps you understand the sales process a bit better, now go out there and get some clients. I know you can do it.
Good luck
Josh M
Josh M here again with some great information to help you kick start or improve your offline businesses. I'm going to talk briefly about the 4 step sales process that I used to build my business, and although I can't go into too much detail (it would be way to long), you can get a very good idea of how the process works, and start applying it to your business to help you advance forward.
This process applies to any method of finding business, whether its cold callings and meetings (my preferred method), flyer advertising and follow up phone calls, networking at a business group, you name it, this 4 step process can guide you through any method to get you more sales and to keep you on track.
Stage 1 - The Foot in the door
Whatever method you use, there will be some way of you getting your foot in the door. You can send out flyers, send out personal videos, do some cold calling whatever you want. But know that this stage is very important.
During the first stage, you should be in a "getting to know you" frame of mind, not a "selling" frame of mind.
Don't try any gimmicky openings, they do not work, just be professional and clear. You simply want to get acquainted with the business, one human to another.
The first stage does not take long and could be just a handshake and a "how are you". However its crucial that you remember that you are acting as one human to another, making sure you stay professional, clear, and to the point.
Stage 2 - The Knowledge stage
In this stage you will want to find out the information you need in order to make the right presentation or sell. Whatever you find out in this stage will help you solve the issues that the client needs, and will inform you what you need to sell to them.
Don't just ask business owners "what do you need", this is way to blunt and will be obvious you are fishing for information.
Instead you can say something like "What is it your trying to accomplish with Web marketing". This way it sounds like you are actually interested in their goals and needs, and you are there to help them, not sell to them.
There are thousands of ways this stage can go, but as long as you remember the main point of it, to get the information you need to make the sale, then you will be OK.
This stage will take up most of the sales process time, perhaps up to 80% of your time will be spent finding out what the business needs and wants in order that you can make an educated sell and have a higher chance of the prospect wanting to do business with you.
Stage 3 - The Proposition
The purpose of the presentation is to close the sale. You are not looking for any more information, because you found out what the client wants and needs are in the last stage.
You will use the information you got in the second stage to offer some good suggestions that will apply directly to their wants and needs.
Because you found out what they want and need first, you can then simply sell to them what they want. Now you are offering to help them do what they do better, easier and make more money and save more money, buy doing what they want and need.
How can they not buy what they want? Right?
Stage 4 - Closing
You have made an opening, found out the information you need, and presented a valuable product that matches their needs and finally, we are ready to close.
Don't try any gimmicky closes, these might work sometimes, but most of the time will work against you. They will make you look stupid and unprofessional. The best thing to do is carry on being professional and to the point.
The best thing to say is "Mr Prospect, It makes sense to me.... what do you think?"
By saying it makes sense to you, you are inviting the business owner to silently agree with you, and then when you ask their opinion, they can either agree and go ahead towards the sale, or they will say that it does not make sense to them. If it doesn't make sense, then you want to find out what the problems are so you can get back on the right track.
Now you know the 4 step sales process, you will know what stage you are on and how you need to move forward to complete the sale.
There are a couple of final points I would like to make about the whole sales process which are very important.
Firstly, you must make you find out the information before making any proposition at all. If you present to early, you will risk the client being turned off, and you will lose the sale.
Secondly, know that the most important stage is the knowledge stage (stage 2). The first and last stages are just logical and professional, and the presentation stage can only be done once you know what you need to present. So that brings you back to the knowledge stage being the most important of all.
Make sure you listen to what your client's wants and needs are, and be very attentive to what they are saying. Besides coming across as attentive and aware, a good listener and a friendly person, you will also be gathering all the information you need to make the perfect presentation that they just cannot turn down.
I hope this helps you understand the sales process a bit better, now go out there and get some clients. I know you can do it.
Good luck
Josh M
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