Sales Articles

Debt collection is in itself a formidable salesman

To thrive, sellers must take debt collection in stride. Or would they rather Finance does? If the ultimate objective of sales is to generate income, then debt collection is in itself a salesman. A reader friend of mine told me of an interesting experience he had a few years back. When he joined this firm

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Asking ‘So?’ will let you look outwards to the buyer and the sale, not inwards to you

How do you get to speak in the language that connects with the buyer? By asking, “So?”. Virtually all in-house sales training busy themselves with product knowledge. So if I’m selling waste-water treatment equipment, my in-house training will focus on the types of plants we have, their specifications, what they can do and how they

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Access to information is losing currency as the selling gambit

As long as access to information is lopsided to the seller’s advantage, buyer-beware will still trump. With information access being equal, seller-beware comes to the fore. The terrorist attack in Garissa was followed globally as it was happening, yet newspaper sales are on the decline. How? 21st C readers prefer other ways of consuming news.

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Think like a business owner for success in sales

One of the challenges many salespeople face is the inability to think like a businessman.This happens because their buyers are businessmen and they are employees. One of the challenges many salespeople face is the inability to think like a businessman. In most instances they get by without having to, but in some they struggle when

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Two years on- 12 ways to become a first-class seller

Today’s article is the 101st and marks this column’s 2nd anniversary. As with any milestone, reflection is advisable. Only editorial space limits the depth to which we can reflect and so we’ll look at twelve ways in which we can connect with the buyer. After all connection is the underlying theme of Sales Pitch. 1.

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Avoid using the word ‘convenient’ while selling

Avoid using the word ‘convenient’ when selling. Let it come from the buyer. Strive instead to get the buyer to vividly visualize how your product solves his problem. The word ‘convenient’ when selling is anything but. The same goes for terms like risk transfer and peace of mind best left on a brochure. Using the

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Stretch the buyer’s pain to help them see the need to buy

The natural reaction to pain is to avoid it and the average seller does this in an attempt to be nice. Progressive sellers on the other hand have no qualms stretching the buyer’s pain In the counter terrorism hit series 24, protagonist Jack Bauer uses pain to acquire information. When a villain has a wound,

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Align your objectives to buyer’s for a faster close

Aligning (instead of conflicting) your objectives to that of the buyer, will more likely progress the sale to fruition, faster. What’s the objective of a client meeting? The average seller will dismissively say, “Duh! To make a sale, of course.” The same question to the buyer will yield this sombre response: “To get information”. Conflicting

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Graduate from courtesy calls to business calls

Buyers are busier than ever; buzzing here and buzzing there to meet deadlines; submit reports; and catch up on WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook. Therefore, “I just called to see how things are” is a misplaced (and irritating) disruption. Graduate from courtesy calls to business calls. You must have missed the funeral. And not just that,

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