Jul 20, 20223 min
Updated: Oct 2, 2022
Nothing drives business - especially for those of us in sales- more than selling to new prospects. #salestips #SalesLife
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Ask any seasoned sales professional and they will tell you that their daily activities are 1-part customer service and 3-parts Sales. We break our selling into "new business" and "cross-selling".
While selling new products to existing customers may seem comfortable and rewarding, nothing makes me happier than cultivating new leads and turning those into new customers.
For the ones we initially approach to do business with us for the first time, we try to follow a set of steps to help us streamline our processes and increase our chances of bringing home the proverbial bacon more often than not.
The following 5 basic steps are excerpts from a few of my favorite resources out there on the Intertubes (not in any particular order).
Consultative selling is an approach to sales that is centered around the customer and their needs. This approach shifts the focus away from the product’s features and instead focuses on the customer.
This takes a different approach than traditional selling.
Let’s look at how you can do this:
Ask open-ended questions: Get the prospect talking so you can tailor your pitch around their specific concerns and points made.
Demonstrate an understanding: Show that you understand their business, industry, concerns, and pain points.
Add value where possible: Earn client trust by offering help or advice to your prospect. This will help show you’re there to help them find solutions, not just close a deal.
Demonstrate active listening: Paraphrase their needs to show you’re listening and have an interest in their concerns.
Frame your pitch around the prospect: Center everything you talk about around your prospect and how it will help them. Remember, they’re much more likely to respond to benefits than features.
Want to make sure your pitch has a soft landing? Personalize it to your prospect. Rather than just focusing on vague pain points, get as specific as you can. Most salespeople don’t dig around enough or supplement their pitches with customized statistics or news. That’s a mistake. Every prospect has unique needs in addition to general, overarching ones.
Now, you don’t want to get too clever. A prospect might feel uncomfortable if you mentioned something too private while pitching, like his daughter’s alma mater or wife’s employer. Nonetheless, you could adapt and tweak each pitch just a bit to show that you’ve done your homework and understand your prospect’s needs.
For example, consider folding industry data that’s relevant to the client into your presentation. If your pitch includes a Google Slides or PowerPoint deck, you might want to incorporate the prospect’s logo where applicable. These little touches may seem simple but they can help your prospect feel less faceless and more valuable.
You’ve come to the end of your pitch. You’re thrilled with how well it went. Then, the objections start. Suddenly, you start to perspire and turn into the proverbial deer in the headlights. Not a good look, especially if you’re trying to wow your prospects with your expertise and problem-solving skills.
To be sure, weird objections will come your way now and then. With that being said, most objections are going to fall into one big common bucket. As long as you know what they are, you can construct truthful, appropriate responses. Therefore, start coming up with a comprehensive list of pitch objections you’re likely to get.
After exhausting your lineup of objections, you can write and memorize answers for each one. This works well as a team brainstorming workshop, by the way. If you’re not the sole seller for your company, consider bringing everyone together to crowdsource ethical rejoinders to target audience concerns. All your colleagues will be on the same page and can help each other excel.
Every pitch is an opportunity for you to snag another deal, land another lead, and make lasting relationships. Treat each one thoughtfully and you’ll be amazed at how much easier it is to convert even the coldest prospects into fans.