The sales process is a tricky thing, and sometimes we face more restrictions or a longer on-ramp than other times. Yet, if you are a business owner, you are out there talking about what you do because you want to bring in new customers or clients. So, how do you set yourself on the path to sell even in the moments when you can’t sell?
Let’s start with a few reasons why you might not be able to sell in this moment.
- You are in a forum where hard selling is not allowed. This could be a networking event, a speaking engagement, a Facebook group, or some other space that isn’t owned by you. You don’t make the rules here, but the person who does has a “no sales” policy.
- You haven’t had enough time to relationship build. Sure, you COULD drop an offer, but you know that you haven’t had enough time in this forum to build a relationship with your audience. If you haven’t nurtured this group enough, they may bristle when you try to sell to them, feeling that you haven’t earned it.
- You haven’t had a chance to address objections, and this isn’t the place to do it. Most buyers are going to have objections in the sales process, whether they communicate them to you or not. Some types of people do a lot of research on their own to address their objections before they come to you with a serious inquiry. Some will work through them with you. This is often a critical part of their decision. The more you can get in front of it, the better your close rate will be.
One more scenario: If you are someone who is just flat-out uncomfortable to sell, this is a completely different conversation. I know this may feel like it is stopping you, but if you want to run a business, profits have to come from somewhere. I encourage you to start expanding your comfort zone in this area by learning about the MANY ways you can start creating authentic relationships with your audience and the many sales techniques that lead up to the close. The better you are at the whole process, the easier the close will be. I have a lot of tips about the sales process, but start here to learn about selling from a humble stance!
Going back to the conversation at hand, let’s say one of those prior three challenges is true for you. You aren’t allowed to sell in this space, you haven’t built a strong enough relationship yet to be set up for sales success, or you want more time to address objections first. What is one tool that will help you push forward in the sales process anyway?
A tool that I am a fan of is a little thing I like to call “embedded social proof.”
“One of the biggest challenges my clients have…”
“Last week I was delivering a workshop to mid-size businesses in Idaho when….”
“In my membership group last week we were talking about…”
“This is the most common road block I’ve seen from my 6-figure clients before we pushed to 7 figures…”
When you have an opportunity to flesh out a more complete case study or testimonial, that’s another great tool to use. But sometimes you don’t have the time, opportunity, or permission to derail your conversation or content with a full story. Or perhaps you haven’t earned it yet, and you know it.
In those moments, don’t underestimate the power of embedded social proof. Slip in quick examples that would truly matter to this audience. Ones that have bearing and relevance in this discussion. You don’t have to spend a lot of time on them, in fact at their core they are nearly subliminal messages that you insert on the way to your point. Drop them in when you can, and they start to add up.
Don’t underestimate the power of embedded social proof. Slip in quick examples that would truly matter to this audience. #sales #business #biztips #smallbusiness
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Even better is if you can couple this with other neuro-linguistic programming techniques, such as gesturing. With the right gestures, you can help your audience associate with the example you just gave. You are training their brains to make that connection automatically in the future.
What is the point of embedded social proof? For one thing, you are planting seeds that show the strength of your reputation and your authority. Without having to go too far bragging about yourself, you are letting your experience speak for itself.
You are introducing the idea that you can do the kind of work you would like them to hire you to do. In fact, others have trusted you to do it. Even if you can’t offer it outright this very second, you are suggesting what your services are in an anecdotal way. Those who need that kind of product or service are now clued into the fact that you provide it. They are now empowered to pursue the conversation.
To go a step further, if you use an example that they can relate to, they can now begin to connect the dots of the story you are telling to the outcomes they can expect in their own lives. You may have started talking about these people over here, but if I relate to those people you mentioned, I now start to see MYSELF as your client or customer. With the right suggestion, your audience can begin to insert themselves into the context you create.
The sales process is often a long road, and it’s more than just the close. Shaping, psychology, and suggestions help you build momentum.
The sales process is often a long road, and it’s more than just the close. Shaping, psychology, and suggestions help you build momentum. #sales #biztips #salestips #business #smallbusiness
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The subtleties and subliminal messages all factor into the relationship you are building. Even if you are reading this and thinking that this is a bridge too far for you into sketchy salesperson territory for you, I assure you this technique can feel like an authentic approach if you think about the examples that matter to your audience. Try it out.
When it comes to selling when you can’t sell, this is a go-to tip that can make a huge difference. At the very least, you can start priming the message you want to send!
The post My Top Tip for Selling When You Can’t Sell appeared first on Melissa Forziat Events and Marketing.