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Don't Be a Sales Zombie

Lately I've been updating my computer system. Again. And this requires occasional trips to the local computer chain store. For the most part, I'm in and out in a few minutes, knowing exactly what I want and need. But when I'm looking for a more expensive piece of equipment, I have an experience I call, "Attack of the Sales Zombies'.

This is a pretty common experience which most likely we've all experienced: being confronted with a sales robot, someone unable to go it without a script or pitch, someone with no personality, asking the same questions or regurgitating the same thing over and over regardless of what you want.

If I'm confronted with a sales zombie, especially when shopping for a higher end item (like a car), I look for the closest exit. On occasion, I try to determine if it's worth it to help the person out, but really, I just want to get away. Sadly, sometimes there are people so dead set at doing it by the book that no matter what suggestions I offer, they're going to continue to do it with their script.

There are a few very simple things sales professionals can do to understand the true power of persuasion. The first step is to create rapport with prospects and clients. Old fashioned sales training, for the most part, glosses over rapport with a brief 'how's it going?' sort of greeting. Rapport is a deeper than that.

Rapport is really getting to the heart of the matter. Here are some examples of questions to ask: "So why are we here today?" Why are they in the store? "What will having that do for you? and Ultimately, what will having this do for you?" The key is to really listen. LISTEN. Don't push your agenda. Don't try to give them whatever it is you need to sell that particular day unless it will truly fulfill their needs.

If you're in real estate and you understand your potential client is selling their house move into bigger one because their family is growing, well, you're not going to sell them a smaller house, are you? No. You're not going to sell them a condo with one bedroom. You're going to keep their needs in mind, combined with their values and criteria and view the inventory that you have with these in mind. It seems obvious, doesn't it? And for higher end sales professionals, it is obvious. But for some, it's not.

The experiences I've had lately in retail have been so incredibly frustrating that I want to give sales trainings at the stores where I shop. So if you're ever in the Seattle-Tacoma area and find yourself receiving extraordinarily persuasive and helpful service at a huge computer store, you'll know why. . .

Article Source: http://www.uberarticles.com/articles

Kenrick Cleveland teaches strategies to earn the business of affluent prospects using persuasion. He runs public and private seminars and offers home study courses and coaching programs in persuasion strategies.

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