The Art of Selling and How to Persuade The Customer
The future of sales changes daily. New technology and rapidly changing customer needs combine to reshape the foundations of salesmanship and how to persuade a customer.
You may think that it is difficult to find an answer to the question “how to convince a customer to buy a product”. But do not be afraid, in this article we will show you how to master the art of selling and how to persuade the customer to buy using some proven psychological methods.
The art of selling and how to persuade the customer to buy
An efficient customer service department projects a positive brand image and builds strong customer loyalty. It also works to turn communications related to complaints and inquiries into a key that brings more sales. Here are some tricks that may help you achieve this.
Be natural and don’t use texts
Customers choose to call because they want to have a conversation with a real person who will answer their queries and answer questions, otherwise what’s the point? This is why you should avoid ready-made chat scripts as much as possible.
These types of pre-written responses sound like an unsolicited sale. Clients are more willing to buy if they feel an emotional connection with the advisor.
Still wondering about the art of selling and how to persuade a customer to buy your product? The answer is be normal and act like a human being.
Data from Bright Local’s research shows that up to 60% of customers prefer to contact small businesses if they have questions or concerns about their offering, or if they are interested in an offer. The success of these calls depends on the speed with which information is obtained and customers’ appreciation for personal contact.
That’s why never use or impose ready-made conversation scenarios on your salespeople. The latter can only be used to direct the conversation or suggest words that encourage purchase.
In no case should ready-made dialogues and scenarios be treated as strict scenarios that every salesperson must adhere to. Even the actors improvise and often do better than the screenwriter intended. Data read from a piece of paper or from a computer screen looks fake and immediately arouses suspicion in a potential customer who begins to believe that the seller’s only goal is to sell the product no matter what.
Ask about clients
If you want to convince people to buy your product, ask them how they are at the beginning of the conversation. Research has revealed that sales increase dramatically among customers who have been asked how they are.
An experiment conducted among waiters showed that positive feedback increased tipping by 27%!
Use names while speaking to the customer
Know your customer’s name and use it from time to time. Psychological research shows that people like to hear their own name and are more likely to develop a friendly relationship with the other person when they use it.
If you do not want to offend the customer, use the phrase “Mr./Ms. And try to treat them as people, not as potential customers included in your CRM system.
Prove that your products are the best
It is very important to highlight the advantages of the product or service offered by your company. Therefore, try to highlight the advantages of your company and its offers compared to your competitors whenever you have the opportunity, whether you are given some specialized products, or you are technically superior, and so on.
Customers sometimes pay more attention to price than anything else. If your price is not lower than competitors’ prices, focus on the quality of your products.
Expand the topics of conversation
Ask open-ended questions and give the interviewer a chance to develop the topic. Instead of saying, “So our product has this functionality,” say: “Yes, (name of customer), our product has this functionality, and let me tell you how it works.”
Identify positive customer characteristics.
Psychologists have proven that if we mention the positive aspects of some clients and our attitude towards them during a conversation, they will act accordingly. So try to highlight how important they are to the company when you talk to them. You can say phrases like: “You are one of our best customers” or “It is a pleasure doing business with you.” You are encouraging them in this way to be the best customers!
Play on emotion
We all like to think our decisions are rational, but let’s face it, we are often affected by emotion. Be insistent on the positive feelings that will result from the purchase of your product when talking to a customer. You will see that it will work much more effective than an objective argument!
Introduce yourself as a business representative or consultant.
This does not mean that you should manipulate your position and lie about it. What we’re talking about here is the difference between acting like a professional representing a company and acting like an impulsive salesperson.
Don’t be that salesman who carries the catalog and reads a list of the items in stock without satiating what customers need. Instead, think of yourself as an expert in the industry you represent. Use the knowledge you have gained over the years in your business to make your recommendations and provide your customers with new information.
It’s not about trying to get into a discussion just about sales. You will appear more confident and persuasive when you believe in yourself and your abilities. Don’t think about how to convince people to buy a product anymore, focus on using your knowledge only.
Take advantage of customer indecisiveness
Hesitating buyers often find it difficult to let go of a great opportunity, especially if they know what they stand to lose by abandoning it.
You can use this psychological trick in situations where you do not know how to encourage the customer to buy your product. Present your offer as something a potential customer will miss if they don’t buy it rather than focusing on the added value of the product.
If your company is a real estate agency, you can say that this offer is limited, that is, the space will not be available anymore. You can also make your offer look like a missed opportunity from every possible perspective. Try to answer the following questions: “What is the client’s life missing now?” Why will you regret not buying? How can your competitors take advantage of this offer?
Let your customers decide the next steps.
Use the power of psychology and give your prospect some independence by asking, “What do you want to do next?” or “What are the next steps we can take?” This is one of the very important steps in the art of selling and how to convince the customer.
You can also suggest some options to choose from or some examples. By letting the customer decide for themselves, you are sending them a signal that their opinions matter, often ending in a successful sales call.
conclusion
Incoming calls can turn into a great sales opportunity. All you need is to know how to convince a customer to buy and how to move from product questions to commercial offer.
The psychological tricks mentioned above will help you master the art of selling and how to persuade a customer.