In sales conversations you create added value from start to finish

Professionalism in sales means doing the right things at the right time and doing them correctly. It’s all about effectiveness and efficiency. But to build a genuine business relationship, you rely on the other person’s cooperation. And to secure that, it’s best to focus on making a good impression by selling yourself, your organisation, and only then your product or service.

After all, it’s much easier to sell that service or product if you’ve first built trust as a person and presented your organisation as a reliable partner.

Personality sells

People buy from people. And they’re even more likely to buy from people they trust. You build that trust by:

• a well-groomed appearance:
  a well-groomed and friendly appearance creates the primacy effect – that first good impression which makes a lasting impact on everyone;

• showing you’re prepared:
  • get the client’s or prospect’s file ready,
  • say that you have already discussed, considered or talked about it with …,
  • make sure you also show during your interview that you are very well prepared;

• being honest and kind:
  • show an interest in the sector and in your client’s organisation,
  • show that you are willing to work together by offering help, sharing information and emphasizing that you wish to achieve a shared outcome;
  • be honest about this.

A strong organisation that supports the individual

Once you’ve managed to build trust as a person, you’re also selling your own organisation. You do this by being enthusiastic:

• about your colleagues:
  • highlight their relevant strengths,
  • be enthusiast about their experiences,
  • share their successes;

• about what makes your organisation special:
  • say what makes your organisation unique
  • talk about what your organisation does that cannot be copied,
  • share the successes your organisation has already achieved with similar clients.

Individuals and organisations pave the way for effective sales

If your path is so well-paved, it’s easier to demonstrate that you’re the right choice. After all, you’ve amply proven that you have what it takes to deliver precisely the product or service that will make your customer happy.

In other words: you’ve already created so much value that your customer is much more likely to accept your price. The extra value that you and your team provide alongside the product or service has become far more important than the price itself. Or perhaps you’d prefer to call it an investment. Because that’s what it’s all about in the end: getting your customer to invest in something that makes them better, smarter and/or happier.