Basic Sales Principles

Tuesday morning is always an RLI (Referral Leaders International) morning.  I love this energizing troupe.

For those of you who may not know about RLI is the fastest growing referral leadership network around. Check them out: 

Facebook    https://www.facebook.com/EastValleyElite/?fref=ts    

               or 

   http://www.referralleaders.com 

Unlike a leads group, RLI is a permission based referral network--- business to business.  RLI  has been a great phenomenal personal growth tool for me this past year.

Weekly we learn new thinking or are often reminded of back to basic tools we should be implementing in business.

This week, Kendra Jackson with Lone Wolf Contracting spoke. 

Kendra is an informative teacher, a wonderful mentor, and a great leader! 

Her teaching reminded me of my Real Estate Sales 101, "Working with buyers training".  

Here’s what she covered:

Five Steps to Handling Objections:

1. Press for the specifics: Who’s responsible? When/Where/How did it happen? Make sure you understand the details. (My mind thought about this: The  first time a buyer brings up an objection  just listen. “Wow that bathroom was pink”.)
2. Paraphrase what was  heard: This is fairly simple, mirror back what you heard. (My sales trainer taught me when the buyer brought up the  objection again, acknowledge it: “Yes, that bathroom was pink”.)  Know what the person is saying.
3. Then simply respond with the facts. Suspend opinions, your agenda, and even judgments simply get into the other person’s shoes. Focus on understanding what matters to them.  It’s called “active listening”.  Yes, it’s not always easy, but with lots of practice it is possible!
4. Test for reaction. (“You’re right, the bathroom is pink, how about painting it.”) In today’s society it is often called “concept testing”.  Sometimes it simply helps to reshape and refine what’s possible. Remember, the whole idea is to overcome the current objection.
5. Finally, just ask for the business. (“So, let’s write the offer to purchase!”).  You know, it does not matter how good you are if you fail to ask then you’ll never make the sale. 

Take time to understand the real need, want, or desire --- hear the person out; address all the objections -  they will buy (whatever it is you’re selling) 

Yes I  remember being taught these basic sales principles---I simply had not consciously thought about them in years. Sales is really pretty simple:  ask, listen, confirm, reconfirm and close.

If you service people well during the entire process you’ll never find yourself  strong arming someone into a purchase (of anything).