Sales Leads: 5 Tips For Closing More Deals
Most sales professionals are well aware of the general process that their job requires. It’s all about building good relationships with your sales leads. You do this via phone calls, emails, social media outreach, and other contact methods. You present accurate and useful information and try to help the buyer understand why your solution will be the best option for them. There’s something more important than just what you say, though. It’s how you say it. Here’s your five-item to-do list:
1: Have the Right Attitude
If you’re having a conversation with a decision-maker, then you’re already halfway there. You already know that there is interest in what you’re offering. Now it’s just a question of convincing this prospect that your solution is what they need. Be confident, because you know that it is! That confidence comes across to them in the conversation, especially over the phone. Hearing your confidence is reassuring and subconsciously convincing to them.
2: Have the Right Facts
We don’t mean just industry statistics and product details. You should know as much as you reasonably can about your sales leads, their companies, their markets, and the challenges in their industries before you ever speak with them. You need to do your research beforehand. You should be able to refer to a blog post, article, or tweet written by your lead and address the concerns expressed there.
3: Ask The Right Questions
Of course, it’s impossible to know everything before you talk, so be prepared to ask the kinds of questions that make leads think. Avoid simple yes-and-no questions, except when asking for a firm commitment. Ask questions that prompt your sales leads to reflect on the possibilities and implications of staying on their current course versus the advantages you’re presenting.
“Some of the best sales questions are ‘why?’ and ‘what is the implication of continuing to do that?'” — Douglas Burdett
4: Stay In Control of Your Side of the Conversation
HubSpot has a great article about how to deal with more difficult leads. Even if someone is giving you a hard time, you can still close the deal with them. It’s a question of controlling your responses. Stay steady, level-headed, and polite. One particular piece of advice we liked was this:
“It’s natural to want to position yourself as an authority figure in dealings with tough customers — but do this by sharing information objectively and asking for your prospect’s perspective.
“For example, instead of saying, ‘Did you know industry experts predict widget production will triple in the next four years?’ try, ‘I’ve heard widget production is expected to triple in the next four years. Will this affect your business at all?'”
This subtle but powerful technique helps save you from making a tough lead feel like you’re trying to prove you know more than them. It shows that while you do have the right facts, their opinion also matters to you. Which brings us to the last point.
5: Remember, It’s Not About You
Sales is about solving other people’s problems.
Whatever your incentives are, whatever your needs are, no matter what your circumstances mean, when you’re talking with a sales lead, everything is about what you can offer them. What can you do for them? How are you going to make their life and business better? Keeping that focus is key, because they can always tell when you care more about yourself than about what they need.
Boomsourcing’s Sales Development team lives according to these principles. We are dedicated to helping our clients succeed in their sales efforts by being a better, more dedicated team, devoted to satisfying their needs. Contact us today to dramatically improve your sales, in both quantity and quality!
