Sales Success Secrets

By Karen Susman

You're in sales whether you like it or not. You're selling a product, service, yourself, or an idea. Some days you want to sell a computer. Some days you want to sell going to that new Mexican/Indian/Grits-Sausage 'n' Gravy Fusion restaurant.

Here are a few tips that come straight from watching the real pros on infomercials and hucksters at a recent Home Show and Expo.

1. Go where the people are who will buy your product, service, or idea. Don't wait for them to come to you. Figure out where they will be and go there. My acquaintance, Jill, is attending a conference expressly to sell her ideas to the keynote speaker. She'd have a hard time getting in front of him any other way.
   
   
2. Build a crowd and keep them. Get excited about what you're selling. If you don't believe in your self, product, service, or idea why would anyone else? Your excitement will build a following and your supporters will attract additional supporters.
   
   
3. Repeat your message again and again and in as many different ways as possible.
   
   
4. Get your audience involved. Ask them questions. Ask for their opinions. Ask for their help. Ask them to help you demonstrate your product. After a sushi maker pitchman at the Home Show asked me to help him make rice laden, carrot/cucumber stuffed, seaweed wrapped sushi in order to demonstrate how easily his machine worked (Even Karen Susman can make sushi and if she can, you can.), how could I pass up his handy machine?
   
   
5. When your customer is ready to buy, add more benefits. This is the famous, "But, wait! There's more." maneuver.
   
   
6. After your customer is begging you to sell to him, offer to throw in one more benefit, widget, or service with just one proviso. The customer must promise to tell someone about what you're selling. The customer doesn't actually have to recite an oath. You might say, "I'll throw in a free hour of consultation if you'll promise to tell at least one person about my company. Will you do that?"
   
   
7. Congratulate your customer on making a purchase. Make your customer feel she has just been made a member of an elite society (your supporters). Create pride in ownership. People don't like to be sold, but they do like to own.
   

Adapt these concepts for whatever it is you're trying to sell. Let me know how you like that new Mexican/Indian/Grits-Sausage 'n'Gravy Fusion restaurant. Yum!

Karen Susman is a Speaker, Trainer, Coach, and Author of 102 Top Dog Networking Secrets. Karen works with organizations that want to maximize performance. Programs include Humour at Work; Balance In Life; Networking Skills; Presentation Skills; and Building Community Involvement. Order new guidebooks on humour, networking, time management, and community involvement by calling 1-888-678-8818 or e-mail Karen@KarenSusman.com.. www.KarenSusman.com.

Published in Networking Today, May, 2004