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Whether you’re spreading brand awareness with help from the best promotional products supplier or crafting a compelling story to engage customers, having a powerful mix of sales strategies is essential for a growing business.
Below are our top five strategies:
1. Focus on benefits, not features
Of course, salespeople need to know the ins and outs of the products or services they’re selling. However, they shouldn’t place all their focus on explaining features—instead, they should focus on highlighting benefits.
The key here is to explain how your product or service will help a customer solve their problems or reach their goals. To do that, take a step back and clearly identify what problems or goals a customer has. Then, connect those to what you’re offering.
2. Tell a compelling story
One of the best ways to highlight the benefits of a product or service is to tell a story. Compelling stories have the power to captivate your customers, establishing meaningful connections and showcasing how your product or service solves their tangible problems.
For example, if you’re selling a weight loss product, you could rattle off a list of facts about all the nutrients packed inside. Or, you could narrate the inspiring story of another customer who shed 30 pounds by taking that product. The story strategy not only humanizes your brand but also instills a sense of trust by resonating with customers on a personal level. That, in turn, will push them to embrace your offering.
3. Offer free trials
Many customers are wary of opening their wallets for a service they haven’t experienced yet. One simple way to get around that resistance is to let them test it out through a free trial. Also known as the freemium model, it’s incredibly popular because it works well. Companies from Skype to Spotify use it.
It works by offering a free tier with basic features, allowing the customer to see if they like the service. The amount of features this includes should be enough to intrigue the customer, but not so much that they don’t have an incentive to upgrade to a premium tier. Although it’s not perfect, many customers convert to paid subscriptions over time.
4. Be quick
Attention spans are dropping dramatically. In the year 2000, they were at 12 seconds. Now, they’re at 8 seconds. For salespeople, this means you need to grab and hold attention quickly. If you wait too long, customers will float on over to another brand.
In practice, this means responding as quickly as possible to any customer inquiries. Furthermore, if you have a promising lead, be ready to meet them where they are and lead them along the buyer’s journey. Know what you’re going to say and how, and ensure your website loads fast and any friction points are kept to a minimum.
5. Foster reciprocal relationships
When someone says “thank you,” you say “you’re welcome.” This simple example speaks to the power of reciprocity. In short, if you give something to others (a compliment, a product, or even a simple hand-picked flower), they’ll want to return the favor.
That kind of reciprocity is a great way to wow new customers and foster long-term relationships with older customers. For example, if a new customer orders something small, why not send along a personalized message thanking them? Or, if an older customer bulk orders a bunch of t-shirts, why not throw in a few for free?
Keep these strategies in mind, and you’ll be on your way to a far more impressive bottom line.