7 Steps To Selling with Impact

I was recently speaking with a friend who is also a Trainer and it turns out we both recently shared an experience around impact selling. It was a great one and worth sharing!

The Experience

There was a very successful sales rep who sold glass into construction companies and the like. This particular year she was the top sales person and had been invited to get up on stage at the national sales conference and let everyone know how she did it…. What was the secret of her success?

So she is at conference and proceeds to tell everyone the usual about building rapport and clear product messaging etc. However she then shares with them the key difference! In each call she makes the point of taking in a small sheet of the glass, she leans it against the wall after which she takes a hammer out of her bag, raises her arm back….. then WHACKS that glass.”

Now if you are the customer this is quite a shocking experience and I am sure in most cases the customer will physically move back in their chair, if not actually raise their arms to shield them from the glass that is likely to come flying their way. Of course the glass doesn’t break so the customers’ response quickly turns from shock, to relief and pleasant surprise.

Most of you will have experienced that similar sense of relief at some point, maybe when someone hides and jumps out on you. So what happens next physiologically speaking as you get past the shock and then relief? In most cases people will often smile and that smile can often then turn into a laugh.

So, what this lady was achieving in doing this was a clear demonstration of her product that subsequently generated strong enough emotions, to leave the customer smiling and laughing.

She had created an experience for the customer that they were sure to remember and tell others about. But not only that but through the demonstration she also created a strong desire for the customer to want the product.

Now of course just this experience alone did not generate the sales, but it certainly helped as the customer had created a bond with her through that shared experience, which enabled future access to the customer and the time needed to put everything else in place for the contract.

This was something that was not taught to her or she was instructed to do. It is what came very naturally to her and her personality, she was able to make this sort of approach work.

7 Key Steps to Sell with Impact

Now let me break this down and give you 7 key steps that can help you achieve something similar…

Step 1. Belief

Firstly having belief in yourself but also having belief in your product – this will show through in your confidence. This is extremely important in any sales professional.

Step 2. Attitude

Of course I am talking about having a very positive outlook, but more than that….having the desire to deliver great service – you are as much the product as what you are selling.

Step 3. Be Prepared

Obviously researching your customer, but also knowing your sales process and product inside-out, so that it does not take up conscious thinking space – leaving your mind free to respond appropriately in the conversation to your customer needs.

Step 4. Value

Have a strong value proposition – how will your product help to improve the customers’ performance?

Step 5. Differentiate

What is unique about your offering that makes you stand out against your competitors?

Step 6. Be Present in the Moment

What do I mean by this….? I mean be fully engaged in what is going on in front of you – not just what your customer is saying but also what you see and what is happening around you. Are there things you have noticed that you can bring into the conversation?

Step 7. Create an Experience

This is an opportunity to define your brand, create positive emotions in your customers and be remembered by making an impact. How can you involve your customer more in how you present and deliver your product?

So in conclusion – look to do more than just follow a simple sales process, look to engage in a more meaningful way with your customer by making you product and how you present it stand out! Know your sales process, know your product, research your customer and follow these 7 simple steps to create the impact you desire.

To learn more about how our programmes can help you sell with impact and get results, contact us and we’ll be in touch within the hour!