Stages of sales in retail trade. The main stages of sales: learning to be successful

The success of sales directly depends on the correct approach to a potential buyer. It is no coincidence that employers who work in the field of trade are introducing various employee incentive systems. Those consultants who manage to attract more buyers receive more impressive income. Proper communication with the client is the key to success. There are 5 main stages of sales that every sales assistant should know about.

Stage one - establishing contact

The first impression of a person is the most important. This opinion is indeed justified and applies not only to communication in everyday life. It matters how the store will be presented for the first time in the eyes of a potential buyer. And if the consultant manages to make a good impression, the sales volume will definitely be increased. At the same time, you can not ignore the client or be intrusive. You should choose the "golden mean".

In this business, those who are able to recognize the type of client at a glance become successful. Some potential buyers do not like contacting them, they are sure that they themselves will be able to ask a consultant a question if necessary. Others are waiting for attention to their nature immediately upon arrival at the store. And if the seller does not pay attention to such a client, the impression of the outlet will be negative. All these points should be clearly understood by a successful sales assistant in a clothing, footwear, household appliances, etc. store.

How should a person who works in the field of trade behave? As soon as a potential customer crosses the threshold of the store, you should definitely smile and greet him. Over the next few seconds, you need to evaluate the buyer, to understand whether he needs help. Then you can turn to the client with the question “Is there something to suggest to you?” In case of refusal, in no case should it be imposed.

The appearance of the store employee also plays an important role. Even the best selling technique of a sales assistant will not work if he looks untidy. The employee of the market must be well-groomed. It is good if the dress code is respected in the store.

Stage two - recognition of needs

A good sales assistant can in any case increase sales and sell goods that are not in demand. However, in this way it will not be possible to establish contact with a potential buyer for long-term cooperation. It is important to find out what exactly the client came for, what he is really interested in. How can I do that? First of all, you need to let the person talk without interrupting him. Active listening is the key to success. The only thing you can do is ask a few clarifying questions. So, if we are talking about shoes, it is worth clarifying what size and color a potential buyer is interested in.

The sales assistant technique involves choosing questions that begin with the words “when?”, “Where?”, “For what purpose?” (for example: “Where do you plan to use this or that shoe model?”). Potential buyers will not be able to answer “yes” or “no” to such questions. He will have to provide detailed information that the seller can use to offer several product options at once. The buyer will certainly be able to choose one of the proposed models.

The most important qualities of the seller at this stage are: courtesy, goodwill, ability to listen. Patience is a quality that is also of great importance. The seller will have to deal with a variety of buyers. Many of them will find it difficult to formulate their wishes. But statements like “you yourself do not know what you want” in relation to the client are not acceptable.

Stage three - product presentation

If communication with the client went well in the first two stages, the buyer managed to figure out in which direction to proceed further. It is necessary to offer a potential buyer several models of the selected product at once, describe their benefits. Do not persuade a person to a more expensive model. There is a risk that a potential buyer will generally abandon the idea of ​​​​buying goods here and now.

What should be the sales technique of a clothing sales assistant? The specialist found out why the buyer came to the store. Next, you should ask clarifying questions and offer a potential buyer several suitable options. At the same time, it is worth assessing the physical parameters of a person, in no case discussing them aloud. So, you should not offer a woman with impressive forms a tight-fitting mini dress.

Communicating in the client's language is another important step. A person should feel comfortable in the store. If the consultant uses professional slang, calls the product with words unknown to the buyer, then most likely it will not be possible to increase sales. The consultant will be able to show his competence in a completely different way - offering a potential buyer product options that really suit him.

Stage four - questions and objections

Any objections and questions from a potential buyer are a good sign. Such moments should not scare the seller. After all, they show that the client is really interested in purchasing the product. Any questions are steps that lead to a successful completion of the transaction. The task of the seller is to correctly answer any objections, to persuade the client to buy.

Consultants who have learned how to work with objections can consider themselves true masters. Indeed, for this it is necessary not only to have complete information about the product that is being presented, but also to have the skills of a psychologist. It is important to understand the very essence of the buyer's objection in order to find an appropriate answer or offer an alternative product.

"Too expensive!" - this is the objection sellers hear most often. Discussing the cost is a separate moment of successful sales. The consultant must be able to argue the price of a particular model. What should be the sales technique of a phone sales assistant? The specialist should explain that a particular model costs more because it is made in England and not in China. Durable materials were used in its manufacture. The buyer must understand that by buying a cheaper model, he receives only a temporary benefit.

What if the potential buyer agrees with all the arguments of the store specialist, but simply does not have the full amount to purchase the goods now? The sales technique of a sales assistant involves the promotion of not only store products, but also partners. So, almost any outlet cooperates with banks that can issue a loan for a particular product. This information should be provided to a potential buyer.

Stage five - closing the deal

The final stage of sales is the most difficult. The client still doubts whether he should make a purchase, and the seller is afraid of being refused. Now it is important not to step back. In most cases, buyers are waiting to be nudged into action. They already had the product in their hands, and parting with it can be quite difficult. At this stage, you can remind the indecisive buyer that, according to the legislation of the Russian Federation, the goods can be returned to the store within 14 days. This argument usually goes in favor of the sale. Although in reality no more than 5% of purchases are returned.

Pushing a doubting client into action should be unobtrusive. In this case, the likelihood that a person wants to return to a particular outlet increases. It is recommended to further encourage the client - offer him a discount on the next product or issue a discount card.

The success of a consultant directly depends on the chosen sales technique. The 5 stages described above are fundamental. But you should also be aware of the mistakes that most novice sellers make. If you manage to avoid them, your income will increase significantly.

Mistake #1: Not Listening

A seller who knows everything about the product and talks about it in silence will not be able to become successful. To really interest the buyer, you need to let him speak. The client must tell why exactly he came, what he would like to see in the proposed model. In no case should it give the impression that the seller is imposing something on a potential buyer. A consultant is an assistant who guides the client to the right choice.

Listening to the interlocutor, the seller must understand when and how to ask clarifying questions. If a potential client loses interest in communication, this should be noticed. The first 10-15 seconds of contact between the seller and the buyer who has come to the store are the most important. It will be easy to win over the client if you take notes during the meeting and conversation with him. Such a moment necessarily involves the sales technique of a furniture sales assistant. When ordering this or that model, the buyer must be sure that he was understood correctly and in the end he will really get such a sofa (bed, cabinet, wardrobe) that he wants.

Another important rule: if the conversation has reached a dead end, it should be stopped. Aggressiveness and obsession are traits that do not paint the seller. If the buyer receives negative emotions from communication, he will never want to return to the store again.

Mistake Two - Ignore the Buyer's Point of View

Each seller should carefully study the chosen sales technique, the 5 stages of which are described above. The correct presentation of this or that model is a necessity. However, it is worth remembering that the buyer turns to the store, based on their own benefit. He does not always care whether a particular product is the most in demand on the market (this is what most sellers report during the presentation).

Be sure to study the buyer's point of view. A person came to the store to buy cheap shoes? No need to dissuade him and report that economical models do not last long. The client himself knows what is more profitable for him. The footwear sales assistant's sales technique should include the presentation of models from various price categories.

Mistake three - to convince, not to explain

Beginning salespeople are confident that they will be able to increase profits if they drive the buyer into a corner, describe all the benefits of a particular product and achieve a purchase. It is possible that on the way of such consultants there will be weak clients who will nevertheless bring the deal to the end. But even such buyers will not want to return to the store again.

In no case should the seller aggressively convince the client that this or that product is the most beneficial for him. All that needs to be done is to argue the real benefit for the buyer. The sales technique of a sales assistant should include polite communication, clarification of the client's desires. If a person does not make contact, it is impossible to impose. Only if the buyer is really interested in the product and asks questions, it is worthwhile to honestly explain to him why it is worth making a purchase.

Mistake #4: Underestimating the Buyer's Intelligence

When a sales assistant comes to a clothing store for the first time, he does not know how to behave with potential customers. All the people who visit the outlet seem exactly the same. At the same time, many inexperienced sellers may underestimate the capabilities of the client. A consultant who talks about the benefits of acquiring a particular dress to a stylist looks rather funny. A successful seller must be able to evaluate buyers almost at a glance. This will avoid a funny situation.

Overestimating the mental capabilities of a potential buyer is another big mistake. When a consultant begins to operate with professional words that are not clear to everyone, a person feels his own incompetence in this matter. It’s good if the client is not embarrassed, wants to ask again and still makes contact. Many buyers decide to end the conversation if the information provided is not clear to them.

Active offer of additional services

How else can you interest a potential buyer? It is worth actively promoting additional products and services. The possibility of obtaining a particular product on credit has already been mentioned earlier. Additionally, you can offer the buyer to insure the purchase. This service is especially relevant in mobile communication salons. Perhaps the client will agree to purchase a more expensive smartphone if he is told that he can be insured against falls or theft.

What products can be additionally offered in clothing stores? It will be possible to increase sales very well with the help of various accessories. If the buyer came for trousers, you can offer him a belt or socks. Neckerchiefs and tights are also on sale. More income can be obtained if preparations for sales have been made correctly. Related products should be placed side by side on the shelves. Clothing stores also do well with additional services, such as a discount on dry cleaning, tailoring, and the possibility of delivering goods.

Client base

Those who decide to devote their lives to sales should start their own customer base. All you need to do is save the buyer's data when making a transaction. In the future, using the specified number or email, you can notify the client about the arrival of a new product or discounts on old products. Such tactics must necessarily include the sales technique of a sales assistant of household appliances. A person who bought a refrigerator will sooner or later need a microwave or a slow cooker. In addition, any technique eventually fails. In addition, the client can tell about the possible benefits to his relatives and friends. In this case, sales will grow exponentially.

Even more effective will be direct contact with the client through a phone call. During the conversation, you can interest a potential buyer with new promotions and great deals. In this case, it is also important not to impose. Already from the first seconds of communication, a professional sales assistant must understand whether the conversation is interesting to the client.

Anyone can become a successful salesperson. The main thing is not to despair and try to correct the mistakes made. It is also important to choose the right field of activity. So, a woman who is not well versed in automotive technology, most likely, will not be able to achieve great success in an auto parts store. Also, a male sales assistant is not the best option for a women's underwear salon.

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In any case, it all depends on the person.

Von Seeckt

No wonder the Russian proverb says that time is money. And there is some truth in this.

The result of the activity of each sales manager directly depends on the quality of the duties performed, and this requires a high professional level, which can be achieved if the skills of actions are brought to automatism and then there will be no wasted time, and sales volumes will increase significantly.

And for this you need to develop and strictly implement the stages of the sales process. What are the stages and how many should there be?

Each sales manager can develop their own options for sales stages, which can consist of three, five or even ten stages.

Stages of sales of a sales representative and sales manager

We will consider the activities of a sales manager in seven stages:

  1. Preparing for a visit
  2. Meeting and establishing contact with the client
  3. Assessing the customer's product needs
  4. Sale - product presentation
  5. Conclusion of the contract and additional sale
  6. Preparing of report
  7. Analysis of the transaction - the purpose of the next visit

Now let's look at these 7 stages of sales in stages.

1. Preparation for the visit

The stages of active sales first of all begin with preparation for a meeting, which always represents a certain amount of work, and without which all further actions may be ineffective.

The main thing is to thoroughly learn all the goods that you will offer to the client. The level of your competence will allow the client to choose your products without hesitation.

The degree of preparation also depends on where the meeting with the client will take place. If it will take place on your territory in a store or office, then you need to take care of the order in the workplace: remove everything superfluous from the table, but what you need should be at hand.

During the visit, the client should always feel attention to himself, and if you are not distracted, then they will not lose interest in the proposed product.

If the meeting will take place on the client’s territory, then the preparation for the visit will be somewhat different: a thorough knowledge of the product is also necessary in this case, you need to set the goal of the visit, determine the options for its implementation, be sure to study the client card, which should contain all the information about the client and his outlet.

You should have a catalog of goods and samples, a pen, invoices, a calculator, contracts, a supply of price lists, promotional material and a telephone with you. Having checked the presence of all of the above, you can proceed to the second stage.

2. Meeting and establishing contact begins with the first steps at the point of sale

It is very good if all the sellers were listed by name on the card, then it will be easier to establish contact. If this is your first time at this outlet, then you need to introduce yourself accordingly.

But even with a second visit, it is better to repeat, because the staff of sellers and sales representatives from other companies is changing, and quite a lot has been here too. The presentation should consist of several phrases:

  1. Name and surname of the sales representative;
  2. company name;
  3. the most famous products that are in the assortment of the company;
  4. purpose of the visit.

It is good to have a business card that will indicate all this, and besides, your contact details. At each visit, you need to carefully inspect the outlets because the information may be needed in further work.

If you know the break time of the outlet, then you will never stand at the door, waiting for the break to end, and you will not lose valuable time. If there are any changes, they must be immediately entered into the client card.

It is necessary to find out at the point of sale whether the relevant product and related products are sold, to analyze the activity of competitors and the margin, the display of goods and sales. Find out who in this outlet has the right to make decisions.

3. Assessment of customer needs

It is carried out by special questions that are asked to the client and it is already specifically clarified what he needs. Thanks to such information, the promotion of goods is more productive and high-quality.

Just after asking a question, you should not forget to listen carefully, then the client will answer questions in more depth, and this will help to more accurately determine the need and further increase sales.

At each subsequent visit, the display of goods, advertising and price are checked, and the inventory is checked. Do not hesitate to check and recalculate, because in this case a competent order will be drawn up. You can then determine the passage of the goods and prevent delays.

4. Presentation and sale of goods has always been considered the most important stage of the visit

In order for the sale to be successful, you need to show your best qualities in eloquence and present your products in a worthy way. For this purpose, a presentation is held to state the advantages of this particular product.

This is where all the knowledge of your products will be needed, and to confirm the information with samples, catalogs, leaflets, price lists and advertising booklets. The presentation is a very effective tool in sales and should not be abandoned and used at every opportunity.

If all the points listed above were not fulfilled by the sales representative, but the goods were still sold, then the main thing is done, and the goods will go to the store and reach the buyer.

5. Conclusion of the contract and additional sale

Now the goal is almost fulfilled, it remains to conclude a contract of sale. When concluding a contract and seeing a client in high spirits from a successful deal, you, as a true professional, should not forget that it is too early to relax.

You need to make more sales by offering related products to the client, but you need to do this quickly, without slurring. Don't forget to tell the client about the benefit he will get from this offer.

If you follow these rules, you will be able to sell additional products along with the main product. And then you will not just be a successful seller, but a Sales Professional!

6. Report preparation

The sales representative must also timely and accurately fill out all official documents that are provided by the employing company. Based on the results of this reporting, the company can see the effectiveness of the sales representative and the state of affairs in the territory.

Reporting must be completed in a timely manner. She disciplines employees and helps a lot in their work. Documents filled out correctly will help the sales representative prepare for the next visit even better.

7. Analysis of the transaction - the purpose of the next visit

The profession of "Sales Manager" requires you to be independent, After all, having left for a visit, you can rely only on your own strength. After returning from the client, you need to analyze the entire amount of work and find out what you have completed from the planned, or maybe you have not completed something.

So you need to think about the current situation and make a decision that will help you cope with your goal next time. Sales stages, the scheme of which always works, greatly facilitate the work of a sales representative.

It must be remembered that thanks to a competent analysis, you will not do unnecessary and unnecessary actions.

Here we have considered seven stages of sales and now we can sum up. Each sales representative, knowing the stages of sales and using them in his work, will achieve great results, but you still need to interpret these stages if necessary.

It is not always necessary to blindly follow them, there are situations when you need to show some ingenuity.

And you still don’t know about the 8 stages of sales technique, then you should be ashamed.

It is so embarrassing that the study of this article for you should rise to the level of the prayer “Our Father”. But you may have a counter question, why should I know them, if we sold well without them and are still selling? Quite reasonable!

Indeed, why do you need to know them, because you know less - you sleep better. And it will be easier for competitors to sell their products.

What is the strength in, brother?

The power of knowledge, friends. The strength is in understanding what distinguishes first place from second place in a competition. Okay, stop! I went into philosophy.

Let's return to the topic "How to sell well and quickly." To reach a new frontier, you need to use 8 stages of sales. According to the classics, we know of them only five stages of sales (we know, does not mean we understand):

  1. Establishing contact;
  2. Identification of needs and goals;
  3. Presentation;
  4. Work with objections;
  5. Closing the deal.

For many successful transactions, these 5 main stages are enough, but we, with our clients, always recommend adding three more.

And it's not about quantity, but about quality and increasing the efficiency of transactions. By the way, these steps are very simple, most likely you even use them unconsciously in your work:

  1. Upselling;
  2. Taking contacts/recommendations.

All these eight stages of customer management are certainly classics in trading. These are the main stages of the sales process.

I did not have the task of surprising you or discovering America. With my material, I will put everything on the shelves and present the most important.

But remember, learning to sell books is the same as learning football is impossible. Any theory must be put into practice within 72 hours.

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Strict rules

I remember the slogan of one computer game in the 2000s: “The main rule is no rules.” But this is not our case.

Let us work with real people and they have seven Fridays a week, anyway, in order for everything to go smoothly for you, you need to adhere to certain sales rules:

  • Strict sequence. You move from top to bottom through the stages and nothing else.
  • Don't skip steps. Each step is a lead to the next, so one does not exist without the other.
  • Customization for the client. Each sale has its own characteristics and they must be taken into account.
  • Full execution. You do each stage not for show, but for the result.

All these rules are unwritten, but in my opinion very important. Now you may not attach any value to them, but all this is due to the lack of a full understanding of each stage.

On the bones and on the shelves

We constantly see examples of how the “smartest” ones, at their discretion, throw out blocks from the sequence and believe that this will be more correct.

Naturally, the most uncomfortable or labor-intensive stages are eliminated.

But you and I know that each stage carries exorbitant value and must be performed correctly. Therefore, we analyze the description of each step separately and never again make such misunderstandings.

1. Making contact

In less advanced countries of the third world, when you enter a store or make a phone call, and you are not greeted, immediately from the threshold: “What do you need, dear?”.

I hope Russia will not slip before this (although I am sure we also have this). But still, before you begin to identify the need, you need to establish contact with the client. Here are some phrases for you:

  1. When calling:"Good afternoon. In scale company. My name is Nikita. I'm hearing you?"
  2. When meeting in the trading floor:"Hello. My name is Nikita. If you have any questions, please contact."
  3. When meeting with a client:"Good morning. My name is Nikita. In scale company. Since we met, it means that, as I understand it, you have a potential interest in our proposal?”

This is a very simple and primitive step. But nevertheless, it is necessary and has its own nuances.

For example, when making an outgoing call, it is very important for us to say hello correctly, because otherwise the client will simply hang up with the words: “Next manager”.

Also, for example, in the case of sales on the trading floor, we need to show with our greeting that we will not “push” anything now, but simply greet the person.

Of course, the contact does not end there, one can even say that it is just beginning, because during the entire sale we must continue to get closer to the client every second.

But within the framework of this entire article, I will not be able to reveal all the nuances of each stage, because depending on the situation, they will differ. Therefore, also be sure to read our materials.

2. Identification of needs

“What do you need, dear?”, - let's return to this phrase and adapt it to the realities.

In fact, we want to get the answer to this question in the needs identification block, but since clients are not very talkative, or cannot explain what they need without clarifying questions, at this step we ask questions.

Since most crafters try to skip this block, I want to repeat MANY, MANY, MANY times that this is the most important.

If you correctly identify the need, then you will not have problems with further steps, everything will go like a knife through butter, like skates on ice, like a marker on a board, like ... I hope you understand me.

We ask questions in order to get enough information about the “wishlist” of the client. We ask not one, not two, not three questions, but four or more.

I also specifically focus on this, because one question cannot reveal everything. Therefore, for lovers of ready-made solutions, I recommend asking at least 4 questions from the series:

Important. In order for the client to pliantly answer you, program him with the following phrase: “Joseph Batkovich, in order for me to find the best conditions / suitable option for you, I will ask a few clarifying questions. Fine?"

  • For what purposes are you choosing?
  • What is the most important thing for you when choosing?
  • Do you have any color/shape/size preference?
  • Why are you interested in this particular model?

Depending on the case of sales, your questions may prevail both open and closed.

That's right, you didn't think so. Most people think you should always ask open-ended questions.

But this is not always true. For example, at the beginning of a personal conversation (at a meeting or on the trading floor), it is better to start with closed questions (the answer is “Yes” or “No”), since the client is not yet set up for an open and full conversation.

Important. To make this stage feel alive, you need to insert your comments about the client's answer after some questions or make mini-mini presentations about the product.

3. Presentation

You will be just the perfect manager if you use the knowledge gained in the previous step in this step.

You need to show the best solution for the client based on the information received.

Depending on the occasion, you present either one product or several of the most suitable ones. But there should not be too many of them so that the client does not get confused (see the video below).

To make a truly great presentation, you need to know the product well.

If you are the owner, then this will not be a problem for you. In the case of employees, problems can come from all directions, so it is recommended to constantly evaluate product knowledge.

And by the way, where the final action will be a presentation on Elevator Pitch technology.

It would seem that such a simple stage, but it requires voluminous preparatory actions.

As I said, you need to learn information about your product, you also need to take small courses in acting and public speaking, and consolidate all this by studying books on human psychology.

To help you get started, here are three very important presentation rules:

  1. Speak the language of the client, use his words, phrases, sentences. So he will understand you better and perceive you as a “soul soul”.
  2. Name not only properties, but also . People do not always understand what properties mean and what is actually its benefit.
  3. Use the “You-approach” (You will receive / For you / To you). More mentions of the client, and not yourself (I / We / Us) will give more sense.

These rules are just three stones in the quarry. But you have seen that it is not so simple.

And yes, any presentation should be closed with a question or an appeal in order not to give the client the opportunity to retreat or seize the initiative.

Moreover, these actions can be both encouraging to close the transaction (“Let's go to the checkout”), or simply clarifying (“What do you say?”).

4. Dealing with objections

5. Up-sell / Cross-sell

Having worked out all the objections, we have two options for events: the client, after a series of doubts and choices, agrees (almost agrees) to the purchase or it is dear to him.

We do not consider the “Not suitable” option, since in this case you should have a lot, otherwise your business was not built correctly from the very beginning.

In the case when the client is “expensive”, and, moreover, this is a fact, and not a hidden objection, we offer him a more profitable option for his budget.

And when the client has made a decision to buy, we definitely need to offer him to consider a more expensive alternative, thereby making the company's profit.

It doesn’t take much to offer a cheaper alternative, and besides, it’s easier to sell.

But with (transfer to an expensive product), everything is much more complicated. And do not even think of saying that you can offer a more expensive product even at the presentation stage. This is also logical, but not always true.

If the client initially doubts, then we first need to convince him of the purchase as a whole, and only then transfer to a more expensive product.

Indeed, in some sales, especially in cold ones, it is much more important at the start to warm up the excitement for purchases, to make the client enter this state and decide that he will work with you.

And only then the “warm one”, when the level of trust has grown, you can show a more profitable solution for you.

6. Closing the deal

All doubts of the client are closed and, logically, we only need to say where to carry the money. But in reality, we see a different situation: managers are playing for time just not to get a refusal.

But in fact, the client is already ready and just waiting for you to finally pull yourself together and tell him what to do next.

This stage - the stage of completing the transaction - is the most inconspicuous, since it consists of several words and two variants of events.

We either use a closing question or a call to action.

Depending on the context and the level of trust in you as a person and professional, you will choose what is more suitable in a particular case:

  1. Call:“Take it, you will definitely be satisfied.”
  2. Call:“Give me things, I will help you bring them to the cashier.”
  3. Question:“Are you going to pick up or arrange delivery?”
  4. Question:“Do you have any other questions or can I send the contract for approval?”

In our practice, we found about 15 call options and the same number of closing questions in sales.

This is not the limit, but this list is enough in 99% of cases. And for you, this suggests that too much creativity is not needed here.

You just need to collect a list of suitable options for yourself and use as needed.

The only thing I want to emphasize at the stage of closing the sale is to avoid closing questions that make the client think.

Among the most common: “Do we design?” and “Will you take it?”. The problem with such questions is that you only make the situation worse, because the client begins to think - take or take (but sometimes there are exceptions).

7. Upsell

I believe that every company should have an additional for upselling.

So employees will have a rational sense to sell even more in pieces and names.

Moreover, as you already understood, it is advisable to do this when the client has already fully agreed to purchase the main product and definitely takes it.

It was at this moment that he should be offered to buy in addition what he would certainly need.

I've seen some businesses survive on upsells. They sell the main solution for nothing, and all the money comes from additional goods and services.

In such companies, this stage is mandatory and punishable by dismissal. But for all its importance, it happens unobtrusively, in one phrase and no more than 3 times per dialogue:

  1. A lot of our customers take ____ to ____.
  2. Pay attention also to ____, maybe this will be relevant for you too.
  3. By the way, you could forget ___, I want to remind you of this.

In most cases, sellers don't resell because they forget what they can sell for (and of course, due to the lack of additional motivation).

Therefore, in this case, we always offer different solutions: from trainings to exams. For example, for one of our clients, we implemented a whole table of upsells, where you can see what can be sold for each product category.

It seems that everything, you can let the client go, but “our soldier” does not give up, he goes alone to the last and takes the client’s contacts so that in the future you can contact him and return him to him for repeat sales.

This is done at the final stage, when everything has already been agreed and even the money has been handed over.

For what? It's simple - if he did not buy now, this does not mean that he will not buy later, when we start working with him using SMS mailing, and a dozen other marketing tools.

And immediately for those who believe that he does not have repeat sales or the client will not return, I dare to disappoint you.

In any business there are repeat purchases, you just haven't realized it yet. And for those who already understand this, I recommend that you study or at least watch the video below to make sure that this is very important.

Well, if you don’t like the idea of ​​​​collecting contacts, then in addition to this, you can ask who he can recommend, who may still need your services or goods.

Thus, you can collect a potential base 3 times faster, in addition, a call on the recommendation of a client is always valued higher than just like that.

Briefly about the main

Finally, we have reached the final sales and this article, I don’t know about you, but I’m wildly tired of writing it.

But now I feel such satisfaction, exactly the same should feel the sales manager, having gone through all 8 stages of the sales technique (+1 farewell).

Since most likely the client, after passing through this one, simply will not be able to say “No” and leave.

Surely you now have a lot of questions in your head in the style of “How not to forget all this?”, “How not to miss any of the stages?”, “How to ask the right question?”, “How to resell?”, or “How to work out objections and not miss the client?

I will tell you one thing - theory will not help you without practice. Do not be afraid to make mistakes, try and draw your own conclusions. We learn the same way and do not consider ourselves perfect in this matter.

Let's be honest: selling is hard. Only 3% of people trust salespeople, HubSpot found in a 2016 study. To increase your chances of success, use the experience of knowledgeable people - for this we studied different methods of working with clients and collected the best tips on sales techniques.

Advisory sales

Who suits: For "difficult" markets, where the choice is not easy for the client.

essence: You try to identify the problems and needs of the buyer, to become his assistant and mentor, to offer him the best solutions.

Example: The insurance agent offers the company to insure employees under VHI. It works like this:

  1. Hello.
  2. Asks questions: do employees get sick often? Are there high risks at work? Does the firm have a contract with an insurance company?
  3. Offers insurance and talks about the benefits: income tax will decrease by the amount of insurance premiums, staff will get sick less often and recover faster, the company will become more attractive to job seekers.
  4. Now, when the client understands that the cost of insurance will be covered by the benefits that he will receive, the agent names the price of insurance.

SPIN sales

Who suits: This technique in sales works best in the field of high-value goods and services.

Essence: Push the client to the right conclusions that will help him make a purchase decision by asking 4 types of questions:

Example: The company offers PBXs for large enterprises. The manager asks questions about:

  1. What type of telephony are you currently using? How many calls are received daily?
  2. Does it happen that customers cannot get through to you due to the fact that all lines are busy?
  3. What is your lost profit due to each lost customer?
  4. If you could reduce the number of missed calls to a minimum, would you do it?

Concept sales

Who suits: B2B companies that work not for quantity, but for quality.

Essence: The principle of this sales technique or technology is “everyone wins”. We sell not a product, but a concept. Instead of persuasion - client analysis:

  1. We study the client in order to understand what concept of the “ideal” product or service is embedded in his mind.
  2. We present the product in the right light.
  3. We identify the client's interest in the transaction.

If the transaction is not profitable for one of the parties, then the seller must refuse it. If the client is not "your" - even the best sales techniques will not help.

Example: The insurance agent found out that the company is experiencing personnel problems and is looking for ways to solve them. He presents VHI insurance as the main element of the social package, mentioning that for 30% of job seekers the social package is a key point when choosing a job.

SNAP sales, they are also flexible sales

Who suits: Companies in highly competitive and rapidly changing markets.

Essence: You need to follow 4 principles:

Example: Let's say you sell an electronic document management system to a law firm.

S. First, you tell what it is and how it will help the client: The electronic document management system reduces the time for working with documents by 10 times, the cost of paper by 30 times.

N. Show competitive advantages: The document can simply be photographed, the system itself recognizes it and converts it into digital format, competitors cannot do this.

A. Say that you are "sharpened" for the client: There is a special version of the program for law firms.

P. Motivate to make a deal as soon as possible: Only until the end of the month, the implementation of the system is free, usually it costs 10,000 rubles.

Challenge Sales

Who suits: any B2B company.

Customer focused sales

Who suits: Companies in highly competitive markets.

Essence: At the forefront is the client, and everything we do should solve his problems. The best tips for this kind of sales technique are:

  1. Do not sell according to a template, proceed from the situation.
  2. Don't just give advice, but listen and be interested.
  3. Interact only with decision makers.
  4. Try to close the client's problems, and not sell for the sake of sales.
  5. Solve problems, don't build relationships.
  6. Sell ​​quickly and efficiently, get rid of stuck deals.
  7. Adjust to the pace and deadlines of the buyer, and do not bend your line.
  8. Do not persuade to buy, but inspire to buy!

These are the seven basic selling techniques that we think are worth paying attention to. Write which technique seems more effective to you, and we will devote a separate text to it.

The training of active sales specialists is complex, time-consuming, and far from certain that it will succeed. The fact is that in active sales a lot depends on the charisma and psychological stamina of the seller. To facilitate the process of training such specialists, it is customary to break the entire sales process into main stages. There are six of them. Below we will discuss each of them in detail.

Stage 1. Getting ready to sell

The preparatory stage involves, first of all, the preparation of the seller himself. The transaction must be completed, the contract must be signed, the goods shipped or the service provided, and the money from the client must be received. In order for everything to work out, you need to radiate professionalism, be confident in yourself and that the proposed product will really help your client.

In order for everything to work out, you need to radiate professionalism, be confident in yourself and that the proposed product will really help your client.

It is required to carefully study the goods and services that will be sold through active sales, it is necessary to have comprehensive knowledge, be ready to answer any of the most tricky questions of the client and give reinforced concrete counterarguments. After all, you will need to work with objections, and with criticism, and with discontent. You may even have to face undisguised aggression.

In terms of psychological readiness, you must be confident in your knowledge and in the product offered to customers. Do not forget also about the physical component of training. You shouldn't look sleepy or rumpled. Cheerfulness, a clear look, a benevolent, endearing smile - that's what a successful salesperson needs.

Stage 2. First contact with the client

General concepts of courtesy and courtesy will help you, together with the right psychological and physical attitude, to cope with the first contact with the client and win him over, set him in the right mood.

To do this, you need to implement 3 main steps:

  1. Greetings. Politely and kindly wish you a good day.
  2. Performance. Please provide your name and the name of the company you represent.
  3. Acquaintance. Find out from a future client how you can approach him.

If the client went halfway and identified himself, in fact, he subconsciously agreed to a detailed presentation of your product, and it is very likely that such contact will end in a deal. You can safely move on.

Stage 3. Identification of needs

I must say that at this stage you have to not only identify, but also independently form the customer's need. After all, he may not even know about the product that you offer. For this, the awakening of consumer motives is most often used. Absolutely every buyer has such motives. There are five in total:

  • Quality.
  • Safety.
  • Convenient use.
  • Improving your own life.
  • Financial savings.

It is necessary not only to identify, but also independently form the needs of the client.

The need for novelty is also sometimes distinguished. This motive is additional, since it is not present in all consumer groups (more often among young people). A striking example of the implementation of such a motive are novelties in the world of radio electronics. Buyers literally sweep away the latest models of smartphones from the shelves of salons.

By asking questions in such a way that a potential client can tell you as much information about himself and his problems, you can form an opinion about what motive will be easiest to arouse in him. Remember that there are no wrong answers. If you are not satisfied with the answer to the question, then this question was formulated incorrectly. Listen to the client and you will hear him.

Based on the problems and needs of the client, you should start the presentation in such a way as to arouse the maximum possible number of motives. This will allow you to close the dialogue on the deal faster.

Stage 4. Product presentation

This is a relatively simple step, the essence of which is the correct presentation of information about the product. You must form it on the go, based on the data from the previous stage of the conversation.

The presentation should take place according to the classical scheme: property - benefit or property - solution to the problem. By telling the client about certain properties of the product, you simultaneously demonstrate how many of his problems will be solved.

Do not forget to focus on quality, ease of use, economic feasibility and uniqueness of your offer. Once you've given the client the details, it's time to move on to the hardest part of the sale—handling objections.

Stage 5. Dealing with objections

The wrong word at this stage can jeopardize the whole deal. Be extremely careful. Follow a strategy that includes the following sequential steps:

  1. Active listening. Listen to the client, understand the essence of his objection, use the effect of presence.
  2. Accession. To overcome the negative reaction of the client, you must first agree with him, join his point of view. Immediately after that, without stopping, continue the conversation with a counterargument. If you are told about the lack of interest, say that the offer is unique.
  3. Clarification. Don't be afraid to ask clarifying questions if you don't understand the reasons for the client's objections.
  4. Arguments. Give arguments in order to dispel the customer's doubts and uncertainty about the properties and quality of the product, as well as the company's image.

To overcome the negative reaction of the client, you must first agree with him, join his point of view.

Stage 6. Closing for sale

To sell, you need to offer to buy. This is an immutable law of sales, without which there will be no deal. Here, too, there are subtleties.

After all, you will not be satisfied with a negative answer? To get an affirmative answer, ask the question in such a way that it can only be answered with “yes” or “no”. This will dramatically increase the chances that the conversation will close on a deal. Also, the application of the rules of three "yes" often works. You must ask 3 questions in sequence, so that the client accurately answers in the affirmative to the first two. Ask the third question whether he is ready to make a purchase right now. You can also use additional incentives in the form of information about the limited supply.

And finally

We have tried to give you an idea of ​​the main stages of active sales. As can be seen from all that has been said, this process requires a high speed of thinking and a prompt response to changes in the situation in the conversation. Your manager should be 200% ready.

In active sales, every step must be measured. The client's mood may change, this must also be taken into account. Be sure to do some training. In game situations, work out all the typical situations that your managers may encounter.

Long preparation and hard work will bring you high levels of sales and good revenue, but be prepared for the fact that this path is not easy. The stages of active sales in trade are a necessary basis of knowledge that every sales manager must master.