There is no “One Way” to design a sales process. There are many options, however considering that most businesses have no process at all, take on the one below as a starting point. The 8-step process below has proved to be successful in hundreds of businesses. You can then fine tune and tweak it to make it work for your business.
1. Prospect and attracting
This will be different depending on your type of business, but look at how prospective customers come into contact with your business, and what you do proactively to build your pipeline, regardless of the marketing activities of the business.
2. Initial contact
Build rapport and add value- what makes a great sales person is their ability to bond with other people. Remember, it’s not about you; how many times do you use the words – me, we, my, I, us, our – compared to you, your, etc.? Treat all potential customers the same, whether you believe they will make a purchase or not- word of mouth is a powerful marketing tool, so make the best impression on all you come into contact with.
3. Qualification
Identify needs, desires, frustrations or concerns- obtain as much background information on your prospect and their situation to make the best recommendation of a product/service.
4. Presentation
Be excited! This is where you recommend your business / service and how you can help them achieve their goal – remember to link it to their emotional involvement – seeking pleasure / avoiding pain and remember to use their words; try to stay away from technical jargon.
5. Price presentation
Present the investment for the product/service in a way that is clear and effective; keep it simple & fun and always use names, body language and facial expressions. Remember: only present the price when you know that your potential customer wants to buy.
6. Ask for the sale
Don’t assume it’s a done deal- remember if you don’t ask, you don’t get.
7. Overcome any areas of concern
Dealing with objections and areas of concern is a natural part in the sales process. Clients will have questions, thoughts, and queries that will need your input to help them make a great buying decision. A great way to minimise objections is to be great at asking better questions earlier on in the qualification section of the sales process. If you can deal with any areas of concern early on in qualification process, you will have less resistance when it comes to making the bigger decisions.
8. Follow up/ what’s next:
Whether you make the sale or not, you should have a clear follow-up plan in place- it can be the follow up call that really gets the sales cycle rolling and where value truly begins to show up and the relationship begins to establish itself. This can mean making a sale down the line, or retaining the client for future sales and referrals. Be persistent, be polite, and be professional, but not a pest.
Contact us if you would like more advice on improving your sales process.