How to sell with ease Sandra Macaskill

“Sales are to business what oxygen is to human beings, without it all businesses will die”

This session What is selling and how it is important to your business Products and Services (from last session) Towards a marketing plan Pricing Customers – who, where and how Features and benefits – selling techniques Closing the deal Customer care – why it matters

Products and Services What are you selling? What are the benefits of your products/services? Who can benefit from your product/service? Why will they buy from you? Or one of your competitors? How will you deliver your service/ make your product? Do you have a prototype? How can you protect your intellectual property?

Exercise Take a few minutes yourself and jot down what it is you are selling and where you are at with this. What are your experiences around this?

What is selling “enabling the exchange of cash for goods or services” Carefully target who you speak to Find out your customer’s needs Sell the benefits, not the product Close the sale

4 P’s of marketing Product - market research Price - getting this right Place - finding your customers Promotion - raising awareness “the management function responsible for identifying, anticipating and satisfying customer needs profitably” Chartered Institute of Marketing

Exercise In pairs or threes, discuss who your customers are and where you find them What is you ideal customer?

A word on pricing Why customers change supplier 82% is in your hands! 1% die 3% move location 5% transfer to family or friends 9% cheaper competitor 14% product quality 68% perceived indifference The Rockefeller Study (Said to apply throughout the world and be relevant in all industries) 14% product quality 68% perceived indifference 82% is in your hands!

9% buy on price alone Consider your fixed (rent, heat, light, wages) and variable costs (raw materials, extra staff, transportation) Cost plus – cost of goods plus overheads, plus profit e.g. a gold ring Time and materials – cost of materials and labour e.g. a joiner Going rate – cost of product/service same as competition e.g. car service Market price – cost which customer expects to pay e.g. loaf of bread

Pricing …summary Listen to what the customer wants Offer them a solution Quantify the benefits Discuss competitors Remember to close the sale!

Closing the sale Any tips on this? Stop selling when you think prospect is ready to buy Check – “so you would like the pink one?” Close the sale – discuss delivery details, timeline and confirmation, would you like to order? Dealing with objections - examples

Exercise In pairs, have a go at closing a deal – one as customer and the other as seller (you can choose to be a difficult customer to add interest)

Customer care “Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning” Bill Gates, Microsoft Ask your customers what they think Listen to what they say Take it on board BA involving customers

Why looking after customers is good business Loyal customers tend to buy more, more regularly and are less likely to go to the competition The cost of selling to established customers is nil Satisfied customers recommend you Dissatisfied customers will complain about you

Love it or Hate it?

Anti-marketing, a different approach What does my perfect customer look like? What makes my perfect customer tick? What do I want my perfect customer to want from me? What do I need to improve in my business to attract more perfect customers?

Selling with ease…summary Target Do your homework Create interest Sell benefits Cost properly Look after your customers

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