In sales, less is more.
Some sales tactics can even turn off potential customers. For example, if you oversell, give too much technical information, or appear too pushy, people might be scared away.
Finding the right balance can be challenging for anyone, and it’s all about discovering what works best for you, your company, and the services you offer.
We have an excellent sales team here at BaseCloud. They’ve had many types of sales training and know which advice to use and which to discard. So, we’ve rounded up some of their best and most effective sales tips to help you make the sale and keep the pipeline full.
Tried and Tested Sales Advice
Making sales is something every company wants to be good at, and most have room for improvement. However, you can never go wrong with the tried ansd tested sales tips: all the sales gurus share the same information in one form or another.
If you want to improve your sales, it could be as simple as understanding the basics of the business and working from there.
By implementing straightforward strategies, sales become uncomplicated and easy to achieve and master. Applying a simple but effective sales strategy that works well will allow you to streamline and increase sales over time.
The Power of Networking
To start, let’s explore how a business can attract potential clients for sales. The most effective approach will depend on the business’s specific characteristics, including its available resources, connections, and tools.
Networking is an essential aspect of building a successful business, and when executed correctly, it can offer an almost unlimited potential. By developing strong networking skills, individuals within a company can unlock new doors and opportunities for connection, ultimately leading to increased sales. This process involves establishing new leads and acquiring new clients by cultivating new relationships and connections in the business world.
Local Connections
Some local tried-and-tested examples of great networking channels for making connections are BNI, Friday Club, and Chamber of Commerce. BaseCloud’s sales team belong to all these organisations and has had excellent results.
These connections open you and your business up to new opportunities for career development, guidance and mentorship.
The true value of networking groups like these lies in the potential to forge lasting connections that can lead to other valuable contacts. The opportunity to tap into the wisdom, advice, and lessons of other successful individuals is a priceless resource for your career and personal growth.
Networking is not just about making connections, it’s about investing in your future growth. By leveraging these platforms to share your skills, knowledge, and advice, you not only learn from others but also contribute to a rich exchange of valuable information, fostering your personal and professional development.
First Things First: Trust
The key to a successful sale is building trust with the customer or client, enabling you to sell any product or service to them.
Building trust with the customer involves various factors such as good communication, honesty and transparency, understanding their needs and requirements, and delivering exceptional customer service. When a customer trusts you, they are more likely to believe in your product or service and make a purchase. It is important to note that building trust takes time and effort, but it is an essential step towards achieving a successful sale.
Sales and Trust in Client Relationships
Understanding a client’s needs is crucial in providing them with a product or service that precisely meets their requirements. Building trust with the client is about meeting their expectations and exceeding them.
This is something that BaseCloud aims for and consistently upholds in all its endeavours. Going the extra mile and providing customers with more than they expect is a strategy that has helped BaseCloud earn the trust of its clients.
Types of Sales
A Note on The Target Audience
Sales are classified accordingly depending on who the business is aiming at targeting. Sales can be conducted either business to business (B2B) or business to customer (B2C).
B2B sales are generally less emotional, and B2C are generally more emotional.
B2B Sales: “business-to-business” sales entail companies selling goods or services to another company instead of individual customers. The sales processes here are longer and more complex, resulting in more transactions.
B2C Sales: “business-to-customer” sales entail companies selling goods and services to individual consumers. An example of this is retail sales, where the processes are more straightforward, effective and direct. The sales processes here have a shorter cycle due to the streamlined customer reach and typically lower price points than B2B sales.
As touched on previously, there are distinct types of sales that can be identified. By understanding the type of transaction in question, one can better understand how to conduct business.
The types of sales in a business are:
Transaction Sales
Solution Sales
Relationship Sales
Partnership Sales
Further Categorisation of Sales
Going further than these categories, there are goods vs services sales depending on the transaction in question.
Then we also have inside vs outside sales, which are relatively self-explanatory.
A team typically conducts inside sales within an office space, while outside sales are conducted from outside the confines of an office.
Other types of sales to be identified are:
eCommerce Sales: Conducted using online stores.
Online Sales: Conducted through online channels.
Offline Sales: Conducted using offline channels such as physical stores.
Consultative Sales: Conducted as sales to meet the customer’s needs, which are understood before a product is promoted.
Telesales: Conducted by selling over the phone.
Affiliate Sales: Conducted through sales made by other people under your business, they earn a commission, and in turn, the original business gets a bit of every sale.
Outsourced Sales: Conducted through contracting outsourced third-party sellers.
Making More Sales
Sales Strategies
“How do you get leads?” is a common question when it comes to sales.
To increase your chances of success, you need a solid sales strategy that provides direction. Sales can happen through various channels, such as in-person, online, referrals, and website submissions. By knowing which strategy works best for your business and product, you can optimize all sales processes.
The time it takes to make a sale varies depending on different factors, including the type of product, target market, financial goals, and the number of potential touchpoints. A touchpoint refers to any interaction between a potential lead or customer and the business, including before, during, and after a sale is made. By considering these factors, you can develop an effective sales strategy that brings in more leads and increases your chances of success.
Making A Successful Sale
General Sales Tips:
Firstly, understand the client you are dealing with and work from their point of view. By understanding what truly motivates your customers to buy, you can understand where to come in with a sales pitch that will work.
Dig deep by asking genuine questions and actually listening to the client. Understand their needs or demands and work from there to create a sales strategy.
Allow yourself to showcase your abilities and use your full potential to secure the sale. Work from a position of assuming the client has already taken the deal. This will elevate your confidence and allow you to work from a point of conviction.
Sell your product or service by creating a visual story around it, allowing the client to get the full picture from the get-go. Do not worry about revealing too much too quickly; instead, establish trust by being transparent and laying out the pitch.
Create a pitch that stands out and sets you apart from your competitors. By setting your business apart, it is easier to overcome potential objections that clients might have.
BaseCloud Sales Team's Top 3 Sales Tips
Tip #1: Highest energy wins:
Energy is contagious. People will be drawn to you if you radiate positive energy.
Remember that first impressions are formed within the first 7 seconds of meeting someone. Therefore, ensure you are energised when you make a sales call or meet with a client. You can increase your energy levels by standing up during a sales call.
Additionally, remember to smile! People can feel a smile on the other side of the phone. Maintain eye contact to further connect with the person you are engaging with. However, while focusing on high energy, don’t forget to take a moment to listen as well.
Tip 2: Ask questions:
Asking pain point questions is important to trigger an emotional response in the client. Your questions should subtly point towards your company’s solutions.
Tip 3: Follow up:
Following up with clients regularly is important to ensure they know you are committed to working with them. Consistent follow-ups show that you value their business and increase the chances of closing a deal. After meeting with a client and providing them with a quotation, it’s best to follow up promptly. This is because momentum is critical in sales.
One of the benefits of following up diligently is that you can address any concerns or objections that may arise. If you didn’t follow up, you may not have this opportunity.
When following up, it is essential to ask the client why they wouldn’t want to proceed. This allows you to identify potential roadblocks and address them head-on.
Our Most Effective Sales Tool: BaseCloud CRM
A good CRM system is a sales tool that can do it all, with all your analytics, results and insights accessible at the click of a button.
Having an automated structure to your sales funnel and pipeline is an innovative way of ensuring accurate processing and reporting of all business actions.
BaseCloud CRM software is a tool that goes the extra mile to make sales as streamlined, easy and successful as possible. Implementing CRM software for sales allows you to gain full access, control and oversight into all business workings on a daily basis. If this is something you are after to increase your sales and grow your business, get in contact with us today.
