In Part one we discussed introducing yourself and talking with the buyer. This week we will cover Part 2 which is the actual sales process.
BEGINNING THE SALES PROCESS
If you are fortunate enough to interest a buyer on the first visit, you have your foot in the door! But rather than going directly into your sales pitch, spend time working on developing a relationship as listed above. You need to sell YOURSELF first, before you can sell your products. The most important technique during any successful sales call is to LISTEN, LISTEN, LISTEN! By listening effectively, a buyer will tell you what they need to buy for their store even before you show them your products.
Once you have starting building your relationship with the buyer, it is time to introduce your product. Hand the buyer your item, gift or gourmet foods. If the buyer holds the product in their hand, they will begin to take ownership of the item. A subtle, but important point! Tell the buyer briefly about your product and then wait for their response. Answer any questions or concerns. If the buyer seems uninterested, ask them what you could do to your product to make it more appealing to them. Should you lose the sales, at least you will have gained some valuable information.
TAKING THE ORDER
Talking about products and taking an order are two distinct different functions. If you don’t ask the buyer if they would like to order your product today, most likely, they will not call you to place it later. As pointed out previously, gifts sales are often emotional and impulsive. Frequently, a response like “I’ll think about it and get back to you” is just a lost sale if you don’t ask the buyer about the issues or questions they have concerning the product. Believe it or not, buyers WANT to be sold. They are very busy people and you need to make a good impression on them during your presentation. If you wait to follow up for the order at a later time, the buyer may not remember you or your products.
When your buyers are showing interest in your product, it is appropriate to ask them if they would like to place an order today. If they are truly interested in your products, don’t let them put off ordering. Buyers, sometimes, have trouble making a decision! Often suggesting a choice is an effective way to make the sale than asking them which one they wish to buy. For example, the jam they are interested in comes in two flavors. “Would you like to order a case of X flavor or Y flavor or a mixed case of both?” Giving the buyer a choice often makes the decision easier.
Another good approach to closing a sale is to assume the buyer has decided to purchase your product, and to ask for the details of their purchase. The details include what color, flavor or scent they want; what quantity they desire, and how soon they would like it to be shipped. When reaching this point in the sale, ask WHAT products they want to buy not IF they want to buy a specific product.
All you need to do now is write up their order. That’s all there is to it!
