Page 84 - Lighting Magazine July 2018

on the Mark
Be persistent and assertive in expressing your value proposition.
many swings did you take before the client bought from you? Practicing, evaluating, and modifying your presentations are all ways to build your a i- tude of determination.
Once you are determined to be a professional, the next step is to develop a high level of persis- tence. Every successful salesperson needs to be persistent. Many believe that the age of the in- ternet has reduced the need for being persistent in selling situations, but it has not. In fact, the op- posite is true. The client can buy entirely at their whim, while showroom salespeople can only sell when face to face with the client.
Be persistent and assertive in creating and then following your plan, but don’t be aggressive. Be persistent and assertive in expressing your value proposition. Be persistent and assertive in the number of times you ask the client to “buy” — each is crucial to selling success.
sKIlls THaT Pay THe BIlls
All professions – sales, engineering, medicine, law – require the mastery of a particular skill set. I se- lected the four professions above not for their skill variances, but for their similarities.
The skills they have in common are: questioning, listening, planning, product, and process. The sig- ni cant di erence between sales and these other professions is that in selling, there is no mandated licensure requirement to keep your occupational skills up to date.
The real success stories of those in sales has to do with their self-motivation to be be er than they are. They know the skills that worked in the past may not work in the future. They invest time to read and learn in order to be on the top of their game. They learn about interpersonal skills and they know their products be er than anyone.
To provide yourself with these increased ben- e ts, advance your questioning, listening, and closing skills. This is accomplished during the self- evaluation of your client visit. If you rephrase a question you asked, would it have yielded a be er result? Was there a part of the conversation that, when reviewed, provided information that may have helped close the sale?
While we are at this point, what is closing the sale? Most people will say it is asking the client to make a purchase. I take exception with that de - nition. Closing the sale starts when you ask your rst question because closing happens before the relationship begins.
Let me de ne this a bit more: When you ask any sales-related question, and the response you get from the client allows the sale to move forward, then that is a closing question.
once uPon a TIme
Today we are all part of the self-imposed, fast- paced, hurry-up lifestyle. One way to get a client toslowdownabitandfocusonyouistotella story. While you may not have the same chops as Stephen King, you can develop and nd bene t in storytelling.
82 enLIGHTenment Magazine | july 2018
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