Sales 101: The basics of selling

Sales 101 - the basics of selling Whether you consider yourself a salesperson or not, the fact is, if you're running a business, especially a small business, so you must know how to sell.

Traditional sales are based around outbound marketing, which is where you spent time and effort looking for clients. Modern online marketing, such as your advertising with Easy Weddings, turns things around and allows customers to find you.

"Whichever model you use, and most companies use a mix of both, you need to be able to close the sale when you contact a potential customer or they contact you, ' says Easy Weddings' National Sales Director, Ryan Jenkins.

"Selling is an art, but even those of us who are experienced in this art started with little or no knowledge of sales."

Ryan, who has been in sales for more than a decade, having worked in technology and retail sales, has been responsible for more than $100 million in sales during his career.

Below, he shares his tips for mastering the sometimes rocky waters of selling, saying, "I wish somebody had told me this at the beginning!"

Gain an understanding of what your customer wants What does your customer want and need? Does whatever you're selling satisfy that need? If not, well, you're trying to sell to someone who will, likely, never purchase your product or service.

So, do your research. Find out what solution your product and services provide and search for people whose needs will be fulfilled by your particular offerings.

Ask as many questions as possible to determine what expectations your customers have When you do figure out what your customer wants and how your offerings fix their problems, ensure you are able to communicate the value of your products and services and how they will suits your customer's needs.

You can only do this by understanding the customer, so always listen to what they say and ask lots of questions, preferably open and relevant ones such as: How did you find out about us?; What do you want and why do you want it?; and When do you need it by?

Ensure you under promise and over deliver. Always commit to less than you know you can do as a minimum. 

Always deliver what you promise, but try to deliver more than you promise. There's nothing like a satisfied client and, rather than making big promises that you may not be able to deliver, outline what you will deliver -and then deliver more!

Never be scared to ask for the sale once you've established the value of your offerings

You make great products and offer a great service, so once you've done your best to convey this to the client, don't be scared to ask for the sale! It's the most difficult part of being a sales person and the part that most people struggle with but when you have a great solution to a customer's problem, there should be no shame or shyness in going for the sale!

Oh, and if you don't make the sale, don't beat yourself up. Some potential customers aren't potential customers and may not be in a position to be 'closed'.

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