12 Answers

I was once told by a car salesman the sale only started when the customer said no!( any takers).

I am not a born saleswoman myself, but while helping a friend in her shop I noticed that I do quite well attending customers and selling them products by keeping the following rules in mind:

a) GREET THEM
Welcome all customers who enter the place. Acknowledge their presence. And of course, always say goodbye when tey leave.

b) SHOW INTEREST
in your customer's needs. Listen closely to what he/she sais he/she is looking for. Ask further questions if you need more details to find a matching product.

c) BE HELPFUL.
Always try to find a product that satisfies your customers' needs. If you do not exactly have what they are looking for, offer them something that comes close to it. Be careful: NEVER try to sell anything that does not correspond at all to what the customer needs/wants. Admit when you can't help them, don't waste their and your time.

d) LIKE PEOPLE. ENJOY COMMUNICATING WITH THEM.
Take all customers seriously and be friendly and polite to them all. Some people are more fussy than others, or some might not have the budget to buy anything, but they are ALL important to you.

e) MAKE THEM FEEL SPECIAL
Treat customers like VIPs, no matter how wealthy or poor they may appear. I helped my friend out in her fashion jewelry shop and customers who are intereseted in, say, a necklace, LOVE having the necklace placed around their neck by the sales person while standing in front of a mirror.

f) HELP THEM DECIDE
Give HONEST and PRACTICAL advice. I found customers appreciated my support when I said things like "This colour looks nice on you", "The pearls go better with your style than the glass beads", "This earring is easier to combine than that one", etc. Be careful, though: NEVER exaggerate. People are no fools and detect hipocrisy immediately.

g) BE HONEST
Only offer products you are convinced of yourself (be it that you like their look, admire their good quality or find they are a good bargain). Never try to sell something you believe is complete trash.

h) TAKE THEM SERIOUSLY
When customers complain, accept their position and do not try to convince them of something else. The customer is always right, even if he/she is actually not. Be it wheter they come to return a product or be it to complain about something else, don't get involved into discussions. Give them the service they require and remain polite.

i) BE PERSONAL
Don't be shy and smalltalk with your customers, if the situation allows it. In the case of frequent customers, greet them by their name, and/or ask them about their family if you know they have kids, or about other things in life they have told you about on an earlier occasion. People enjoy personalized treatment. It makes them feel comfortable and enhances their loyalty and trust towards the company.

Hope this helped a bit. About you trouble in establishing social contact: JUST BE YOURSELF. Don't desperately try to be liked. Naturally, some will not sympathize with you, while others will. Friends are people who love you the way you are. Feel free and at ease with yourself.

Cheers,
Papitou

There's one rule that if you'll remember to stick to you'll make a great salesman - make sure that during a meetin the customer makes 85% of the talking. People love that, it makes them feel appreciated and it will also allow you to understand their needs.

Sell yourself. Now you have two ears and one mouth. use your ears twice as much as your mouth. Learn when to talk and when to shut up. Be honest, know your product, never, ever make a promise you can't keep. and most important never take no as an answer.

Be yourself, remember people buy from people they like. Don't push. Try to make freinds with them. Have a laugh. Just be attentive. Also remember you can't sell something to someone who doesn't want the thing. Like if someone comes into a shop for a chair they won't buy a wardrobe no matter how nice you are.The job of a good salemen is to reinforce the buyers opinion of their choice not SELL it. If the customer is stuck between 2 chairs make one sound better than the other even if the are both the same
At the end of the day salemen are born not made. You might not get a thrill out of selling. If you don't find another job which does not make you feel apprehensive but excited

I would say for one to be a good salesperson one first has to truly believe in themselves and what they are selling.

THE KEY TO SELLS IS READING PEOPLE. NOT EVERYONE IS ABOUT PRICE .TRY TO THINK OF YOURSELF AS A FACILITATOR.IF YOU OVER POWER SOMEONE IT WILL COME BACK TO BITE YOU.IF YOU HELP THEM OBTAIN SOMETHING THEY NEED IT WILL COME BACK TO BLESS YOU.

There are different types of sales. I was a pharmaceutic sales rep. for 5 years and also sold capital medical equipment for another 2 years. You must always ask probing questions which will allow you to ask for their business or cash when you are closing the client. There is a lot more but the number one rule most people do not do is "ask for the sale" show me the money. Now that I have let you tell me what you are looking for by telling me your likes and dislikes and I identified your concerns that my product address thanks to the probing questions and now I can ask for the sale. ABC- ALWAYS BE CLOSING

Car Sales People are too Pushythis is a decision that must be made by the Customer
Its all about ClassLet the Customer have Spacenot talked into something they may not wantI worked in Jewelery and sold Millions to People all over the world

I also want to know if my apprehensions are being unique only to me or is it universally applicable to all - especially those who respond here....

Oh - thanks a trillion to all of you!! (i) Generally I dont sell anything - but I try to sell only likeability (ii) I also sometimes push my competence -and I dont sell anything other than these two - nor do i know to !!! now the difficulty with me is that after a couple of conversations - I am not able to sustain the relationships - why is that - what is wrong with me? - I do talk and am able to create an audience whenever I do - beyond that - I am not able to convert these good starts into business results - can someone please help me out - !!!

I am a bit inhibitive in terms of contacting people and after meeting people, I am not able to get on with the contact and take it further to a matured stage. I am deliberately trying to keep the interaction going though- I want to know why do i get this apprehension? what should I do to mature the relationships that I am able to create?