Call me an optimist, call me crazy, but I actually do believe you can sell successfully in this economy. No doubt about it, this economy is not for the faint of heart. If you are one who needs instant gratification, feels small talk is a waste or time or is still using cold calling as your primary prospecting technique you are going to struggle. 
Times have changed, and while consumer spending is not as free flowing as it used to be, people are spending money. They are spending money on things that matter, and they are spending money with people they trust. That’s it, that is the bottom line. If you want to sell successfully in this economy you have to sell to the people who can most benefit from your product or service, you have to help people understand why your product or service matters for them, and you have to be the type of person that people trust.
Simple but not easy.Why? Traditional sales techniques, the way most of us were taught to sell, are the antithesis of the techniques needed to sell successfully in today’s economy. Most of us were taught techniques such as the assumed sale, mastering the art of the close, up sell, cross sell and the list goes on. Those techniques were about us getting what we wanted not about helping our customers get what they want.
For most of us, this has become a habit. This is how we know how to sell, so this is the way we continue to sell. No wonder we are struggling. We are using sales techniques that were effective in a different time, a different culture and a different economy. It is a little like going to dance wearing a leisure suit and being surprised you couldn’t get a date.
Buying is emotional, and if you want to succeed you need to connect to prospects who can truly benefit from your product or service, you need to help them understand how your product or service adds value, and you need to build trust.
3 Tips To Sell Successfully
1. Connect With The Right Prospects – News flash! Not everyone wants to do business with you and you do not want to do business with everyone. We are becoming a niche society, and you need to find your niche. Really get to know your customers and understand why they enjoy and benefit from doing business with you. Then use that information to choose your prospects. Selling onlyfeels like selling when you are trying to get someone to buy something they really don’t want. Selling feels like helping when you choose the right prospects.
2. Help Prospects Understand Value – Makes me crazy when sales people ask “how can I help you today.” If I knew how your product or service could help me than why do I even need to talk with you? That is the power of a sales person. You know your product or service and your job is to help me understand how what you offer is going to make my life better. If you can do that, I am eager to buy!
3. Be A Person We Trust – Trust is a funny word in that it is hard to get your arms around. I mean how do you know if you are someone people trust? It is actually easy, just look to what people are saying about you. Your current customers, the media, the prospects that you have spoken with. If you are waiting until you meet someone to build trust you are already behind the eight ball. You need to have established trust and credibility long before you ever knock on your prospect’s door.
I will admit, selling is not easy in this economy but it is simple, and you can be successful. Begin by being yourself, treat your prospects just how you would want to be treated. We are living in the time of authenticity, trust and value. Pretty good traits for any sales person or company to have.
