“Sell me this pen” – in other words, effective sales strategies
"Sell me this pen” - effective sales strategies
We all have probably heard “sell me this pen” request at least once in our lives. You might have heard it for the first time during a job interview or even at school. In spite of the fact that this task does not seem to be challenging, it may sometimes cause many problems and difficulties. This method has been used for many years. However, we are still wondering whether there is a perfect, universal and flexible response to this request. Our sales strategies might help with the right answer.
This article will provide you with the TOP 5 steps necessary to convince your customer that your pen is worth his or her attention. Today, I will share with you the knowledge that our company has gained throughout many years of practising, gaining experience, making mistakes and as a result, the conclusions drawn.
1. Carry out a detailed market analysis
As Mario Puzo said in the cult film entitled “The Godfather”, “Keep your friends close, but keep your enemies even closer.” Of course, the aforesaid quote is not about treating your market competitors as enemies, but as people thanks to whom you can learn new selling secrets, adapt your offers to the current market trends and observe which steps should be taken or avoided in your business. Regular market observation will allow you to adapt your business to the prevailing unwritten market rules.
2. Do not overlook the most important word in your sale strategies
Arranging and displaying items in the shop windows of the stores located on the main street of your town will provide you with potential customers-passers-by. However, the question is how to reach people from different parts of the country or even the world, just to buy your product?
If you offer your products online, you face with a demanding task at the very beginning. How to make your product visible to as many people as possible, not just random passers-by looking through the store window?
Product positioning on the Internet is a very complex process, independent of just one factor. Here, keywords are the basis of the whole procedure. At this point, the most important thing is to put yourself into your customer’s shoes and answer his or her questions.
The things we believe that are the most relevant to us, sellers, may not always coincide with what a potential buyer is thinking and looking for. The right words may help you create a new customer base and, in turn, increase your brand awareness.
3. Always stay one step ahead, even if this would make you tip over
Nowadays, we often say that we have already seen everything in this world and nothing can surprise us, but then Elon Musk sends his red convertible into space. We should not be afraid of experimenting, shocking and trying unconventional solutions, as these etch in our minds, even if they need to be improved over time. Nowadays, with so many competitors around, distinguishing among others is of key importance.
Images, product descriptions, a method of communication, a policy, a mission and vision, an environmental attitude or any other area can become your greatest link, if you look at a given topic from a different perspective.
4. Allow others to rate you
You probably have your favourite restaurants and stores in your city that you often visit, knowing that you will always get the sweetest fruit, perfectly fired meat or freshly baked bread straight from the oven. However, when you go on holiday to a new place and it’s time for an afternoon coffee, lunch or dinner, finding the right restaurant can be a challenging task, especially when the whole town square smells incredible due to the meals served in the nearby restaurants. Therefore, the question is: how to choose just one restaurant?
It is the best to use one of the two most popular ways. The first is to become familiar with the restaurants’ reviews on the Internet. You probably have typed the phrase “best restaurants in X” into Google and chosen a restaurant with high ratings and good reviews. Based on the experiences of other users, it is easier to trust that the selected place or product will meet our expectations.
The second way is intended for more spontaneous people. When you are walking through the market square of a tourist town in the middle of the summer, you will probably encounter ice cream stalls or pubs in every side alley. So, how to choose the most delicious ice cream dessert without Google?
The answer is very easy – find the longest queue! In the contemporary world, full of hurry and lack of time, we may be surprised by this statement. However, let’s be honest with ourselves. In such situations we try to convince ourselves that a scoop of ice cream in a crunchy, sweet waffle cone will fully reward us for the time spent in the longest queue, winding down the aisle. This should visualise you how important people are in all this. In fact, they can convince others to use your services.
At the very beginning of doing your business, it is of key importance to find your first customers so that they can rate your services and goods. The customers that purchase your products or use services as a result of other customers’ referrals must be convinced that they took the right decision. This is how a review works. Therefore, if you believe that the services you provide and the products you sell are of good quality, let your customers review them, and you will find other recipients without taking further action in customer prospecting.
5. Price your products and services the way your customers price them
To start with, let’s think about the concept of price itself. We may think that this is the value of a given product, however in reality, it is a more complex issue. Price is the amount of money that has to be paid to acquire a product or service. What does this mean? First, let me ask you a question. Have you ever had a situation in which your wife or life partner shown you a handbag worth a few thousand and you wondered how several dozen centimetres of stitched material can be so expensive?
On the other hand, has your husband or life partner even once shown you a car worth an incredible amount of money that can reach several hundred km/h? After all, you both know very well that road limitations are so strict that it will not be possible to use car’s full potential. That’s what it’s all about – we don’t need to understand each other’s material dreams and needs, it’s enough that the seller understands them.
If you find customers that want to pay even a sky-high amount of money for a given product, then you can price it at this level. However, remember that every stick has two ends. If customers are pricing a product low and your competitors are observing these rules, then you should also follow the current standards. You should always put yourself into the customers’ shoes first and only then, as a seller, you can price your products or services.
I have provided you with 5 basic steps to make your company a significant competitor in the market. Of course, these are only tips and various suggestions that may not always be helpful in your business. In fact, we have analysed many of these issues on our own, getting lost, taking two steps backwards to then take 3 forwards, but you don’t have to do it anymore.
If you need some help in finding your customers, promoting your store, pricing your goods or services, showing up on the first page of Google, or even obtaining advice on how to present your auction in an original way, CONTACT US and we’ll help you handle these confusing and complex aspects without any problems and a feeling of being lost.
