Mastering the Art of Sales: 3 Rules to Boost Your Effectiveness

In this blog post we will cover three basic rules that will help you navigate the world of sales.

First, increase your authority by decreasing it. Have you ever noticed how everyone pays attention when the quietest person in the room speaks up? Why are their words so powerful? Because they aren’t constantly talking, trying to gain an edge, or being loud, people respect them. When they talk, people listen, almost as if their words are valuable because they are so scarce. In a sales context, no one wants a salesman to be overwhelming in an authoritative way. Ideally, the client feels as if they are on the same basic human level as the salesman. Be a human! Connect with them, get to know them. What do they like? What do they dislike? How is their family? By connecting on a human level, and not being an overbearing authoritative person, you will successfully increase your authority.

Second, answer a question with a question. This becomes a powerful shift when applied in almost any conversation, but specifically sales conversations. In a sales setting, the person asking the questions controls the frame of the conversation, and as salespeople, we must maintain control of the conversation. This tactic not only keeps the conversation in your hands, but also positions you as a consultant/expert rather than just a salesman. For example, if someone asks “how much do your services cost?” You may respond with, “Well, we tailor our services to each individual, so if I could just ask you a couple questions, I’m sure we can work out a price that works well for you. Do you mind if I ask you a few questions, so we can find the best solution for you?”

Third, never answer an unasked question. A common problem that most salespeople fall into is preemptively giving clients information that they did not request. This final rule encourages you to retain information until your clients need to know it. Some information is completely irrelevant to clients. If you listen actively and focus on answering to the client’s current needs, you will be positioned well to complete a sale. For example, some clients will be very concerned about price, but others budget may be their last concern. If you talk about price to the client who does not care about price, you are failing to address what truly matters to them. On the flip side, if a client is concerned about price, he will ask about it, leading you to answer asked questions, which is perfectly acceptable.