Written by Juan Pablo Iriarte Uribe
Persuading someone to buy or hire our services is one of the most important skills to increase our sales.
“We do not only act according to how we are (and we do), we are also according to how we act. Action generates being. One becomes according to what one does.” Rafael Echeverría
It is common to hear entrepreneurs say that they do not know how to sell, that they do not have the skills and that it is difficult for them to face a client. But, what would happen if instead of thinking about selling, you thought about “communicating ideas to convince and persuade other people”? To persuade is to influence or motivate someone with arguments, to want to do something that we want, but inciting them to make the decision themselves.
Try the tips we provide below to boost your business activity.
1. Manage yourself first
To communicate effectively, it is necessary to train communication skills (speaking, listening, empathizing, among others). Pay attention to how you express your ideas at any given time, pay attention to the reactions of others and create an action plan to enhance one skill per week.
2. Know the benefits and weaknesses of your product
You must handle this information better than anyone else. Study the competition, your value proposition, market trends, contingency data, everything that can be transformed into a sales argument.
3. Study your client's profile and identify what they do
If there is one thing that seduces anyone, it is when we are interested singapore phone number list in them. Prepare before your meeting by looking for information, and during the meeting, ask questions to obtain more details and use them to your advantage.
4. Show that you are an expert in what you do
Showing a professional and expert image is vital to making a good impression. Remember to choose your words, your clothes and your marketing elements to convey confidence, seriousness and solidity.
5. Make them feel special, be kind and respectful
Focus on the conversation with that client. Smile, look them in the eye and use phrases like: “That’s interesting,” “That must make you feel proud,” “I’d love to do business with you.” Showing empathy and curiosity will make them connect with you even more.
To really get to know a person, you need to listen to them, paying attention to their words, their body, and their way of speaking. All of this will give you information. Disconnect from your judgments and really focus on the person who is speaking.
7. Tune in to each person and use their words
Repeating some words or phrases that your client has said, especially when describing the features of your product, will not only make them feel that you have listened to them, but will also make them feel that you have connected with them. This will make them feel more comfortable with you.
8. Take care of your non-verbal and paraverbal language
You've probably heard that 90% of communication impact is non-verbal, so you should use gestures that convey confidence, friendly facial expressions, and body postures that communicate trust. You should emphasize key words, nod continuously, and evaluate whether it's valid to use technical terms or if you should use simpler language.
9. Communicate the qualities of your product with emotion
80% of the decisions we make are driven by some emotion, as noted by 2002 Nobel Prize winner in Economics Daniel Kahneman. You can use motivating words like “discover,” “inspire,” “win,” “grow,” among others; mention how your product or service will solve that customer’s pain. Remember to convey enthusiasm when saying what you do.
10. Show testimonies or evidence