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Sales is about building great relationships established by communication. A happy customer is most likely to bring you referrals which is why it's important to establish good rapport with your customers. This is why you need a smooth conversational flow to establish your sales process. Building a systematic conversation for all potential customers is both efficient and profitable. Disregarding the structure of your communication flow could lead your business to crash.
Conversations Based on Sales Strategies
Technology has streamlined the sales communication process. The speed needed to respond to customers nowadays is crucial. Today, agents and customers communicate through calls, instant messaging, emails, and video conferencing. How to start and handle the conversation depends on these two strategies:
Inbound Sales come from potential customers. They show their interest by sending their details or asking questions. Sometimes, these potential customers are ready to buy.
Outbound Sales begin when your sales team initiates a conversation with given leads. Sometimes, they build their prospect list.
| Communication Flow Stages |
Inbound Sales |
Outbound Sales |
||
|
OPPORTUNITIES |
CHALLENGES |
OPPORTUNITIES |
CHALLENGES |
|
|
INTRODUCTION |
The conversation starts with the client. Learning about their concerns can lead to closing a sale. |
Focus on addressing their concerns. Refrain from thinking that they are already buying. Listen well. |
Set your best foot forward and influence how your client sees your business. |
Facing gatekeepers and stating the purpose of your call are crucial. Understanding who they are and what you represent becomes evident on this stage. |
|
PRESENTATION |
Answer their inquiries with the appropriate features of your service. |
Offering solutions that they do not need would convince them to look somewhere else. |
Show them why they need your service. There is a big difference from asking them to buy what you have. |
Learning a prospect’s needs could be tough without prior contact. Be prepared, research, and plan how to respond well. |
Brand presence and reputation play a big part in sales strategy. Startup companies won't be expecting much from inbound sales while established brands may get fewer but easier outbound sales due to popularity. How a company builds its presence and reputation also depends on how it sells.
Selling boosts popularity, and popularity increases sales. A cycle that starts with making valuable relations. This cycle will keep your company going and growing. As people learn about your services, your reputation takes shape. Your brand presence broadens depending on how delighted your current customers are.
How to Build A Powerful Communication Flow
Photo by Austin Distel on Unsplash
A study shows that representatives who prepare before a call are the most successful. Set your sales team to win by exercising these sales communication practices. These are the 4 Stages of a Communication Flow:
Introduction
Building rapport sets a warm tone for your clients to be confident and comfortable. Make sure that you practice active listening right from the start. Be polite in addressing your clients.
Presentation
Follow the Why-How-What Method:
Why: Why do they need your services? Put a spotlight on their problems to make them realize what they can improve on. You have to make sure that this realization comes from them. Listen to their concerns. Let them talk about their current solutions for these problems. Ask about the recurring challenges they face.
How: How would you address their needs? This is the "What if" where you intrigue your clients about what you offer. Showcase the strong points of your services that matches what they need.
What: What do they need? You. Your business. Your service. Show urgency to get what they have been missing.
Throughout this method, you can know if the lead you're talking to, fits your services. Make sure to have a conversation where two parties listen and talk.
Handling Objections
This stage can appear throughout the call. Right after introduction, during the presentation, or at the close. The customer is letting us learn more about their concerns. Prepare, be calm, be polite, and speak well. Learn how to manage emotional clients.
Closing
Aim to close deals. It’s time to ask for the sale. You have a whole conversation to influence their decision. Ask them a question that leads them to say yes. It’s time for your clients to decide.
The time you've put up in preparing before the conversation is well thought to represent who you are. If your potential client doesn't qualify as a person who needs your services, you still did well. That person may know someone who needs your offers. Due to good experience, making a positive mark generates more leads.
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Links:
Harvard Business Review - Making the Most of a Sales Call
Sales Learn - Handling Objections
Investopedia - Always Be Closing
Simon Sinek - Start With the Why
