As with any profession that involves making important decisions, selling skills are key elements to success in Business Sales. Before examining the technical side of the Business Sales industry, it is important to understand a few elements of the psychology of selling to gain an appreciation of the skills and techniques used in all aspects of our business. Developing and refining these selling skills is an ongoing process which requires training, practice, reading, and patience.
A top salesperson will always tell you that at some point in the sale, "I just knew it was the right thing to say." The result is that many people think that good closing and sales techniques are instinctive or natural. Actually, they are not. With that statement, the top sales person actually acknowledged that he had listened and observed his prospect or client so closely that he knew precisely what the next step should be.
With each of the processes mentioned earlier for refining selling skills, it is important to understand not only the skills but also the psychology involved. Later in this article, I will share a guide to best practice methods. It is meant to serve as an introduction to the art and science of selling.
The sales process itself has a number of steps, each of which allows you plenty of opportunities to listen carefully and to observe. This is true whether you are working with a potential seller or a potential buyer. In both cases, the process has similar steps:
1. Introduction and conversation (rapport building)
2. Fact gathering (understanding the customer’s underlying motivators)
3. Education/selling about the process (of buying or selling)
4. Reaction and feedback (objections and explanations)
5. A request for action
By listening and observing carefully, a top business sales intermediary should be able to recognize exactly which step of the process he is in. This will signal what the next step will be (e.g. explain about a certain fact, ask more questions, or try a trial close). You should also watch for various sales seminars which may be periodically available in your area. The better you understand the fundamentals of selling, the more successful you will be in Business Sales.