Show-and-Sell Sales Techniques

One of the most critical yet overlooked principles in the selling process is the power of self-discovery through customer involvement. Regrettably, many salespeople use a “show-and-tell” presentation style and babble on hoping they might say something that will generate a sale. When you show or tell your prospects about your product or service, they have a tendency to doubt the information and mentally disengage from your presentation. On the other hand, when they participate in the selling process and are guided to discover a feature or benefit on their own, they will be inclined to believe it.

Car salesmen truly understand the value of self-discovery and prospect participation. They’ll be the first to tell you that it's the actual smell of the leather and the hands-on-the-wheel experience of the test-drive that sells the car, not the colorful brochure full of options and features. Obviously, not every product or service lends itself to a hands-on demonstration; however, there are always ways to increase prospect involvement. Any time there is a choice between whether you or your prospect should do something, let them do it. For example, if you've got numbers to crunch, hand them the calculator, and let them work the numbers. When it’s time to demonstrate the benefits and features of your product, don't just show them, find creative ways to keep them actively engaged during the entire selling process.

Recently, I heard an interesting story about a successful glass salesman named Bill Johnson. He was the top producer in his company by a significant margin. After Johnson set a new quarterly sales record, the company president called to congratulate him on his achievement. When asked what he felt was the secret of his success, Johnson replied that he had recently added a minor change to his sales presentation that was making a major difference in his results. During his presentations, he was now using a hammer to strike the safety glass several times to demonstrate its strength and durability. Excitedly, the president asked Johnson if he would be willing to teach his hammer technique to the entire sales force at the next company training.

Several months after Johnson’s presentation, the company shattered its previous records for safety glass sales. The president was extremely pleased with the company-wide results but was surprised that Johnson's production was still significantly higher than the rest of the sales force. When he asked the top seller if he had discovered any new techniques, Johnson replied that he had recently made a subtle change in his presentation. "I still use the hammer technique," Johnson said, "except now when I get to the part in my presentation where I demonstrate the strength of the safety glass, I hand the hammer to my customer and let them beat on the glass!"

By handing the hammer to his customers, Johnson discovered the secret of successful selling. He took his sales career to the next level by finding a way to keep his customer actively engaged during his presentation. Are you keeping your prospects actively involved? If not, I encourage you to take a lesson from Johnson and find a way to put the hammer in your prospect's hand.

John Boe presents a wide variety of motivational and sales-oriented keynotes and seminar programs for sales meetings and conventions. He is a nationally recognized sales trainer and business motivational speaker. For more information, visit www.johnboe.com or call 877.725.3750.

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