Pick A Selling Style that Is Best Suited for You and Your Team

There are three different major selling styles:  Describing, storytelling and listening. 

 

Describing is the default option that most sales professionals use and, in case you are not aware of the fact, everyone in the showroom is involved in the sales process.  Even though describing is most common, it typically is the least effective technique to build trust and establish credibility.  It involves relating features, benefits and cost.

 

A more effective sales approach is telling stories about the benefits and feelings that your prior customers enjoyed by relying on your showroom to create their new bath or kitchen.  Testimonials told by your clients are an extremely powerful tool to establish trust and credibility.  Also, relate before and after case histories that illustrate how you solved a particularly taxing problem or overcame obstacles that surprised and delighted your clients.  "Imagine" is a powerful word that is a great way to begin a story.  Ask your clients to imagine the feeling they might get after a particularly stressful day in the office when they get a few moments to wash away their concerns in their brand new bathroom. The reason why "imagine" is such a powerful way to start a story is because it enables customers to visualize their future.

 

Listening is one of the least understood and underused sales techniques.  What do you believe is more effective, trying to sell someone something or creating something that people want?  The only way to create something that a customer wants is to understand their needs, desires, dreams, challenges, conflicts, doubts and budgets.  That information is obtained by asking the right questions and effectively and actively listening to their responses.

While features and benefits describe available options, the best sales approaches make emotional connections and they can be obtained through effective story telling and active listening.