By Bridget McCrea
Mike Schultz, president of Boston-based sales consultancy RAIN Group and author of Rainmaking Conversations, offers his top five tips for electrical distributors that want to sell more to their existing customers:
- Find out what your customers value. Instead of pitching products and talking about features, try to figure out what’s important on a client-by-client basis. With that information in hand you’ll be best equipped to help cure those “pain points” and expand your presence within your existing client base.
- Be proactive. Create conversations that are focused on client agendas, what they’re thinking of doing, what they are not happy about, and so on. “You can sell more when you know,” says Schultz, “but you have to create the conversations yourself.”
- When clients come calling, always expand the discussion. Ask questions, like. “While we’re talking, do you mind if I ask you a few questions about what’s going on so I can help make sure you get the best outcome you’re looking for?”
- Be prepared for meetings. “Too many salespeople wing meetings,” says Schultz. “If you prepare questions, think about objections, prepare for finding out the full set of needs, and so forth, you’ll be able to sell more.”
- Don’t be afraid to pitch. If you’re selling new ideas, products, and services that your customers aren’t familiar with, you’ll have to present them. “Don’t be afraid to do it,” says Schultz.
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McCrea is a Florida-based writer who covers business, industrial, and educational topics for a variety of magazines and journals. You can reach her at bridgetmc@earthlink.net or visit her website at www.expertghostwriter.net.
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