What makes a good sales person (and process)?
What if you had all the leads you ever dreamed of… but you still couldn’t close a sale?
The impact that would have on your business and motivation is enough to drive any business owner up the wall.
There are two possibilities at play here. One, your leads are poor quality (ick, we hate that excuse!) and/or the potential customer doesn’t fit the picture of your ideal client.
Or two (and most likely), your sales process isn’t up to scratch.
You might have the perfect customer and the ultimate product, but the lines between the two aren’t connecting.
In the competitive world of solar power, it’s crucial that your sales process walks your customer easily from A to B, starting with an enquiry and ending with a credit card.
So, what makes a good sales person?
Many salespeople talk a good game when it comes to closing a lead, but how much of it is talk alone?
Trust us, every day we hear from solar companies who tell us they have an “absolute killer” on the phones when we ask about their sales team and processes.
Generally speaking, a good salesperson will be hitting budgets and consistently closing leads.
A salesperson who doesn’t perform or misses their budget might be having an off day… but there’s a good chance they’ll blame the lead quality instead of their own process.
In order to make a good impression and sell to the customer, a good salesperson needs to be organised, assertive, friendly and confident.
Most importantly, a skilled salesperson needs to be a good listener.
When a person feels their needs and vision are being heard and understood, they are more likely to build rapport with the salesperson… and rapport means a greater likelihood of closing the sale.
However charismatic your salesperson is, they still need an effective process to follow, so that your leads move smoothly forwards toward a successful sale.
The Sales Process
In sales, it’s common to make initial contact prior to the sales call to pre-qualify the lead.
Maybe you use an appointment setter or someone in your office, or maybe you are larger and you have the leads coming straight into your call centre.
So, assuming you’ve already received some leads, the important next step is to demonstrate your professionalism with a clear sales process.
Appointment Setting
If your appointment process is smooth, then so is your sale. Automated calendars and email systems remove the likelihood of human error and ensure that the crucial first contacts flow effortlessly.
Ensure that you show up on time for the appointment, whether by phone or in person. Punctuality is respectful and professional, so you’ll start your meeting with your best foot forward.
Listen Carefully
You already know that your product is a good fit for the person in front of you – but they still need to be convinced of it.
Ask open-ended questions to determine what they most need. By acknowledging their primary needs and visions, you’ve already eliminated the biggest objections. Listening also creates rapport, which in turn creates trust… and that leads to sales.
Present Clearly & Assertively
When you know your product, it’s easy to get carried away with the details. Focus on your customer’s most important needs, that is, the features and benefits that fulfil their need.
Then, once you’ve established that your product is a good fit, you can share extra information. In this way, your customer will have fewer objections and is more likely to want to buy.
Objections
Objections are an inevitable part of the sales process. By anticipating any common objections such as price or time, you can prepare solutions that reassure your customer and minimise the likelihood of a lost sale.
Acknowledge that your customer’s objection is valid, and provide solid evidence to prove that the benefits of your solar product outweigh their reason for hesitation.
Closing Leads
It might sound obvious, but someone’s enthusiasm doesn’t equate to a sale.
It’s important to close the sale with a leading question such as, “This is what we need to do to proceed” Or, “When you’re ready, I’ll grab your credit card details and we can get this started for you.”
Closing the sale is a form of verbal contract that your customer has agreed to purchase your product or service.
Follow-Up
Does your customer need more time to consider your offer? Were they unavailable when you called? Did they make an enthusiastic deposit?
Create reminders in your calendar so you can follow up on questions, missed calls and quality of service.
Consistent communication indicates your professionalism and keeps your business front-of-mind.
We hear from solar businesses all the time that think that leaving a voicemail once on a Tuesday morning and expecting the lead to call them right back is the way to do it.
Wrong! You’ve gotta hustle!
Power up your leads
You’ve got the salespeople – and we’ve got your leads!
Lemon and Lime Digital are experts in qualified, exclusive lead generation for solar businesses, both in Australia and the USA.
Book a Free Discovery Call Now and get the edge on your competition.
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