Practically every business has great products to sell. But convincing customers to buy them can be a serious challenge. While the actual items themselves are often of high quality, the ability of brands to describe why their audiences should drop the cash on them remains elusive. It’s not always clear.
In this post, we take a look at some advice from master communicators that help you sell your brand. Some of these concepts may surprise you.
Read Body Language
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Reading body language is an important part of communicating with somebody and getting them to buy products from you, either in an in-person sales environment or online. The receptiveness of somebody who is standing up straight and looking at you directly in the eye is usually very different from someone who is slouched refusing to make eye contact with you.
Body language is perhaps the most powerful communication tool available to anyone wanting to sell a brand. The best communicators know how to read and respond to body language, getting results from what seem like impossible situations.
A lot of salespeople, for instance, know how to deal with combative body language from customers. They have a knack of defusing the situation. Remember, people only come into a store or arrive on your site because they are looking for something. They won’t always want to talk to you – but there’s always a reason they’re there. And smart communicators know how to tease their reasons out and use them effectively.
Be Empathetic
Don’t underestimate the power of empathy in marketing situations. Customers are only coming to you because they need your help. They’re suffering in some way, and want you to solve their problems.
This concept works equally well across the board, no matter what type of outfit you run. IT support businesses can be empathetic by offering to ride to the rescue every time a business network fails (or prevent it from happening in the first place).
Accountants can promise their customers to file their tax returns accurately without them having to worry about it at all. Even car salespeople can be empathetic about the needs of the person looking for a new motor vehicle.
Being empathic can be a challenge, but it is something you learn on an online communications degree program.
You discover how to make better sales pitches and get underneath your customers’ skin. You find out what really makes them tick and how you can better meet their needs.
It’s not psychological manipulation – it’s an exchange of value. The more you understand them, the better the service you can provide. All master communicators understand this basic reality.
Become a Subject Matter Expert
You can sell something you don’t understand, but it’s difficult. You’re continually fumbling for words and you don’t really know the kind of value the product offers.
But when you’re a subject matter expert, it becomes much easier. You’re much better able to speak fluently and address concerns.
Becoming a subject matter expert also imbues you with a sense of authority. When people want to know something about a product, they’re much more likely to come to you for advice. You’re the person in the know.
Be Curious
Being open and curious can be a challenge. We like to believe that we know how other people should live or conduct their lives. But the reality is that we don’t and everyone is different. Their experiences of reality are often tremendously different from our own.
Being curious and open is vital when attempting to sell. You need to ask questions and get to the bottom of what it is that your customers want. Never assume that you know their minds. Almost always, you don’t.
Getting prospects to part with information is usually pretty easy. They will often want to engage you in conversation about their needs and the things they’re looking for. Listen intently to what they say because there’s usually something lurking that’s worth listening to. After a few sentences, most people tell you a problem they want you to solve and the way that they’d like you to do it.
Assume Good Intent
People will often lie to you and attempt to manipulate you to get a better deal out of you. But while this can be frustrating, your role in any sales interaction is to make a sale that benefits both parties – it’s not to act as judge and jury.
With that in mind, always assume good intent. Yes – you may catch somebody red-handed, but even then, maintain your composure and continue acting in good faith. Often catching somebody, forgiving them, knowing that you’re onto them makes them more loyal.
