How to Secure a Prospective Customer in 7 Steps

With all of the options available to customers, winning them over can be a daunting task. The internet has been both a blessing and a curse to sales people: it makes it easier to connect with potential clients, but makes it easier for them to connect with competitors.

This reality has upped the stakes. Customers must be won over at a faster pace, or they will move on to the next business.

Here are seven strategies to secure a prospective customer before they can look somewhere else!
 

1. Know the Client Before Making Contact

Preparation is what separates winners from losers in the business world. This statement might sound harsh, but it’s true.

Customers want to know two things: that their time is respected and their needs are understood. A little research will accomplish both of these things. Get to know the customer before talking to them.

Find out how what special needs they might have and how the product or service helps them. Identify competitors and their shortcomings. This information comes in handy later when making contact.

Proper research will also raise confidence levels. When working as a sales rep, attitude is everything!

2. Lead With a Question or Statement Showing Your Knowledge

Increased competition in every market makes it essential to dive right into the pitch. This approach will, in general, save the salesperson and the prospective customer time.

Depending on the industry, there are multiple ways to approach this. One is to highlight a particular problem. If the industry has a problem with high labor costs, don’t be afraid to state the obvious! The goal is to get the customer focused on the solution.

Asking a question that points out the need for a product works as well. In the financial sector, things are going well right now. Are they prepared for what happens when there is another recession though? Feel free to ask them right away!

3. Be Prepared to Dive Right into the Pitch 

Once the prospective customer responds to the statement or question, go straight into the offered service. There’s no need to be coy with people who know they are getting a sales pitch.

Lead with information about how the service or product answers the challenge presented. Don’t start with a long biography of the company. If they want to know background information about the business, they will ask!

Let the product be the focus of the discussion. Too much background information makes it seem as if the brand is being sold instead of the service.

4. Anticipate Questions from a Prospective Customer

The preparation put into the sale pays off here.

There are five forms of questions: who, what, when, where, and why.

The prospective customer wants to know who they are talking to and what the service is. They also want to know when the service will benefit them, where it’s coming from, and why they should use it.

Answering these questions before they are asked stops any potential problems right away. The customer will then be able to focus on the product itself. Any questions after these will be about product specifics and can be geared towards finalizing the sale.

Don’t be afraid to say “I don’t know” if that’s the case. One of the worst things that can happen is to have a potential customer doubt whether or not they can trust the salesperson.

5. Focus on the Outcome 

Incremental change in an industry can lead to stagnation. Problems aren’t addressed until it’s too late. This mentality leads to services not being bought because the prevailing belief is “it can wait until later.” Blockbuster is a prime example of this.

The best way to counter this is to present what the future looks like. How does the service being provided save the customer pain and money down the road? Answering that question is essential to securing sales.

Customers are more prone to buying something that will stop losses instead of giving them gains. Losses are tangible and emotional whereas gains require imagination. Appealing to the fear of loss is a powerful tactic.

6. Show Positive Returns 

A prospective customer wants to know what kind of returns they will receive from a service. Being able to provide immediate benefit and future security will seal just about any deal.

One way of showing immediate benefit is to talk about other customers that are happy with the service. Having testimonials handy from companies in similar industries is a great way to do this.

People are more apt to buy products that work for their peers. Recommendations are still the best way to drive sales. If other local businesses are willing to vouch for a product, it gives a sense of security to other buyers.

7. Finish With the Customer in Control 

Being pushy is never a good tactic. It degrades trust and makes a prospective customer feel pressured. Pressure can lead to stagnation, forcing a client to put off making a decision.

After the pitch, ask the customer how they would like to proceed. This gives the customer the opportunity to ask any further questions or complete the deal.

No matter the outcome, always thank the person for their time. There is always a chance another product might help them. Leaving on good terms will ensure they listen the next time.

If the sale is successful, ask for a future reference! Building a network of happy customers is a great way to guarantee future success.

Getting to Your Customers Has Never Been Easier 

Being a road warrior is hard. It’s never easy being away from home for 3-4 weeks at a time, and waking up in a new city every day can be stressful.

Luckily, there’s an app that can make life a little easier.

Mapview makes planning easy. You can label prospective customers based on their interest and location, and determine which route will help you achieve your goals.

Even if your sales trip leads you into the wilderness, you are covered! The software will work offline so that your access to clients is never in jeopardy. The download is free, so be sure to check us out! If you have any questions about our app, don’t hesitate to contact us.