Sell More With a STEP Sales System
by Henri Schauffler

Having some challenges getting you sales to close, either in your own sales or that of your team? There’s probably a very clear reason why you don’t have a simple “step” sales system in place, it is not documented and therefore you cannot train your salespeople.

Michael Gerber, author of The E-Myth Revisited, states that, “Systems should run the business and people should run the systems.” Nowhere can this be seen to be more true than in your sales department.

A client recently told me, “I don’t believe in all that, a salesperson is born, not made.” I say, “Balderdash.” Even though there are certainly some people whose personality styles are better suited to sales, once you have the right person, they still need to be trained on a reliable system.

It is well documented that a "step" sales system helps salespeople
systematize their sales work and become far more effective. Here is a simple seven step system proven to work (I used it myself for a decade and sold tens of millions of dollars of human resource services).

1. BUILD RAPPORT - building rapport and connecting with the prospect on a human level

2. FIND NEEDS - asking meaningful questions to clearly identify the prospect's needs

3. SHOW - showing how your product or service meets the prospect's needs or solves their problem

4. VALIDATE - clarifying the value, trustworthiness and good reputation of your product/service and company

5. ANSWER OBJECTIONS - addressing the prospect's concerns and objections

6. CLOSE - finalizing the sale with the prospect's full cooperation and understanding

7. FOLLOW UP ­ Make sure you follow up to make sure the deal is sealed, and also to prime the pump for future sales. Remember the principle of buyer’s remorse, and, more importantly, always be looking toward the next sale!

Whatever system you’d like to pull together, it’s going to have follow these simple steps in one way or another. Once you’ve decided on your system, you will need to create a documented sales system that you can teach to your sales people. If you are a “solo-preneur” building your own company, STILL document your system ­ then you can teach it to your sales team as you grow.

Here are several more important points you’ll need to build into your training:

* You must complete each step before moving to the next

* The Needs Finding step should be at least 60% of the sales interaction

* If you get bogged down in your selling interaction with a prospect, look to see where you did not complete a step fully - you will almost always find at least one. Go back and complete it, then you will be able to continue with the prospect.

One way I have heard this whole process described is “Sell to people the way they buy." It works! I have never had to use "hard" closes or techniques - using a system like this truly identifies those who actually need what you have to sell, and helps them see how it will address their need or problem. Almost like magic!

Henri Schauffler, The CEO Coach, has dedicated the last 20 years to helping small businesses like yours to Outmanage, Outhire, Outsell and Outprofit All the Competition.

Henri Schauffler
hschauffler@gmail.com