Sales organizations want to deliver a fantastic sales experience for all of their customers. But what does that mean, exactly? Being sold to doesn’t always have the best connotation, but we instinctively know a good salesperson versus a bad one, even if we can’t quite grasp what the extra something they have is.
But we want to know what that extra something is. In our series, we’re going to experts around the world who we think have that extra something and asking all about that crucial last mile with a prospect: the in-person meeting.
This week’s expert
We got a chance to ask Jennifer Gluckow, founder of Sales in a New York Minute, about how she approaches sales. Jennifer’s a speaker, trainer, writer, blogger, Facebooker, Instagrammer, Tweeter, and YouTuber.
A perfect example of how to make it in New York, Jennifer has spoken to audiences from coast to coast, and her mission is to teach people how to make it anywhere. Her drive, persistence, and winning through a desire to serve gives her a unique perspective on the sales experience. In her own words, here’s what makes a great one.
What kind of prep do you do for that first meeting?
Jennifer: There is no such thing as being over-prepared. The customer is going to Google you, Facebook you, check you out on LinkedIn, Twitter, and potentially more. So you better make sure you’ve done the same at a bare minimum. If you have connections in common, find out information from them. Your prep determines how well the meeting will go, and in many cases, determines the outcome.
How would you describe your meeting style and approach?
Jennifer: Conversational. Most customers don’t want to watch you pitch a product. I ask questions, uncover their emotional reason for buying, and then speak to that. Of course I’m prepared with content and slides if needed, or even a live demo, but I don’t show up and throw up and neither should you. The best thing to do is to establish rapport at the beginning of the meeting. Don’t start talking about the sale until you’ve found something in common.
Is most of the legwork that leads to closing a sale done in the meeting itself, before it, or after it?
Jennifer: Many people think that closing the sale comes at the end, but closing the sale is what you do from your very first interaction. If you don’t make a GREAT first impression, you’ll have no chance of getting to the next step of the sale, let alone close the sale.
What’s the most challenging part of face-to-face sales meetings?
Jennifer: People are so used to being on their phones, that for many salespeople, the most challenging part of a face-to-face meeting is staying 100% focused on the customer, and ignoring their phones. Whatever is happening outside your meeting room can wait 30-45 minutes or even an hour until the deal is done.
What distinguishes face-to-face selling from selling online or over the phone?
Jennifer: When you sell online or over the phone, the distance between you and the customer creates an inability to see the customer’s reactions and non-verbal cues. You have to be extra perceptive to determine if they’re listening and understanding what you’re saying. You have to get the customer’s attention right away, and you have maintain their attention interactively or they’ll easily get distracted and multi-task while you’re talking to them.
SECRET: Keep asking engaging questions. Keep them thinking and responding. I try to do my meetings on zoom.us. Even if we’re not face-to-face in the same city, we can look at each other over a screen. The face-to-face ability makes it easier to establish rapport, smile, and see reactions. I win more sales when I establish the relationship first.
For more sales tips, you can read and subscribe to Jennifer’s blog. Her eBook, Top 10 for Sales Zen, is available for free download.
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