How to be a Professional Salesperson.©
Free Sales Training Video Series – Show, then tell
Show, then tell
This is a very simple point but one that’s often overlooked. There is a grocery store near my house that I frequent. If I’m looking for an item there and I cannot find it, I usually just ask one of the store employees. What happens next is the important part of this lesson. The store employee drops what they are doing and walks me to the item. This is a subtle, but effective sales strategy. Aside from me feeling important and good about their service, it solves an issue for me; time. I usually squeeze going to the grocery store in between my other tasks for the day. I want to get in and out as quickly as possible. They know that about me, and most of their other shoppers.
As you’re giving a demo or presentation, one of your prospects may ask you a question about an additional feature or some additional functionality within your product. Don’t simply say, yes we can do that. If you were planning on showing that later in the presentation, and there are other features that need to be shown first because they build on each other, say “Good question. I am going to cover that in a bit.” However, if it is a standalone feature just go ahead and show them how it’s done. If you don’t, they’ll be thinking about their question when you want them focusing on what you are presenting. They may also think you are hiding something. Relating this back to the grocery example – you are getting a request of something that is important to them and showing and/or acknowledging it, and “walking” them to what they want, right then. You also start to build trust with this approach because it shows you are listening and are considerate of their time.
An exception; if the decision maker is on demo and asks to see something, stop and show it right then. And compliment them for asking the question.
Tip: Set the stage for your demo by having your questions written out and mentally placed at the right point in your presentation. This also gets them engaged and makes the session interactive.
Bonus demo tip: After the introductions, start off by asking each attendee, “I know your time is valuable. What is the most important thing I could show you today?”
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