1. Be passionate and enthusiastic
Showing a real passion and enthusiasm for the products is key – people love to hear stories.
Tell them why you love Imperial Candles products. Do you love revealing the beautiful jewel hidden inside the scented candles? Or perhaps you love the fact that all our candles are hand-poured using natural soy wax?
Top Tip: The best salespeople talk honestly about personal experience with the products by highlighting their benefits. Don’t forget to tell your customer about your favorite ones.
2. Always be prepared
A sale can happen anywhere.
At the train station, at work, at a party, or even while you’re out shopping – the list is endless.
You never know when the next opportunity may arise to talk about your business.
Top Tip: Be sure to leave your contact details on any materials so people can easily get in contact with you.
3. Understand customers’ needs
Understanding your customers’ needs is very important, especially in face-to-face sales.
Hold back the urge to give an Oscar-winning speech on how great your business is and why they should buy from you.
People don’t like to be bombarded with lots of information. It’s highly annoying and will likely cost you a sale. Remember, business is a two-way dialogue.
Instead, initiate conversation and listen carefully. The way in which they begin to ask you about your offering will determine how you respond.
For a better understanding of your customer’s behaviors, below you have the three types of approaches explained:
- Auditory learner
If someone asks you to tell them about your product, this indicates that they would like to be given information. So go ahead and talk about the benefits of the products (high quality, no animal testing, variety of scents available, etc.).
- Visual learner
What if the customer wants to see the product? That’s right, you should show them what you are offering. Brochures and leaflets come in handy too.
- Kinesthetic Learner
Finally, if someone asks if they can smell the product, you guessed it, they would prefer to check the product out for themselves. Hand over the product and let the customer feel, touch, and smell the product.
Top Tip: Next time you are in a face-to-face sales position, really listen to their questions. Take a few seconds to think about whether they would prefer to hear, see or touch the product and use this to your advantage.
4. Find your USP (unique selling point)
You will need to think about how you can add extra value to your Imperial Candles business and set yourself apart from others. Take a few minutes to ask yourself the following question:
Why should people buy products from my business rather than someone else’s?
Do you have excellent customer service skills? Maybe your product knowledge is second to none? Could it be your likability? What about your Imperial Candle Diamond Status? Could this impress your customers?
Top Tip: Relate to your customer and make sure to add your personal touch to any one of their orders. Maybe you can add a ‘Thank You’ card next time you personally send out a customer’s parcel, or why not some freebies.
5. Know your products (inside out and back to front)
Product knowledge is crucial.
Customers will see you as the face of Imperial Candles, and rightly so.
After all, you are the one selling the products.
It’s important to demonstrate your products in the best way by making recommendations and answering any customer queries.
Let’s take a moment to reflect.
If a customer asked you, ‘What does the I Love You candle smell like?’ would you be able to answer?
If the answer is no, you should probably go and brush up on your product knowledge. Armed with the correct information, you will have better success selling your products.
Top Tip: Start by purchasing the wax melts and familiarizing yourself with the fragrance range.
6. Don’t be pushy
Not every product pitch has to end with a sale. Sometimes the time just isn’t right. Or the product isn’t right for that person. Don’t take it personally. There are hundreds of eager people willing to purchase. You just haven’t met them yet. And remember, if you leave a good impression with someone, they might just go on to buy at a later date.
Top Tip: Being authentic and genuine will make a difference in creating long-lasting relationships with your customers. People will always tend to place an order when they don’t feel like they are manipulated into making a purchase.
7. Love what you do
Last but not least, have fun and enjoy what you do. As the late Steve Jobs quite rightly said… “the only way to do great work is to love what you do”.
Are you still reading?
Glad you have arrived so far.
I’m curious to find out if you already use all these strategies or if any tips resonated more than the others.
And if you have any secret strategy that you want to share, feel free to leave a comment below.
P.S.
Do you have any particular struggle that you’d like to know how to overcome, perhaps Public Speaking or Social Media? Leave a comment below, and I will post a Simple, Easy, and Effective (S.E.E.) action plan as soon as possible.