Marketing and sales strategies are tapped into play the moment a person takes interest in a product or service. As a small business owner, when potential customers come to you for the first time, they expect you or your sales representative to be helpful, and much more, to be most informed and knowledgeable of your products.
There’s nothing more infuriating from a customer prepared to buy than a string of “I’m not sure” or “I don’t know” from sales people. Three important sales strategies that relate to your products and services are provided.
Business Owners Must Know Their Products and Services
What to do:
- Make a list of questions about new products or services and find out the answers as soon as possible.
- If you have staff specialists ask them to explain about the product/s in question.
- Make it a point to check the specifications of each new product and the details of the service.
Consider these questions:
- Are there new products and services I’m not clear about?
- Are there any gaps in my products knowledge that I don’t know about?
- Are my sales people up-to-date with knowledge of products we offer?
Business Must Try Own Products Like a Customer
The best way to demonstrate or speak about a product convincingly to your customers is if you’ve tried it yourself, or where applicable, if you’ve had training in the product’s use. Otherwise, as a business owner you must make an effort to find people in your team who have tried the products.
Consider these questions, if applicable:
- What’s the best way for this product to get it working?
- Are there any handy short cuts to the learning process?
- Will some extra equipment be advisable for the safety’s sake or ease of use?
- What are the identifiable benefits of my products and services?
Entrepreneurs - Show Your Products, Don’t Tell
An important strategy in sales and marketing is to show to customers that you know your products and services inside out.
There’s a popular business adage that says, “show, don’t tell!” The truth is, adults should never be told about something, but instead, it should be shown to them. There are various ways of showing a product to a customer. Although brochures or pamphlets can be useful, there is no substitute in seeing the actual product to know exactly what it looks like. Unless, the sale is online like eBay selling, excellent images or photos become a necessity.
The chances of a sale and making customers satisfied increase when they are allowed to interact with the product, that is, depending on the product – an experience of the senses – smelling, tasting or hearing, as appropriate.
The three important sales and marketing strategies that relate specifically to products and services and worth noting are as follows: know your products and services well, try your products like a customer, and last but not least, “show and don’t tell” about your products and services.
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