Do you have a business? 40 tips to sell more!

1. The first impression is key. You never get a second chance to make a good first impression. Therefore, from the beginning, focus on satisfying the customer's desires and don't concentrate only on presenting an offer. If your start is weak, the end will be the same. Take advantage of the first encounter so that your consumers become convinced -through good treatment- that you are their best option and, of course, that they are also important to you. Otherwise, you will have to work hard later to change a bad first impression. 2. Draw up a plan to win over customers. Planning the actions you will take will give you great advantages to offer excellent service. Create a general plan before dealing with new clients and a special one for your main accounts. Profile each of your prospects based on general data and specific needs you observe. The goal is to develop timely actions aimed at filling these gaps. Remember that the plan is only a starting point that must be adapted according to the case, since each client is different. 3. Listen first and anticipate. Once you have drawn up a plan, the second step is called "anticipate". How to do it? Allow the client to explain in detail what they want. Sometimes, words are not a sufficient resource to express what we really feel, so also take into account facial expressions and gestures. When it is your turn to speak, use all the information you gathered to present the features of your product or service as the exact solution to the stated demands. 4. Choose a good location for your business. Location is a fundamental point for customers to enjoy going to your business willingly and without complications. Take into account the communication routes to reach your premises and the type of area, that is, that it is not too conflictive, dangerous, or difficult to access. Also consider it a priority to have your own parking lot or make an alliance with a nearby one and offer a special rate for your shoppers. It would be useless for your store design to be spectacular and for you to have the best products at competitive prices if you cannot get people to reach you without major obstacles. 5. Study your market. Invest time to become an expert in your market. Attend trade shows and events that your consumers consider important. There you will be able to interact closely with them. Also take advantage of the occasion both to observe what your competition is doing and to detect what types of products and services are most in demand. Another option is to keep up to date on market trends through specialized publications and by getting involved and participating in chambers and trade organizations. 6. Put yourself in your customer's shoes. A serious mistake is thinking that customer service is a standardized activity and that the same tactics will work to satisfy everyone's expectations. People are unique and special. Put yourself in the other party's shoes and ask yourself the following question: how would I like to be treated: well or badly? Then offer treatment that is, at least, good. Better yet, excellent. Start with a general customer service plan and, as the case may be, design specific strategies to create a "different" experience for each customer. 7. How to start off on the right foot? The secret lies in asking the right questions at the beginning and end of the conversation you have with a client. Thank them for the time they have given you and then ask: "Just out of curiosity, why did you accept this appointment?" Most will tell you about their experiences with different products and companies. You just concentrate on listening. This will demonstrate that, on the one hand, you are interested, while you will obtain valuable information and the communication channel will remain open for when it is your opportunity to present your proposals. 8. Ask the right questions. A common mistake is to question clients in an incisive way. For example: What goals would you like to achieve in your company? Even if you receive an answer, it may not be entirely true. Another mistake is asking: Are you satisfied with your business sales? The answer will be "yes" or "no", cutting the conversation short. Instead, consider this position: "Based on your experience, what tools, allies, or resources do you need to increase your sales?". The question is direct and leaves the response "open", inviting the consumer to share everything on their mind. Anticipate these situations and prepare before an appointment. The client will feel that they are facing an expert capable of providing excellent service. 9. What is a customer looking for? When a person acquires a product or service, they are actually buying emotions. If we all have five senses, make your consumers experience each one of them. For example, going to the movies is not limited to watching a film, but rather a moment of entertainment accompanied by images, sounds, food, and drinks. "Quality" is what you must give the customer. "Service" is the way you are going to give it to them. You choose how: pizza delivery in less than 30 minutes; courier service in just 24 hours; if there is no business for you, we refund your money, etc. Strategies to win them over 10. Show why you are the best option. When you are in charge of the first task your client has entrusted to you, don't forget to provide updated information on your progress. Share all results -good and bad- and solve any problems that arise jointly. Demonstrate, at all times, that you are making your best effort and that you work to achieve mutual benefit. If you succeed, you will not only build a good relationship, but also create a feeling of satisfaction in your consumer, which will help you improve the chances of winning that account and many more. 11. Focus on the details. Who doesn't love receiving something that surprises them. That is why details make the difference. The strategy is simple: observe very carefully what your client likes and what bothers them, identify these elements, and use them to your advantage to cause them great emotion. It is not about giving them a gift, but about knowing which things they appreciate most about your offering. Keep an accurate record of their consumption and detect their tastes so that later, before they ask, you can show them the options they surely have in mind. Creativity will be your best ally. 12. Solve the most difficult problem. Once you have identified who your ideal client is, the question is: how to start a relationship with them? A good alternative is to ask them what is the most complicated problem they face that no one else has solved. Present them with a concrete solution accompanied by an action plan. Then, the prospect will think: "wow!, if (he or she) can handle a complicated task, imagine what they will do in other areas". This opportunity will allow you to create a solid foundation to think about a long-term relationship. 13. Let the client "try" your work. Offering a "sample" of your work is a very effective marketing tool to win over new clients and is as accurate as running an advertising campaign. It is an excellent opportunity for the consumer to know your proposals and, mainly, to know how you carry them out. But don't confuse this strategy with "working for nothing". What is the difference? Once the "trial" period is over, put the matter on the table and make sure the client offers something more than gratitude. Calculate the amount of your fees so that, if they make you a proposal, you are ready to negotiate a fair deal for both parties. This will only be the beginning of a long relationship. 14. Create expectations and go beyond. Keeping your promise is the minimum you have to do for your clients to feel satisfied with your service. The ideal is to provoke the "wow" effect, that is, to surprise them with attention superior to what they expected or surpassing the experiences they had lived until then. To achieve this, you must know exactly who your customer is. Meet with your staff and exchange information about the profile of each of the buyers. Important: any moment is good to generate the surprise factor. You decide when and how to provoke it. 15. Offer a whole experience. The difference between offering a service and an experience is the following: a service can become a "cardboard argument" where phrases like "I hope you come back soon" are repeated. Instead, an experience includes sensory marketing. This means managing colors, lights, aromas, etc. Integrate all these sensations into your offering, in such a way that they conquer your consumers' senses. The goal is to provoke in them a reaction similar to: "What a pleasant experience! I will come back soon to live it again". 16. Be the perfect host. If you have a restaurant, put yourself in the customer's place and reflect on the following: would you like the chef to come to your table to ask you if you liked the food he prepared? Most likely, yes. These types of details are unforgettable for consumers, so don't lose sight of them. The advice is to treat your clients like friends who decided to visit you. Don't disappoint them and create a perfect environment full of details. In the end, they will be so pleased that they will return soon in search of an equal or better experience. Prepare yourself and receive them as they deserve. 17. Earn the customer's trust. Studies show that most executives base their final decision on "who they buy from" and not on "what they buy". The way you present yourself and the questions you ask will reveal who you are, how you think, and, mainly, will create something invaluable: trust. A smile is not enough. The consumer is fed up with companies that tell you "we have everything you need", but in the end do not deliver the product on time, nor respect the agreed price. So, to earn the customer's trust you will need, more than a smile, to keep your word. To do this, do not neglect your consumer for an instant, dedicate time to them and keep them informed. 18. Speak the customer's language. When a consumer goes to a certain establishment or hires a person's services, what they are really looking for is to make contact with someone who speaks their same language. A common mistake of professionals is that they explain things using technical terms that most people do not know. This makes the customer feel uncomfortable because they do not understand what the proposed solution consists of. The advice here is to present timely solutions and, above all, what the purpose of each one is. If what you offer is a product, the essential thing is to describe its advantages and how these will solve the problem the consumer poses. 19. Never let them leave angry. In the business world there is a saying that goes "a happy customer will tell one or two people, and an unhappy one will let 10 people know". For example, when you face an angry customer due to a defect in the item they purchased, appeal to service as the best alternative for conciliation. Give them the opportunity to express their discomfort, show concern for helping them through the bad time, and offer immediate solutions such as product replacement or a discount on their next purchase. If it was a failure on the part of the staff, evaluate the situation and apply measures so that it does not happen again. 20. Keep the communication channel open. Communication and step-by-step follow-up are the basic rules to guarantee a long-term relationship. Many think that attention and service end when the consumer leaves with the product or service they wanted. Big mistake. Knowing their opinion, level of satisfaction, and perspectives is fundamental to offering them exactly what they need. First of all, let the customer know that their opinion about your business is important to you. Place a suggestion box, a direct customer service phone number, and send opinion surveys -via email. This information will be the starting point for making decisions aimed at improving your service every day. 21. Cultivate the relationship with your clients. More than looking for new accounts, take care of the relationship with your current consumers. The eagerness to increase the customer base will prevent you from taking care of those who already trust your business. Therefore, keep in permanent contact with them to listen to their comments and clarify their doubts. Thus, you will become not only a provider of products and services, but a specialized advisor in detecting and resolving the needs of your buyers. The result: 100% satisfied customers willing to repeat the shopping experience they had or to refer you among their acquaintances. 22. Add value to your offering. Experts recommend not depending only on two or three clients to generate the greatest volume of sales. But it is also a fact that the main accounts grow at a faster pace than the others. What to do? Instead of reducing the concentration of your business, a good alternative is to provide additional services that complement your original activity. Show them that you truly care about them and that it is not only about doing business. Therefore, diversify your offering with the goal of being the strategic ally that your consumers seek to perform different tasks. In this way, you will create a solid barrier against your competitors. 23. Personalize, personalize, personalize. News: the customer is no longer just a number. Now the first requirement is to call them by their name and know them thoroughly. Each person is different and loves individual treatment. So, get ready to offer tailor-made experiences. Examine their consumption habits, ask them why they like a certain product or service and if they agree with the price. Integrate this information into a database and don't lose sight of it to provide totally personalized treatment, taking care of details to the maximum and anticipating their wishes. 24. Create a personal bond. Doing business is not everything. Learn to see your clients not only as a source of income for your company, but as a fundamental part of it. How to create a personal bond with your prospects and consumers? Spend time with them in a less formal and more relaxed environment. Invite them to breakfast or a sporting event. The goal is to talk about various topics and, at the same time, get to know each other better. During these chats, pay attention to details, as this is privileged information for later formulating interesting proposals. 25. Innovate your service constantly. Everything can be improved. So, use your knowledge and imagination to find, day by day, how to improve customer service. There are countless elements that, at first glance, seem unimportant and are actually key to creating a different experience. Offer simple complementary services that have a great impact on consumers. For example: gift wrapping at no extra cost, personalized advice for buying technological items, etc. 26. Research and conquer. Have you ever called your clients to ask them if they are satisfied with the product or service they purchased? Carrying out this action is fundamental before moving to the next level, that is, thoroughly investigating who is the person or company that came to you in search of a solution. Find out what they do, what resources they need to improve their work performance, and who the people around them are. If you sell computers, ask your client, first of all, if they are comfortable with their purchase; later, find out if they are interested in acquiring another piece of equipment, perhaps for a family member or a special model as a work tool. 27. The experience ends when the customer returns. What interests you most about a customer? Answer: to earn their trust so that they return again and again. Don't be mistaken, the relationship between seller and consumer does not end when the latter leaves a store with a product in hand, but when -convinced by the attention they received- they return to repeat the shopping experience. Always give your customer something more, a characteristic touch of your business, which they cannot get out of their mind until they visit again. Encourage them to return with promotions by phone or Internet. Prepare your team 28. Put your service policy in writing. Create policies aimed at offering excellent service and put them in writing. The goal is to create a guide of principles to orient employees. The rules of the game are summed up in the following phrase: "the customer is always right". But the most important thing is to put these policies into practice. As an entrepreneur you must be the first to implement them so that, in response, your staff does so without hesitation. 29. Don't hire employees, look for allies. The personnel selection process is one of the fundamental points for creating excellent service. Therefore, recruit people committed to this goal. This implies a strict selection process to discover the capabilities your collaborators have and focus them on customer service. Assume the role of leader of your team and become an example for others. As your allies, allow them to participate actively not only in dispatching merchandise, but in contributing new ideas and, above all, implementing them. 30. Invite your employees to contribute ideas. The rules to promote a change in staff behavior and conduct business procedures need to come from the employees. They will easily adopt policies only if they believe in them. Invite them to contribute ideas, since they are the ones on the "front line", interacting day by day with clients and listening to their comments. Jointly, make a selection of the best contributions and put them into practice immediately. 31. Carry out the suggested proposals. Choose one of the ideas contributed by the staff and help unconditionally to carry it out. Eliminate all obstacles so that implementation is a success. If this new idea clashes with an already established policy or procedure, do everything possible to make the change without complications. With this, your collaborators will see that their opinion is important to you and that you appreciate their interest in providing top-notch service. 32. Use the consumer's opinion to your advantage. All actions you undertake will have the customer's opinion as a starting point. Both you and your collaborators must be alert to any comment, good or bad, made by consumers. Use various methods to gather information, especially the most powerful of all: a face-to-face conversation. The next step consists of evaluating these opinions and making timely changes so that the customer notices that their suggestions were not only heard, but formed the basis for improving the service. 33. Motivate your staff. An effective way to motivate your collaborators is through the effect caused by positive comments provided by customers. For example, if an employee proposes placing seats for senior citizens to rest while they wait in line, and one of the consumers asks whose idea it was, immediately call the employee so they receive the feedback directly. This fact will motivate your staff to continue contributing ideas and to carry them out as well. 34. Evaluate your collaborators' performance. Mystery Shopping is one of the most effective methods to measure and increase your customer's satisfaction and loyalty. Hire an expert company to send "mystery shoppers" to your business with two objectives: to live the experience as a consumer and to make sure that the customer receives good service. Although you will previously notify your employees about these evaluation visits, they will not know the day, the time, or the person. Based on the information generated from this exercise -carried out once a week or biweekly- you will take two types of actions: 1) If you verify that the staff performs satisfactorily, you will give public recognition and reward your collaborators. 2) But whoever is caught in a negative attitude toward the customer, the consequences could range from a serious warning to dismissal. Gain more customers "online" 35. Transform your virtual site into a real experience. Having a commercial website should not be an obstacle for the customer to feel as if they were really in contact with the product or service. A detailed description and good-sized photographs from different perspectives will better illustrate to visitors. With these tools you will awaken consumers' interest so that they dare to place the order and, in this way, fully live the shopping experience. If you succeed, they will be quick to return again. 36. Keep your customer informed. It is not enough to display contact information on your website if you do not give a quick response. Install an automatic email generator that indicates to your buyers, once they place a purchase order, that their request was received successfully. Make alliances with several courier companies and offer a wide range of shipping options. Every day send an email to your customer to inform them about the progress of their order. In case of any delay, report it and explain the causes. Honesty is one of the golden rules in customer service. 37. Provide all contact and shipping facilities. It is important that your commercial site be easy to navigate. Within the main menu create a special section where the visitor will find all the answers to their doubts about delivery time, payment and shipping methods, return policies, etc. Make sure to include all your company's contact information: address, phone number, and email. This information will be very useful for your clients and will help you give them better service regardless of whether it is through a computer. 38. Answer the "frequently asked questions". A study by the Pelorus Group showed that 42% of commercial websites take at least five days to answer questions sent by their clients. Create a "Frequently Asked Questions" section (FAQ, by its English name) within your main menu. Also include an email address that will serve as a link between your visitors and your business. Constantly check the inbox and answer all queries you receive as soon as possible. 39. Make your smart switchboard truly smart. If the way you contact your clients is by phone, try to manage a simple and useful menu. Don't forget to always have the option to "speak with a representative" available, who will know how to direct the consumer to the right person to resolve their doubts. 40. Surprise them with exclusive promotions. Add a surprise element to the automatic emails you send your consumers when they place their order. It can be a discount coupon valid for their next purchase or extra information about the product they just acquired. Attach a brief questionnaire to learn more about them and know which products they are looking for.