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Sharpen
Your Selling Skills For Easier Wine Sales Qualifying Potential Buyers
There will always
be people who have never heard of your label that are potential new buyers. How
do you qualify them? Here are a few guidelines to determine what's needed:
Gain the
prospect's information. Find out where they live, what kind of work they
do, what kinds of food they like, or how often they eat out. Ask consumers what
type of wines they enjoy. (Red or white? Dry or sweet? Favorite brands?) The answers
to these questions will help determine the potential customer's wine knowledge,
buying frequency, or entertainment needs.
Determine
a probable need. Do you offer the wines your customer wants? Are they
within your buyer's price points? (Mental note: Try and match your products with
what they are seeking.)
They must
have the ability to buy. Can they afford to buy your wine? If so, how
much? Can they afford only a few bottles or several cases? Ask what their favorite
brand is and how often they buy it.
They must
have the authority to buy. Make sure you are dealing with the decision
maker. Nothing is more frustrating than to deliver your entire sales presentation,
only to find out that you were talking to someone that doesn’t carry the checkbook!
They must
be interested in what you have to offer. Determine if your potential
buyer appreciates what you have to offer and desires any or some of your wines
- either now or perhaps in the future. The best way to spark interest is by offering
benefits or a solution to their needs. Limited availability, special discount
pricing, or large bottles create urgency and desire to buy immediately.
Finding
Buyer Needs
After you have
qualified your potential buyers, you will need to slowly build their trust and
confidence by determining what they want and need.
Most people buy
when they cannot solve their needs themselves. The questions you ask them to uncover
these needs will help engage their minds into "discovery" mode. If you remember
that the buyer has the answers, it will be easier for you to facilitate questions
that will help him or her discover a hidden benefit or solution to their problem.
"Funnel" questions
slowly build an interaction. Start with broad questions that eventually narrow
down and clarify what the potential buyer is seeking. After you have clarified
a specific need, verify that what you heard is really what they meant. The next
question should be to expand on a specific benefit your wines can offer them,
then direct your conversation towards your close.
Learning
To Listen
Listening is the
fine art of word navigation, understanding the meaning of a message, and responding
in a way that lets a person know he or she has been heard. How do you do that?
With CARE.
|
Concentrate |
on
what the customer is saying. |
Acknowledge |
or
reinforces their remarks. |
Restate |
what
they’ve said in their own words. |
Empathize |
and
let them know you understand. |
Concentration starts
with looking the person in the eye. Acknowledgment can include a smile or nod.
Restating words or key phrases will help you develop narrower questions to sharpen
your "funneling" techniques. Empathy does not mean you have to agree with the
customer - but does imply that you understand or have perhaps shared a similar
experience.
Questioning
Guidelines
Building any relationship
starts with getting to know the other person. Plan your questions in advance and
try to develop a funnel series for different kinds of prospects.
Ask open-ended
questions. Discover your potential customer's needs by asking open-ended
questions that start with Who, What. When, Why, Where, or How. Include the word
"you" in them to get the prospect to open up faster. (How often do you buy wine?
What restaurants do you like to go to?)
This will
allow buyers to express themselves. If you ask close-ended questions
that require a yes or no answer, it will mean more questions and funneling.
Refrain
from techno-talk. Don't use technical terms that might confuse the potential
buyer. Some prospects may be intimidated, or others may not wish you to "dump"
excessive product information on them. Most customers are more interested in how
a wine tastes, than what strain of yeast was used during fermentation.
Don't interrupt their response. This is the
most common offense committed by salespeople. You're asking questions to uncover
desired needs. (Inquiring minds want to know!) Allow prospects to answer your
questions within their time frame, not yours. Everything you say, you already
know anyway. Listen attentively. Take your time and don't rush them.
Respond and check. Use your prospect's prior
responses to start building your relationship. We are all seeking acknowledgment,
and it makes us feel good to be heard and understood. Aligning yourself with the
customer's attitudes and emotions will help you win their trust and confidence.
Customers Become Your Partners
By creating a comfortable selling environment, prospects will
be willing to exchange information more freely and begin to offer unsolicited
comments or inquiries to facilitate the buying process. Once they have integrated
your wines into their buying patterns, they will begin to act as your liaison
by telling others about your brand.
The continued relationship you establish with customers after
the sale is the most important element of customer service. Your follow-up strategies
will help you monitor their appreciation of your wines. They have the power to
call to reorder and refer others to you.
And when they do - you'll be on your way to expanding your customer
base as well as your sales revenues.
¨
¨ ¨
Non-verbal
Communication Clues
You can also listen
and watch for non-verbal communication that can clue you in on how to proceed.
Watch for these body language telltale signs:
Negative
Indicators
Nervous fidgeting
Pushing things away from you
Crossing their arms over their chest
Not listening or not looking at you when you speak
Positive
Buying Signals
Leaning towards
you
Holding several
products
Handling the wine
bottle
Re-tasting the
same wine
Studying your back
label
Checking
their wallet
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