Super Sales Tips
Brian Tracy, president of Brian Tracy International in SolanaBeach, California, is the author of several sales books, includingAdvanced Selling Strategies: The Proven System Practiced by TopSales People(Simon & Schuster, $14, 800-223-2336). Hissales secrets for first-time entrepreneurs are:
1. Sell benefits, not features.The biggest mistakeentrepreneurs make is in focusing on what their product or serviceis. Rather, it's what itdoesthat's important, saysTracy. "A health-food product contains nutrients that are goodfor the body. That's what itis. What the productdoesis make the customer thinner, more energetic, and ableto accomplish more with less sleep," he explains. "Alwaysconcentrate on how your product will benefit yourcustomer."
2. Sell to the people most likely to buy.Your bestprospects have a keen interest in your product or service and thefinancial resources to purchase it. They are the ones who will buymost quickly. "If you're selling photo-copy machines,don't try to sell to people who have never bought onebefore," Tracy suggests. "Sell to those who already haveone, or to those you know would be interested in buying one. Showthem how yours is superior."
3. Differentiate your product.为什么客户buyfrom不是从你吗r competitor? Tracy suggests coming upwith at least three features that will give a customer reason tobuy from you. "People don't like to go out of theircomfort zone to try something new. So, give them three good reasonsto try your product," Tracy explains. "Your product orservice, for example, works faster, is less expensive, and has ahigher-quality level of ingredients."
4. Get face to face.Spending huge sums of money onprint-media advertising or direct mail is one of the leasteffective ways for first-time entrepreneurs to build up theirbusiness. There is no shortcut to the personal approach. Getone-on-one with your customer--if not in person, at least byphone.
5. Focus on the second sale.Nearly 85 percent of allsales are produced by word of mouth. "They're the resultof someone telling a friend or associate to buy a product orservice because the customer was satisfied," says Tracy.Therefore, concentrate on developing future and referral businesswith each customer. "Everything you do must be aimed at thesecond sale. Ask yourself: Will this be such a satisfactoryexperience that my customer will buy from me again or tell hisfriends?"
