The best way to improve your selling performance

Most salespeople forget that they are also buyers at the same time. Think about the last time you bought something, your interaction with the salesperson, and how you made your buying decision…

Did you buy it because of the product, the brand, or the salesperson? Do you think somebody sold the product to you, or did you decide to buy it? 

Yes, you chose to buy. And with your buying decision, you defined the salesperson’s sales performance. For the salesperson, you became the « closed deal » rather than a « lost deal ».

Each time I buy something through an interaction with a salesperson, I want to make sure that the salesperson, by my standards, « deserves » the closing. Thus, I observe the salesperson carefully. Is he being pushy or genuinely helpful? Is he looking to understand my buying points or focusing only on his selling points?

When I see something that does not fit my standards, I kindly end the conversation and leave.

And here are key points that I pay attention to salespeople I interact :

– Genuine interest in me (asking questions to understand what really matters to me)

– Engage a high-quality conversation (no stupid jokes at the beginning) 

– They should not « try » to sell (This one is very visible. This is the moment they start talking about their products as if you are not there)

– No badmouthing about competitors (non-negotiable)

– No negative comments on what I do/did (It might be true but I hate being told that my last purchase was a mistake)

The list can be long, but those are really critical points on top of my list as a customer. 

So, if you would like to improve in selling, I recommend that you start getting better in buying first. Here is a small guide to do so:

  1. Start observing your interactions with salespeople as a customer  
  2. Identify your « buying points » (this can be very contextual so be aware of different situations)
  3. Test them. After each purchase, check if your buying points were respected. 
  4. Once you have your list, write them down. And after each customer meeting, check each of those points and note your performance on those points. 

You will become much more aware of your buying style at the end of one month. This awareness will be curative for your selling style. You will be able to adapt to different customers’ buying habits because you will notice that your selling performance is actually their buying performance.