Chevy Tharp

Some are born, the rest need to be built.

Selling is a simple, almost mechanical, five-step process. Once a person becomes comfortable with those steps, the rest is easy. One could teach week-long classes on this subject, so obviously, I won’t be able to get into deep detail in this column, but I can give you the highlights of a five-step process that will help you transform your new employees from hopefuls into superstars.

1. Introduction: This is the easiest, shortest step. A good introduction should always be an open-ended question. That’s a question that can not be answered with one word. “Hi, I’m Dave. Can I help you?” is not a good introduction. “Hi, I’m Dave. What can I help you with today?” is a great introduction. Even if the customer answers with “Thank you, I’m just looking,” your salesman can always follow up with, “Fantastic! What are you looking for?”
2. Qualification: It’s very easy to skip this step and jump straight into step three (The Demonstration). Make sure your salesmen ask lots of questions. Every situation is different, but the best approach is to start with very broad questions and work your way down to the specific. This is how you let the customer whittle down their choices. It’s very important that the customer feels that they are the one making the decision and eliminating options.
3. Demonstration: Once the customer has narrowed their choices down to a few specific products or services, it’s time to show them the differences. Demonstrations will vary widely from one kind of product or service to another, but one thing always holds true; the customer chose the right one for them for a reason. It’s not for the salesperson to judge. Your salesman needs to be upbeat, positive and ready to answer any questions. Product knowledge is very important here.
4. Trial Close: The Demonstration and Trial Close work very closely together. The idea is to ask questions that gauge the interest level of the customer and alert your salesperson to stop selling and go to step five, or, go back and repeat steps two and three.
5. Close: If your employee did a perfect job through the first four steps, the customer should close themselves (“I’ll take it!”). Of course, it’s not always that easy. Sometimes the customer needs a small push (“Shall I wrap that up for you?”) and sometimes they need something a little more persuasive. Every situation is different and knowing which way to go will come with experience.

This is wise business. It is my sincere pleasure to give back to Maui through business education.

Chevy Tharp is regional vice president, Hawaiian Islands and Western U.S., for Meridian Business Brokers & Meridian Group Hawai‘i. Tharp is an international business consultant and business broker who specializes in helping people buy, sell and improve businesses. He welcomes you to contact him at chevy@mghawaii.com or (808) 268-6131.