A look at the most valuable and underused sales tips
Dear franchise friends: Years ago, my mother told me a saying that helped me in my life. She said, “Nancy, remember, there’s very little new – just new people doing it.” And right she was.
If you have any kids, you know they tell you jokes you heard when you were their age and younger, as you told your folks, and your folks heard them when they were young. Some people like to say, “Oh, I know that one.” Or “That’s as old as the hills.” And some of us just keep our mouths shut and say, “That’s cute.” Or even, “That’s a good one.” Let’s remember we usually give credit to the last person we heard delivering the information.
The bottom line, the same thing goes with selling franchises. I hear sales tips from folks who feel they invented the idea that I heard from my dad years ago. He was an expert salesperson and the significant difference between my dad and some of the folks who share information now is my dad always gave credit. If he knew where the saying, idea, or tip came from, he made sure he shared that information.
The following sales tips are generic and I’m not sure where they came from; however, I am sharing them because so often they’re not even used in selling. And if you wanna sell more franchises, put these in your arsenal. They may have been around ‘forever,’ but I’m telling you, they’re not used enough. I’m not taking credit for them. I am taking credit for sharing them.
Tips for selling franchises
So, franchisors, sales folks, in particular, these 5 tips for selling franchises, while perhaps a bit tattered and torn, are so valuable and most underused. Franchise family: Enjoy!
- Ask for Time to Talk – If you’re making a phone call to a prospect, well, anyone for that matter, ask for time to talk. Making sure you’ve not intruded in their day or interrupted anything will give you high marks. Even if you have a set date/time/day and reach them at that time. Asking, “Is this still a good time to talk, Bob?” will give you high marks above those that never ask. It goes into the category of “Please, thank you and you’re welcome.”
- Record Yourself – It is critically important to hear what you sound like. Some folks have told me, “Oh, I hate how I sound.” Well, do something about it then, because that is how you sound to those you talk with. That is what they hear. And by recording your own voice you can improve. Yes, it can be slightly intimidating hearing how you sound; however, realize that you can adjust. Are you saying “Ummm” too much? Or “Ya know” more times than you need to? Recording yourself is an exercise anyone who sells should do. In my opinion, it can/will be of value to you.
- Learn How to Build Rapport – It is an ‘art,’ not a ‘science.’ And let me say right now, building rapport is not asking: “Hi how are you?” at the start of any conversation. That is a cliché – not rapport building. Once you learn how to build rapport; gain a friendship; or get a prospect’s respect, you are on the right road. There are so many other introductions to say rather than “Hey, how are you?” A few to get you started: “Good to talk with you,” “Great to hear your voice,” “Nice to meet you by phone.” “I’ve been looking forward to talking with you.” The list is endless. “Hi, how are you?” is not on the list. A good rapport builder will not need to say: “Hi how are you?”
- The Close – Wow there are hundreds of books on closing the sale. And many of them are excellent. (Both the book and the close.) However, there is one closing technique that should be used before the ‘hard close’ to gain an idea of where you are in the process.
It is an ‘oldie’ and I wish I knew the originator of the saying. But I am pretty sure it’s way before my time. It is a simple question when you are ready to close:
“Mr. Jones, on the 1 to 10 scale, if you were ready to buy today, where are we?” The number they give you is their ‘temperature.’ And taking their temperature is one of the best and oldest ways to see how they feel and where they are in the buying process. In all the times I have been with a salesperson trying to sell me something, no one… not one has ever used this technique. It’s one of the best. And if it is a low number, you can even prompt them: “What would it take to get you to a 10?”
- My Favorite Sales Tip (which really should be #1) is to smile – Because, without a smile, the sale is stale. Some people tell me, “Well, you can’t tell if I’m smiling on the phone or not.” I do not even argue with those folks. Let me tell you something, especially if you are selling to women. Women love someone who’s smiling. We are taught at a young age to smile. A smile crosses all languages, and it is not to be overlooked when selling. Ever.