It is common knowledge that people buy from people they like and trust. Your first objective in a sales call is to gain the prospect’s trust and in the process, get them to like you. This is known as rapport and it is the first step in this eight step Sales Process.

Without trust, prospects will mislead you and will not honestly answer your questions. You will be wasting valuable time. Traditional sales techniques can no longer be applied as most potential clients are well aware of that type of sales approach and will avoid you at all costs.

Yes, you are the most important person in the world, nonetheless, when you have a customer in front of you, he/she becomes more important. Your customer must become your priority.

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A referral is when you ask a client, a prospect (or even an acquaintance or friend) for the name and contact information of someone who might have an interest, need or want for your product or service. An introduction to the individual makes the referral even more powerful.

But first how do you get referrals and introductions. The answer is simple – ASK! You already know that you have the right to ask. If you don’t ask, you don’t get. If you ask, you have a 50-50 chance of getting one, and if you don’t, there is nothing lost as you cannot loose something you never had. Simple make it a habit to ask everyone and you will no longer be making cold calls, but working strictly on a referral basis. Ask more to sell more! Don’t miss out on this tremendous lead source!

The other option is word of mouth, where you provide an outstanding service and other talks about you. However, if you do not ask for testimonial letters, or for a referral, the chances of getting one out of the blue are slim.

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Sales presentations have been referred to as a “dog and pony show” to all those qualified or not. Presentations are all encompassing and include features, benefits, and all kinds of information that the prospect may or may not want to know.

Prescriptions are the opposite of presentations. Prescriptions are specific solutions to the pain or pleasures identified within the prospect’s predetermined budget and then, customized to meet the decision makers desires.

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Setting parameters to qualify sales opportunities is also referred to as setting the ground rules. The process eliminates surprise and both parties are able to work toward a clear future. A strong rapport has to be established and ground rules have to be set before the qualifying begins.

Once the prospects are comfortable with you and they are not only talking a great deal but you are listening attentively; that’s the perfect time to ask a qualifying question, “By the way, how much time have you set aside for our meeting?”

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