If you’re a business owner, then at a minimum you’re going to have to be a part-time salesperson. Sales is all about performance – so having a structure that you and your team can follow will undoubtedly improve your sales technique.
Mark Bouris caught up with John Roca from Sydney City Toyota, one of the best salespeople he’s ever met, to get access to John’s three MUST-FOLLOW rules. They break down John’s structure that he and his team use to close the deal with clients.
“You can have a road to the sale, but if you don’t follow it and you take shortcuts, then you never get to the sale,” says John. The three rules that you simply can’t ignore are:
- The EVOLUTION framework must be followed.
- You need to be consistent with your sales technique.
- You need to focus on the two pillars of selling, both to the new customer and people you’ve already sold to.
What is EVOLUTION?
EVOLUTION is an acronym and framework that John and his team use to structure their sales process. Let’s unpack it.
E – Expectation
What are people expecting when they enter your business, and how do we meet and exceed it? Consider putting yourself in the shoes of your customer…what is their experience like when they enter your store, or visit your website?
V – Versatility
You need to be versatile to respond to the needs of the customer. “We don’t grab everyone and take them through the same steps” says John, each customer is different, so you need to identify what they like and don’t like, and what they’re looking for.
O – Optimise
Make the most of tools and environments to sell. Offer a seat, a drink, product demonstration, etc.
“If we don’t take care of our customers, someone else will,” said John.
L – Learning
Let the customer learn about the product. Part of the learning process for the customer will come from your explanation and demonstration, but think about what you can do to enhance that learning process? Full understanding of the product cannot be shown or explained, it needs to be experienced.
U – Understanding
After the customer has learnt about the product, you need to figure out what they liked and didn’t like. Is this the right product for them, or is there another? The customer might be too polite to be forward with their understanding of the product, so make sure you find out.
T – Transaction
You’ve put in the work, helped the customer find the right product for them, don’t forget to close the deal. You’ve put in the hard work to get them to this point, don’t be shy about asking for their business.
I – Initiate
Initiate the paperwork. Let the customer know what they need to bring before they can take delivery of the product. Manage their expectations as early on as you can, and be clear about what you need from them.
O – Ownership
Until the customer takes ownership of the product, stay in touch with them and communicate to confirm details and any changes. When they take ownership, make it special for them; you want people to feel special when they buy your product. For many business owners, this comes down to packaging – make sure your packaging is an experience, not just a cardboard box.
N – Nurture
Don’t forget the customer after the sale. Nurture the relationship by checking in on them. It can be a good idea to do a “second delivery” for the customer. People forget details easily, especially when they’re taking delivery of an exciting new product, so reintroduce them to the product, ask if they need you to reexplain how something works and so on.
On consistency & returning customers:
Now that you know what the EVOLUTION framework is, you’ve got a structure to ensure consistency across each and every sales scenario. Regularly reviewing sales to identify strengths and weaknesses, and training to improve weak areas will help to maintain consistency.
Finally, you’ve put in a lot of work to ensure your new customer is happy and settled in well with their product. You’ve made a good impression and you’ve been following up the relationship, so it’s easier to sell to that customer again than it is to bring on a new customer through the EVOLUTION process. John and his team make sure to remind their pre-existing customers every five years to think about a new car, and it pays results for them.
John’s sales strategy is easy to follow and implement, and has kept Mark Bouris as a loyal customer. Imagine what it can do for your customers.
Let Mark show you his framework for running a successful business – Click Here
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