Nov '24 • Sales
The Six-Step Sales Process
Step 1 – Operating from Leverage
In the first step of the Huber Method, you learn to operate from leverage. As we talked about earlier, leverage means not acting desperate or overly eager in a sales conversation. It’s about making sure the client feels like you have something valuable to offer and that you don’t need them to buy.
This step teaches you how to position yourself as an equal in the conversation, rather than someone who’s begging for a sale. People want to work with someone confident and in control, not someone who seems like they’re in a rush to get any deal.
Here’s how you can use leverage:
- Don’t push too hard: If you’re too aggressive, it can scare people away. Take your time and let the conversation flow naturally.
- Be confident: Even if you’re just starting, act as though you’ve been doing this for years. Confidence goes a long way in building trust.
- Be willing to walk away: If a deal isn’t right for you or if the client isn’t a good fit, be okay with walking away. This shows that you’re not desperate, and it can make the client more interested.
Absolutely! Let's keep going with the remaining lessons in the same format.
Step 2 – Building Credibility Quickly
In sales, credibility is key. If the person you're trying to sell to doesn’t think you're credible, they won’t trust you. And without trust, you can't make a sale. In this step of the Huber Method, you learn how to quickly build credibility so that potential clients feel confident in doing business with you.
What is Credibility?
Credibility means showing that you know what you’re talking about and that you're reliable. It's proof that you’re an expert in your field. This can come from:
- Experience: How long you’ve been doing what you do.
- Results: Examples of success from past clients or customers.
- Knowledge: Showing that you fully understand your product, industry, and the client’s needs.
How to Build Credibility Fast
Here are a few ways you can build credibility quickly, even if you’re just starting out:
1. Highlight Your Experience: You don’t need to have 20 years of experience to sound credible. Even if you're new, share what you’ve learned so far and any small wins you’ve had. For example, “I’ve been working in digital marketing for the past year and helped three local businesses improve their online presence.”
2. Mention Your Clients or Achievements: If you’ve helped other people or businesses, mention them briefly. Even if they’re not huge companies, it shows that you have experience. You can say something like, “I recently worked with a family-owned restaurant to increase their foot traffic by 30%.”
3. Use Data: Numbers and facts make you sound more professional. For instance, instead of saying, “We helped a lot of businesses,” say, “We helped 15 businesses improve their sales by an average of 20% last year.”
4. Be Confident: Confidence is a big part of credibility. Speak clearly, look the person in the eye (or speak confidently on the phone), and be direct. People are more likely to believe you if you seem sure of yourself.
Practical Example
Imagine you're on a call with someone interested in your services. You only have a few seconds to show them that you're worth listening to. You might say something like, “Hi, I’m Jane from Marketing Experts. We’ve helped 20 small businesses boost their online sales by 15% in just six months. I’d love to talk about how we can help you achieve similar results.”
In this lesson, you'll practice delivering a quick, credibility-building introduction that will make potential clients feel like they’re in good hands.
Step 3 – Highlighting the Negatives
This might sound surprising, but talking about the negatives in a sales conversation can help you close more deals. Most people think they need to only mention the good things about their product or service. But when you also point out the challenges or risks, it shows you’re being honest. And honesty builds trust.
Why Highlight the Negatives?
1. It makes you trustworthy: If all you do is talk about how amazing your product is, people might feel like you're hiding something. But if you openly discuss the potential downsides, they’ll see that you're being transparent.
2. It sets realistic expectations: When you mention potential issues or challenges, the buyer knows exactly what to expect. This reduces the chances of disappointment later on.
3. It builds confidence: Believe it or not, being upfront about risks makes you seem more confident. You’re showing that you understand the situation fully and aren’t afraid to talk about the whole picture, not just the shiny parts.
How to Highlight Negatives in a Positive Way
The goal here isn’t to scare the buyer but to be real with them. Here’s how you can do that:
- Mention risks, but also offer solutions: For example, if you’re selling a marketing service, you might say, “It can take a few months to see big results with online ads, but we’ve found that consistency is key, and we’ll be with you every step of the way.”
- Be clear about timelines: If something might take longer than the client expects, let them know. For instance, “This project could take up to three months because of the amount of data we’ll need to gather, but this timeline ensures we do things right the first time.”
- Acknowledge uncertainty: If something is unpredictable, say so. For example, “We can’t predict exact market trends, but we use the best tools available to stay ahead of changes.”
In this lesson, you’ll learn how to introduce the negatives in a way that helps your client trust you more, not less. You’ll practice discussing challenges while still presenting your product or service as the best solution.
Step 4 – Active Listening and Discovery
Listening is one of the most important skills you can have in sales. Too many people think selling is all about talking and convincing, but it’s actually about listening and understanding. In this step of the Huber Method, you’ll learn how to ask the right questions and listen to what your client needs.
What is Active Listening?
Active listening means you’re fully paying attention to what the other person is saying. You're not just waiting for your turn to talk; you’re focusing on their words, their tone, and even what they’re not saying.
Why is Listening So Important in Sales?
1. It helps you understand the client’s needs: If you don’t understand what the client needs, how can you help them? Listening carefully allows you to figure out their problems and offer the right solution.
2. It shows you care: When you truly listen, it shows the client that you care about what they have to say. This makes them feel valued and more likely to trust you.
3. It gives you the information you need to close the deal: By asking the right questions and listening to the answers, you’ll gather important details that can help you make the sale.
How to Practice Active Listening
Here are some tips for becoming a better listener:
- Ask open-ended questions: These are questions that can’t be answered with a simple “yes” or “no.” For example, instead of asking, “Do you want more customers?” ask, “What are some challenges you’re facing in getting new customers?”
- Listen without interrupting: It can be tempting to jump in when you think you have the perfect solution. But let the client finish talking before you respond.
- Paraphrase what they say: This means repeating back what they said in your own words. For example, “So it sounds like you’re looking for a solution that will help you grow your customer base without increasing your costs too much. Is that right?”
In this lesson, you’ll practice asking the right questions and actively listening to your clients. By the end, you’ll understand how to use listening as a powerful tool in sales.
Step 5 – Presenting Solutions, Not Sales Pitches
No one likes to feel like they’re being sold to. Instead of giving a traditional sales pitch, where you try to convince the person to buy something, present your product or service as a solution to their problem. This makes the conversation feel more natural and less pushy.
How to Present Solutions
1. Connect your product to their problem: Based on what you learned in the discovery phase, explain how your product or service can help solve the client’s problem. For example, “You mentioned you’re having trouble finding new customers online. Our social media marketing service specializes in helping small businesses like yours reach new audiences.”
2. Focus on the benefits, not the features: People don’t care as much about the technical details of your product. They care about how it will help them. Instead of saying, “Our software has advanced analytics,” say, “Our software will help you understand where your customers are coming from, so you can focus your marketing efforts more effectively.”
3. Keep it simple: Don’t overwhelm the client with too much information. Stick to the main points and focus on how your product solves their problem.
In this lesson, you’ll learn how to shift from giving sales pitches to offering real solutions. You’ll practice tailoring your solution to the client’s specific needs, making the conversation more personalized and effective.
Step 6 – Closing with Confidence
The final step in the Huber Method is closing the deal. This can be the most nerve-wracking part of the sales process, but it doesn’t have to be. Closing with confidence means wrapping up the conversation in a way that feels natural and doesn’t pressure the client.
How to Close the Deal Confidently
1. Summarize the conversation: Before you ask for the sale, summarize what you’ve discussed. For example, “So, we talked about how our service can help you reach more customers online, and you seemed interested in our social media marketing package.”
2. Ask for the sale: Don’t be afraid to directly ask for the sale, but do it in a way that feels natural. For example, “Does this sound like something you’d like to move forward with?”
3. Stay confident: Even if the client doesn’t say yes right away, don’t panic. Stay calm and answer any questions or concerns they have.
In this lesson, you’ll practice different closing techniques so you can finish every sales conversation confidently and increase your chances of getting a “yes.”
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The Six-Step Sales Process
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