Everyone is in the lean and mean mode these days which means selling can be a real chore. Offering better prices can’t be the only solution to increase sales, because it might increase sales but eat into your profit margin. So what is a poor sales manager to do? Add value.
Avoid False Hope
Don’t turn to a value added offer that is actually a load of hooey. You have to provide true value to your customer, not a token LED light to see their way to the car that’s going to burn a whole in their coat pocket. Offer VALUE. It is the main point of what you are doing.
Think Cheap, but not Worthless
Okay we’ve mentioned being lean so when you think of ways to add value to the customer you can’t come up with ideas that will cost you more money. Think of what you have to offer at a reasonable price. Consult, provide a lunch and learn to staff, enhance your tech support time line, improve your guarantee or even offer free delivery. Look for things that they will appreciate but that won’t eat into profit margins.
Stay within your Own Biz
Don’t make the mistake of confusing the customer with a free movie pass when you sell fertilizer. Look for ideas that will enhance your current service or product, not blur the lines and mess with your brand’s integrity.
Help your Customer: Solve a Problem
In the most effective fashion of good salesmanship see if there is a way you can solve a problem for customers without costing you too much money. Look for pain points that might be shared by all of your customers or get real detailed and solve a problem specific to each customer. Don’t be afraid to ask, “What do I have to do to put you in this car today?” It sounds like an annoying cliché, but what if the answer is simpler than you thought? If they ask for the world you can always say no, but if they shock you by asking for something manageable like you taking them for a drive when they pick up the car to show them how everything works, well that is surely doable.
Doug Dvorak is always adding value wherever he goes. He is a sales specialist, humorist and motivational speaker with plenty of answers.
