In my last "Selling Websites" article I discussed how to overcome objections and ensure you gain an order... this is an extremely important skill to learn because it means if applied correctly that anyone that is willing to talk to you will potentially become a customer... because you can discuss and overcome any objection they may have.

Within this article I plan to share a few additional random tips and thoughts and then within my next article I'll touch on selling via email, what to do when you get an email enquiry as the skills although similar are distinctly different... more on that next month.

Shut Up
Once you have received an order, shut up... you've never heard of anyone listening themselves out of an order but we have all heard of people talking themselves out of one... so once an order is placed, shut up... and leave as soon as is polite.

Listen
When visiting clients try to let the prospective client talk more than you do, you'll generally get the order if a client talks more than you do.... like most sales professionals I find this a hard one, and have to constantly remind myself to shut-up.

Homework
Always do your homework, find out something about your client, what solutions you can offer them and what their competitors are doing online... in this way you'll have something to talk about.

Dumb It Down
When speaking to prospective customers about websites, remember always that most people do not understand any of your terminology and most are not interested in learning it... all they want to do is know that you'll deliver the benefits you are selling . so speak to them in a manner they will understand.

Leave the Laptop at the office
Unless specifically asked for a physical demonstration, my advice is to leave the laptop at the office... print out your quotation or take along a company profile... and run through this with your prospect... but never intentionally put a technology barrier between you and your prospect as people buy people... and I've found over the years that it's easier to close a sale without a laptop.

Always ask for the order
Like most successful sales professionals I always ask for the order, only today a customer said that they would leave with the order form and get it back to us... where upon I said, let's just sort it out now and get it out of the way. End result the client signed, we got the order and we don't have to wait and wonder. Always, always ask for the order as nothing can be done until you have one.

The money is always in the follow up
Once you have submitted a quote always, always follow it up... you demonstrate to the prospective client that you want the order and you'll be the first person they think of when they are ready to place it. Don't believe me, how many times have you received a quote from a tradesperson only to never be followed up... I know I have lots of times and from being somewhat interested I've gone cold... whereas if someone was following up . I could have my questions answered and they could have secured my order.

Sell people what they want
Don't try to sell someone a ten thousand dollar website if a website of three thousand would meet their needs. I know some businesses that always "oversell" his and well, it's immoral and not how business should be done. You are the professional and it is your responsibility to look after and advise your clients accordingly because in the long run you're clients will remember you and you'll gain more referrals.

Always ask for referrals
As a matter of course ask clients for referrals, you'll gain some amazing leads that are exceptionally easy to close.

Testimonials & Stories
One of the easiest ways to make a professional presentation is to state a fact and then back it up with a real life story or testimonial... I do this constantly when presenting in our office, switching from whatever website, testimonial, or printed document I need to demonstrate my point... and yes, I use a computer when needed when selling within our office as this is expected and that is why they come to our office... so that we can show them real live examples.

Networking
Networking works, if you are struggling to make sales simply start to go to a few networking events regularly, and the secret to successful networking is to simply help others gain work.

Don't be afraid
It's amazing how many people are afraid to sell, don't be it's all exceptionally easy... and all you have to do is learn how to be honest and talk to people... oh, that's you already... then you have nothing to be afraid of.

One additional thought is never be afraid to walk away from an order . some clients simply are not worth the aggravation.

Just Do it!
Way too many people spend far too much time planning and working out just exactly what they are going to do, and far too little time actually doing it. This is like call reluctance, etc... You will plan and plan for weeks and months... and yet you won't get out and make sales happen because you have an irrational fear of failing... and this applies not to just sales but a lot of things... consider the time when you first started dating... you would work out what you wanted to say to the person that caught your eye, and you would go over and over things... the end result being that someone else invariably simply walked up and beat you to it... so do the things that make sales happen.

Read the next Article - Selling via Email.