Some salespeople approach a sales pitch with the idea that their product/service will sell itself. Many believe that employing all necessary skills to persuade a prospect to buy is tantamount to manipulation and prefer instead to take a kinder, gentler approach that leaves them trying to sell without selling. There is a problem with this approach, you are a salesperson and you do have to sell and contrary to what you may have heard products/services rarely, if ever, jump off the shelves and sell themselves.

If you have ever heard yourself justifying your desire to earn enough money to you're your family with unrealistic claims such as “I only sell people the things they need;” if you have ever looked negatively upon the essential skill of persuasion that each sales professional must master to become a winner in the selling game; if you have ever planned to simply present your product/service and let the prospect's decision go the way that fate would take it, read on. You are about to learn something that can have a wondrous effect on your paycheck.

Imagine the following scenario: You approach Joe, a good friend and neighbor, about a health supplement you are selling. This health supplement promises provide the essential vitamins a person needs for a healthy lifestyle but rarely gets through his daily diet. Joe has a passing interest in the product, he has talked to you before about his health and weight issues, but in the end, tells you he will think about it. You seem to be able to get him commit from then on.

This presentation lacked persuasive skills. The sales person focused on explaining how the product worked, discussing benefits, and throwing in testimonials and doctor's recommendation thinking that a product presented in such a glowing light would quite literally, sell itself - but it didn't. The presentation was missing one vital element, the element that would give Joe a reason to care about any of this impressive information.

Let's change the presentation a little to include a more persuasive pitch. In the past, Joe has complained to you about his health issues. He told you recently that he had a doctor's appointment coming up, and was dreading what he might hear.

You begin the conversation by asking about his latest doctor's visit and whether he has seen any improvement in his health. “No,” he begins “I am still being told about my weight issues, and I really need to work on my diet.”

You then go on to affirm his position. “I know, there seems to be no way to get all of the important nutrients doctor's tell us we need into our daily diets.” Let the conversation continue, allowing Joe to tell you his frustrations and concerns. You will later use these frustration in your sales pitch as you know from Joe himself that they are things he feels he must act upon.

“Well Joe,” you begin your pitch, “I know what you are saying about the difficulties of staying healthy and it is very important no matter how difficult it is. Let me tell me what I've been doing.” This time, when you segway onto your product, you will do so using language that Joe himself has given you, to explain the problems and frustrations your supplement can heal. You will refer to some of the things Joe's doctor mentioned concerns he will face if he does not take action. And you will cite the benefits he just told you wanted when you discuss your supplement as the answer to his problems.

Action step: Practice letting your prospects speak about their issues before you pitch them and actually listen. Take notes and use them in your sales presentations.

Dispense with the logic that has you linking the art of persuasion with manipulation. When you focus on issues and concerns that people already have and present your product/service as a solution to those issues, you are simply selling. When you master the art of persuasion, you move beyond soft and ordinary results into repeatable impressive results that stretch far beyond the average.

© 2007 Alvin Day