By Joe Porco
Harbortouch
People hate to be sold, yet they love to buy. On principal, most people do not especially care for salespeople. Don't take it personally. We will always be blamed for the sins of all the salespeople who came before us.
But when business owners need us, we earn the opportunity to get added to a more favorable list. POS systems deliver satisfaction. When we remove merchants' pain, when we deliver on our promises, when we make merchants' wishes come true, we can become their most valuable vendors.
Tell prospects why you chose to join your organization rather than any other company, and be sure to make it personal. By recounting your decision-making process, you can influence their decision to purchase from you.
We have hundreds of POS solutions from which to choose in the marketplace. You must differentiate yourself from the pack, or end up in "commodity jail." Make sure your prospect knows what separates you, your product and your service from the competition.
Be sure to follow up with your existing customers on a regular basis. This underscores exceptional customer service. Demonstrate that you care enough to make sure the business owner is satisfied with your product and service. The best customer service takes place before a problem arises.
Most importantly, provide a personal letter, assuring your promise to deliver outstanding personalized attention. Keep in mind, every one of your actions with your prospect must remain consistent with your promise, whether it's simply remembering to email a document you promised to send or to make a phone call at a precise time.
Knowing what your prospect needs is as crucial as knowing your own product. Conduct an assessment of the prospect's needs, strategically probing to find out the desired benefits and commitment points. This will identify exactly what your prospect values. His or her exact words should be used when presenting your proposal.
Remember, we are not selling hardware and software. We are selling management systems that provide tangible and intangible benefits. POS systems streamline operations, enhance communication and eliminate waste. More specifically, POS systems:
Before approaching a merchant as a salesperson, visit the target business, phone as an interested customer and view the business's website to become familiar with its operations. Drop by the business without identifying yourself as a salesperson so that you can experience exactly what customers experience. Then record your observations.
Observe how your transaction is handled. When you pay your bill, mention that you happen to be a POS consultant and see what develops. Typically, a paying customer is extended greater courtesy and the benefit of consideration.
Research if any of your friends or family members are actual customers, and politely inform business owners of that fact through a compliment as you request the opportunity to schedule a meeting. Compliment them with a positive observation, while also suggesting an area where a POS system could enhance their operations.
Even if a merchant already has an existing POS system, you still have an opportunity to earn his or her recognition. Acknowledge the merchant's relationship to the existing vendor and respect it.
Then tell the merchant that many of your current customers were customers of other solution providers before you connected with them. And follow-up politely with this comment: If anything should ever change, it would be my pleasure to see how I might earn an opportunity to do business with you.
Be mindful that many business decisions are part pride, part need. If you attack their existing POS providers, you may also be perceived as attacking their character. After all, those relationships represent decisions they made, even if in the past.
Never denigrate the competition. The worst thing a salesperson can do is stomp on a competitor's reputation, even when the business owner is eagerly trashing the business and eager for you to join in. your benefits.
Joe Porco is a seasoned POS sales professional and National Sales Trainer for Harbortouch, an emerging leader in the POS industry. His strategies are tried-and-true representations of daily sales activities that enable him to turn around territories plagued with issues, as well as earn him sales leadership recognition. Joe regularly shares his strategies as part of Harbortouch's free POS training program. If you would like to know more about this innovative program, email jporco@harbortouch.com.
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