Sales is not a dirty word – the future of your business relies on it!

Unfortunately, there’s a stereotype of salespeople that simply won’t go away – they’re greedy, underhand, and full of tricks to “catch you out”, right?

Well, as with any profession, there are good and bad eggs. But “sales” is not inherently a dirty word. That is, if it’s done right.

In fact, pretty much any business must sell if it’s going to succeed.

Obviously, you need to sell your services and products, but you also need to constantly “sell” yourself to prospective and existing customers.

People need to understand what you’re offering and why you’re the best person to help them. And they need to trust you.

Learning how to sell the Melo way can help you build and maintain the trust you need to grow your client base beyond your wildest dreams.

Read on to discover the secrets to selling success.

Delve beneath the surface – what’s your client really thinking?

The key to effective selling is understanding how people work. What hidden biases are driving your clients’ decisions? What motivations and anxieties are bubbling away beneath the surface?

We all have unconscious biases that can influence our behaviours. For example, it’s common to instinctively oppose information that conflicts with our beliefs. This “cognitive dissonance” could lead a client to feel defensive if they aren’t approached in the right way.

The best salespeople know this well. They use their understanding of people to tailor how they interact with each client, allowing them to rapidly build exceptional rapport and trust.

Not only will this approach help you master the art of effective selling, but it’s also critical for delivering a bespoke client experience that will set you apart from your competitors.

That’s why our training looks at the psychology of sales. You’ll learn about how people behave, boost your self-awareness, and shift your mindset – challenges will become opportunities!

Read your clients’ body language

Learning to read body language well could help lift your sales game to the next level.

Your client may be saying, “yes”, but their body language is saying a definite “no”. If you don’t notice this, you could waste time chasing a client who isn’t the right fit for you. Or worse, your unwelcome persistence could dissuade a client from returning in the future.

Anything from grand gestures to the smallest “tells” could offer clues about how a person is really feeling.

If a prospect keeps glancing towards the door, perhaps they’re ready for a break. Pushing on regardless could send them away for good. On the other hand, if you read the signals and suggest meeting again at another date, your client may well return.

Softly does it

Financial planners use a wealth of soft skills – such as problem-solving, communicating, and listening – every day.

So, you already have a strong foundation for selling yourself and building trust with clients.

For sure, in contrast to the stereotypical “hard sell” salesperson, what you really need to do is listen patiently, empathise, and talk to your clients how they like to be spoken to.

Take the time to understand your client’s relationship with money, learn about their life goals, and find out how they’d like you to help them. In this way, you can make someone feel heard and valued.

It’s not about wowing clients with complicated jargon or bombarding them with sales pitches. If someone comes to you for tax planning or pension advice, they already know you can offer this service.

Your “sales” job is to build a connection. Let them know you have their back and that you’re the best person to help them.

We can help you transform your sales team

We speak to business owners every day. So often, we hear about fantastic teams of professionals who are swimming in financial qualifications and accreditations but struggle to sell.

If you see “sales” as a dirty word, it’s time for a rethink.

Every professional needs to sell. But it’s a skill that needs to be honed and nurtured like any other.

Indeed, over the next five years, there are likely to be a lot of financial advisers and planners retiring. Unfortunately, these are often the strongest salespeople.

So, the time to boost your sales team and tackle underperformance is now. We’ve got to do more to help the younger advisers sell themselves, sell their business, and sell their trust.

Get in touch

If you’d love to learn how to transform your approach to sales and boost your client base, we can help. Hit us up in our inbox at hello@melo.co.uk. More of a phone person? Call us on 0113 4656 111.