If you make a living from sales, you've probably already noticed how some companies make great sales, while others don't. The good news is that the problem of poor sales is not always the product you sell. The even better news is that you don't have to invent a sales strategy. You can just look at what successful businesses do and "steal" their secrets.
Like Apple, for example, because it is the best example to take for any seller. In the United States, in a week, Apple generates sales of about $ 55,600 and receives over 200,000 visitors per square meter of its sales space. Awesome, right?
What did Apple do to reach such numbers?
Steve Jobs and Ron Johnson, the former director of the company’s sales, reinvented the concept of selling. They have brought simplicity and clarity in this area so that now, you could use their practices and try them in your work:
Be simple
Apple understands that complex marketing strategies do not catch on to the public. It has excluded any additional information from its promotional campaigns, such as where to buy the product, a comprehensive list of features and complicated background sounds. The company's copywriting includes short, direct messages with no hard-to-understand terms and technical specifications.
Do not sell products, but benefits
Apple sellers are instructed to mention the benefit that the product brings to the buyer's life and not the product itself. Steve Jobs was guided by a single question when he launched the Apple Store. This was not "How will I increase the company's profit?", but "How will I make my customers' lives better?". Present your product as the solution to a pressing customer problem and make them imagine how their life gets better.
Collect positive feedback
Apple is very involved in collecting feedback from its customers. Of course, it would be good to be a positive one, and Apple does this with excellence. You can also get positive feedback by offering samples, the opportunity to test a product for free or through bonuses. Give something extra to your customers and they will add value to you, in turn.
Offer cool experiences to your customers
The Apple Store has a mission to improve the lives of its visitors. One of the methods to do it is the room for families with children, where the little ones can play and test the company's gadgets. Make the visit of your potential buyers more pleasant by offering them facilities that would prolong their stay in your store. Include stuff that you would like, if you were in their place.
Smile and communicate
The Apple Store has a soul. Apple sellers are trained to create a pleasant atmosphere for every visitor, and smiles and dialogues are an indispensable attribute of this experience. Many reviews from the Apple Store are from buyers, who spent 10 minutes with sellers, talking about family, work, personal issues, and only 2 minutes talking about the product. In the end, the buyers went home in good spirits and bought the products.
Focus on SSP
The price may not always be to the liking of the buyers, but a well thought out SSP (Single Sale Proposal) can win their hearts. Apple never gets involved in price debates. Yes, they are more expensive than their competitors, but their SSP cannot be compared to others on the market. Create a SSP based on what makes you different from your competitors and promote that, not the price.
The APPLE tactic follows
The Apple Store instructed its sellers to follow five steps in interacting with each visitor:
- A (approach) - personalized approach and warm greetings
- P (probe) - try to understand the customer's needs
- P (present) - present the solution for the customer’s needs
- L (listen) - listen to the questions and answer to them
- E (end) - end the transaction with a friendly goodbye and a CTA urging the customer to return
Apple's entire sales strategy is based on three pillars:
- To be liked by the public;
- To inspire confidence;
- To provide quality.
Any company, in any field, can take the sales model from Apple and adapt to the specifics of its business. Don't hide behind the banal "This won't work for me" and try these simple sales secrets, usually ignored by most small entrepreneurs.
