Hindsight is a terrible thing, realising you missed an opportunity that could have led to a sale is never a comforting experience. However, through proper preparation and the right attitude you can learn to recognise and take advantage of every opportunity.
Through preparation comes confidence, if you know what you are talking about and have the knowledge to back it up you are instantly in a good position to close a sale. A potential buyer usually recognise when you are bluffing especially if they know their subject well, but similarly they will also realise when you know your stuff.
There is nothing that can sink a sale faster than forgetting an appointment or client’s name or being late. The potential buyer will take this as a sign that you don’t value them as a customer. But you don’t even need to be good at names to get this right; all it takes is the proper preparation before hand. Remind yourself of the client’s information and history and make sure to keep a diary or schedule of appointments, the more interest you take in a client the more likely you are to make a sale.
Never try and “wing it”. A good salesperson will always be properly organised and prepared and whilst others might prefer to “wing it” their loss can be your gain.
