5 Step Template for Sales Success

The secret of a successful sales meeting is learning how to talk in terms of the other person’s interest. Here are the five steps I use in a sales conversation: 

1. Attention

There are lots of stories told to us each day on Radio, TV, Podcasts etc. how many engage you fully? 

2. Interest

The art of great storytelling is getting the listener to engage, connect with you and help them be more fulfilled while seeing the value of what you have to offer. 

3. Convince

To hold someone’s interest, you must know what they are interested in relative to what you have to offer. It’s not good enough to put your offer out there in the hope it may gain the attention of someone. 

You may be lucky, but far better to explore what interests people, and then offer a solution that fits their needs. 

This is what great leaders, loving partners and good honest salespeople do. In my previous article, “The (little known) Secret to a Successful Pitch”, I suggested how this can be done, engaging people in a conversational way where you ask lots of questions and listen intently to the answers in order to understand what their issues and concerns may be. 

This stage of the conversation should then conclude with a summary, which sounds something like this ...  

4. Create Desire

As a result of my understanding of our conversation, let me explain how I believe we can be of assistance to each other. 

It’s now your job to retell the story you have just been told, in a clear concise way ending with the line, have I captured your thoughts correctly? 

If the answer is YES, then this part of the meeting has been a success. 

5. Action

Now you could either leave saying you will send a report/proposal after you formulate your thoughts into a coherent plan. Or, you can continue the conversation talking about how you would implement your solution. 

In this particular situation, the choice is yours, based on your best assessment. 

• Is this person hard to get to meet and should you strike while the iron is hot?
• Have you travelled a long way to attend the meeting and it may not be practical to come back again?
• Do you need time to further research and prepare your proposal?

Whatever you decide – stay or go? 

If you choose to go, agree on a date when you will reply /return and ensure you adhere to the plan. 

Attention – Interest – Convince – Desire – Action

is the five-step sales meeting template that will lead to more successful outcomes for you and your business. 

P.S.

It will be ‘ALL RIGHT ON THE NIGHT’ rarely works; successful presenters spend hours/days preparing as you rarely get a second opportunity to make a good first impression. 

By Executive Coach Andrew Keogh of Aristo.ie