by Clare Appleyard

Many entrepreneurs struggle with sales and often ask what is the secret to making that all important successful sale. Well, it all starts with the first rule of sales - listen!

Here is a scenario you may have experienced yourself.

Monday morning, 8am. My cell phone rings with a land-line number.

Me: “Hello, Clare speaking.”

Caller: “Good morning ma’am. How are you?”

Me: “I’m fine, thank you.”

Caller: “I’m fine. Thank you for asking.”

Me: “I didn’t ask.”

Caller: “Err…what?”

Me: “I didn’t ask how you were. Why don’t you deviate from the script and tell me what you want? How can I help you?”

Caller hangs up.

Somewhere, in a Johannesburg call center, a young man is moving onto the next phone number on the list, to run the exact same script, and probably not listen to the caller, all over again. His hit rate will never improve, and he’ll never really understand why.

One of the greatest problems with sales is that for the most part, salespeople don’t listen. There is a general misconception that the more you talk, the more information you give, the more you tout the benefits of your product (or yourself), the better your chances of making a sale.

Wrong!

The more you talk, the more chance you have of talking yourself out of a sale. Successful salespeople know that sales is all about listening. If you spend time listening to your prospective client, they’ll tell you exactly what their problem is, and what they are looking for to solve that problem.

Sometimes, you, or your product, may be the solution to what they are looking for, but if you’re running out of the gates, talking over the client, you’ll never find out what they really need.

So, slow down. Take notes during your prospective client meeting. Ask questions as to what the biggest challenges are in their business right now. Ask them what would help to make their business run more smoothly, or what would help them generate more income, or help them save costs.

Once you have a comprehensive idea as to what their needs are, and what they are looking for, you can show them how your business can assist in solving their exact problem.

There’s an old adage that says people don’t care how much you know until they know how much they care. Your client doesn’t care that your widget is made with zero carbon emissions or is made by ladies in a community upliftment project, until they know that you care about solving their current business challenge. Then, and only then, will they buy into your environmental policy, or social corporate responsibility. Until then, those points are just ego-boosters for you to feel better about yourself.

Success in sales takes preparation and effort. Most importantly, it requires you to set aside your own interests and ego and pay attention to someone else, by listening, for a change. Practice your listening skills over your sales pitch and watch the shift happen.

Clare Appleyard is the co-founder of Katannuta Diamonds, a bespoke jewellery manufacture company based in Johannesburg, South Africa. Formed in 2007, Katannuta Diamonds has established itself as one of South Africa’s leading independent jewellers, with a strong reputation for excellent service, quality workmanship and competitive prices. Graduating from UCT with a Master’s degree in geology, Clare gained valuable diamond experience working for global giant De Beers, before expanding and developing her interest, knowledge and skills into the world of polished diamonds and gemstones. Passionate about diamonds, gems and consumer education, Clare is building a strong, proudly South African brand and is committed to helping fellow female entrepreneurs do the same.
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