ATLANTA — With just six weeks before the start of competitive bidding's Round 1, attendees at last week's Medtrade in Atlanta made retail sales presentations a hot ticket. Time is short for the first nine regions caught up in Round 1, but those who could be involved down the road listened closely as consultant Scott Marcus reviewed key ingredients of cash-based sales.
As president and lead trainer of Fla.-based Catalyst Medical Marketing, Marcus outlined five steps for better sales: 1) establish rapport; 2) gather information through questions; 3) show all the products; 4) identify objection-type questions; and 5) ask for the sale.
Closing every sale that walks in the door is not realistic, but one out of every 10, or even two out of every 10 can amount to sizable improvement. Establishing rapport and gathering information are the first two steps to meeting these crucial numbers, but don't make the mistake of firing off a list of questions. "Ask permission first," said Marcus. "Odds are they are going to say yes, but you don't want to surprise them with a barrage of inquiries."
Sample questions for gathering information include: 1) Who will be using the product? 2) Who else is involved in making the decision? 3) What is the environment in which the product will be used? 4) What do you want the product to do? 5) What is your height/weight (asked as delicately as possible)? and 6) How do you see yourself benefitting from this product?
"They are going to tell you once, maybe twice if you're lucky, why this product is important for them," said Marcus. "Pay attention to the answer, because that is important. You know the old expression that you want to sell the sizzle, not the steak. We want to emphasize the benefits, and not necessarily the features of the product."
The more product mix you have on the floor, said Marcus, the more you are going to be perceived as an expert. However, good consultative sales require that home care providers show customers the differences between these products. "We have to literally accompany them and show them the products," said Marcus. "Showing them a catalog does not count."
Up-selling, when done skillfully, can also be a vital tool to improve sales. Using the good-better-best model is one way to make it work. "Never sell good vs. best because there is too much of a gap, and too much of a price difference," said Marcus. "If you are only going to have two products on your floor, go with the ones that are closest together — either good vs. better, or better vs. best."
Beyond the basics, Marcus emphasized crucial nuances such as smile, personal space, tone of voice, number of rings before picking up the phone (two rings is ideal), and correct eye contact. "If you are addressing a group of people," added Marcus, "you want to consistently make eye contact with each person in that party — back and forth — so each person does not feel left out."