“Jeffrey, what’s the BEST way to make a sale?”

When I’m asked this question (I’m asked it all the time), what the salesperson’s really asking is, “What’s the EASIEST way to make a sale?”

EASY ANSWER: The easiest way to make a sale is lower your price to a point that you make no profit. Not a good option.

REAL ANSWER: There is no EASIEST way to make a sale.

And, just as there is no easiest way to make a sale, there is no BEST way to make a sale. There are, however, several elements that contain the word BEST that you must evaluate in order to discover why the sales takes place, or why not.

KEY POINT OF UNDERSTANDING: Selling is NOT manipulating. Selling is harmonizing.

Oh, you can occasionally make a manipulative sale. But if you’re still in the 1970s trying to “find the pain,” or “sell an up-front contract,” or “make a cold call,” or “close the sale,” you’re toast. Sales toast.

Here are the BEST ways to make a sale:

• The best way to make a sale is to have your reputation precede you by word of mouth from your Google ranking, and from your business social media presence.
• The best way to make a sale is to be known as a valued resource before you start.
• The best way to make a sale is to be friendly before you start.
• The best way to make a sale is to meet with the CEO or actual decision maker.
• The best way to make a sale is not to be salesy, or cocky, or condescending.
• The best way to make a sale is to find some common ground before you start the selling process.
• The best way to make a sale is to ask intelligent, emotionally engaging questions that draw out both needs and buying motives.
• The best way to make a sale is to walk into the meeting with two ideas in favor of the customer.
• The best way to make a sale is to have done pre-call preparation in terms of the customer.
• The best way to make a sale is to convey value rather than features and benefits. I know how it works and what it does. Tell me how I win.
• The best way to make a sale is to focus on how they profit and produce.
• The best way to make a sale is to focus on outcomes and ownership.
• The best way to make a sale is to relax throughout the entire sales conversation.
• The best way to make a sale is to respond in a heartbeat.
• The best way to make a sale is to support and prove all your claims with video testimonials from existing customers who love you and are loyal to you.
• The best way to make a sale is to ask for a date of beginning, or some type of commitment to move forward, AFTER you are certain you have removed all risks and removed all barriers from your prospect’s buying process.
• The best way to make a sale is to have multiple relationships at different levels and departments within the same company.
• The best way to make a sale is to earn the status of trusted adviser.
And there are questions you must ask yourself that enable the list of the BEST ways to make a sale:
• Am I always achieving my PERSONAL best?
• Am I always PREPARING my best for every sales call?
• Is my ATTITUDE set on positive, and positive outcome?
• Is my BELIEF in product, company, and self always at the highest level?

REALITY: As a customer, I do NOT need a salesman. I need greater productivity, an idea that helps me grow, improved morale, a profit provider, and a trusted adviser.

Is that you?