6 steps to selling yourself

6 Steps to Selling Yourself | How to succeed at interviews, promotiondiscussions or entrepreneurial presentations

why you should read this?The article is my adaptation of the selling process to personal selling.If you read the article and practice the steps, you will be able to:1. Create a personalized greeting for yourself2. Begin to make inroads into meetings faster with a higher degree ofacceptance3. Create solutions not products/services4. Increase your success ratio from interviews/ presentations ordemonstrations

I was recently conducting training for a leading life-style retail chain andhappened to spend half a day on the 6 steps of selling.These aren't mine of course. Either they are from a session I attended orfrom the net, but that is not the point.

While I looked at the notes and recorded my post-session notes, I realizedthe 6 steps of selling could infact be used very well for oneself. whether youare interviewing for a job, asking for a promotion, selling your services orproducts, these 6 steps of selling could give you the framework you need toensure your success.

what are the 6-steps-of-selling?here:

Step 1 | GreetingEssentials of a Greeting?Be genuineSmile from the heart, do not laughFriendly gestures (firm handshake, a wave, open hand gestures)Smile, stand straight, make an eye contact


Prabhjot Bedi | Personal Coach & Hospitality Trainer |www.prabhjotbedi.com

Acknowledgment of the interviewer/ boss/ panel/ buyer/ customerNod your head while Greeting

e.g. ' Good Morning!''Hi!''Thank you for taking the time to see me'

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Step 2 | Find something in common

'windows of opportunity'We like people like us.This is actually easier done than said.

The common thing could be the place, the education, the jewellery peice,the clother, the hobby, the interests, the artifact on the wall, the painting,the colors used.

basically anything & everything around you, about you can be a topic ofcommonality.

re-searching the link before your meeting/ interview would go a long way.today the internet accords you loads of information and most networkingsites will list the interests of people pretty much in the public domain.

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Step 3 | Ask Broad questions to ascertain need, want, desire

The interview is not about you getting a job, its about the company/firmgetting someone qualified to THEIR job.The promotion meeting is not for your benefit, it is for the benefit of thecompany to ensure they have the right fit for their leadership team.The customer is not in business to give you business, he meeting you tounderstand if you can take away the pain he has.Its not about YOU.

its about THEM!ask them questions to understand them better.there are two types of questions that management speak will tell you, youcan use:

Closed Ended QuestionsYes/No answersSimple - Straight forward questionsMultiple Choice

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Open Ended Questions

Open-ended questions invite others to “tell their story” in their own words.

Open-ended questions should be used frequently.

When asking open-ended questions one must be ready and willing to listento the response.

Examples of open-ended questions:

• How can I be of help?

• Would you tell me more about ___?

• Could you help me understand ___?

• What are the good things and the less good things about ___?



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Step 4 | Narrow it down- Use Features & Benefits

I love this step.It has influenced me in so many ways.Everything I do, offer is now in thought of in the form of a solution, abenefit.

if something does not have a benefit, I do not spend time creating it ortalking about it.you customers (the company you want to work with, the people who willpromote you, the people who will hire your services) are looking at you totell them what it is that you/your services can do for them.

but here is the catch.

they want to know it in the language that they understand & that is 'What'sIn It for me?'

if you look at the top of the article you will see I have mentioned clearlywhat you will derive out of this article. It makes sure you know what youare reading, what I want you to get from this and saves you the trouble ofreading it if you do not want to know those things.

Something that works for me, to get this going is, Always imaging thecustomer asking you 'so what?'

e.g.

1. 'I am a hotel management graduate.'that means nothing to the customer/ recruiter/ interviewer'I spent 3 years learning how a hotel operates, across all departments, alllevels while doing my hotel management degree. I am aware of hospitalityprinciples and would only need to learn your company standards'this is more like it! The interviewer is now looking at someone who halfready to do the job.

2. 'I spent 3 years here as an assistant manager. I think I am due for apromotion'nope. that is your want. not the company's'In the last 3 years I increased sales, trained people and filled in for mymanager. the team knows me, accepts me and is willing to work with mefor bigger goals. I believe it is time the company looked at injecting someloyalty into the team by promoting someone from within'



more like it! the boss knows the value add. the boss has just been toldwhat he will get from promoting you.

3. 'I am a hospitality trainer and recruiter'ok.'I work closely with your team to ensure your team is trained to run yourprocesses effectively and I also suggest improvements or innovations whererequired. As a recruiter I take away the hassle of going through hundreds ofresumes, screening them, etc. you only get people ready to deliver fromday one'more like it!try it....

- this has _____________ & for you _______________ e.g.

This cream has Oxyrich Enzymes for a richer/faster cleansing experience, sowhat?

This is a CRDi engine so you will not need to change oil till 10000 kms or soyou will save almost 20% on your fuel billlist your own..

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Step 5 | Overcoming Objections

the fifth step has a 4 smaller steps.In any sales (selling) their will be objections.I believe and tell people that objections mean the sales pitch has worked.

the buyer (interviewer, customer, boss) likes what he saw, heard and wastold.the only reason he is raising an objection is either to negotiate better termsto to understand the offer better.

An Objection is Good Thing!!

4 Steps to overcome objections/negativity- show empathy, not sympathy- try and uncover additional information- remember - find a solution for the need- introduce new solutions - remember you have the solutions!Look at it as a sales within a sales approach.

Do all the things you did earlier.

repeat step 4. mention the features, mention the benefits and then dosomething nicer. Give a little extra.

wait. some of you may want to ask, Prabhjot, how do we give a little extra inan interview?

for e.g. if the interviewer says 'you are too expensive' then what should Isay.

here

- show empathy, not sympathy | 'Mr. Bedi, I can appreciate how you thinkthat my salary expectation is high'

- try and uncover additional information | 'May I ask what is it that yourcompany pays for this positon?' OR (& this like more) 'What skills andexperience/exposure do you think someone in this position would need toensure the company' success?' (we ask this to then use the answer todemonstrate how you fit!)



- remember - find a solution for the need | lets say Mr. Bedi decides to tellyou a figure that is 20% less than your expectation. 'Thank you for sharingthat with me'

- introduce new solutions - remember you have the solutions! | 'I do believeI we can look at this differently. I bring with me expertise that will bringadditional revenue and I do have some ideas on reducing costs/wastage' OR'the cost to your company in putting in someone with lesser experiencewould be far more than the cost in bringing me in' OR 'Can we look atvariable pay possibilities. that way you pay me only for performance'

the idea is get talking. move in the direction of a YES!

try it....

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Step 6 | Close the Sale

oh how I wish I had known this simple MEGA! step years ago.Now that I think about it, most people just give out information - aboutthemselves, their services, their product, but rarely, very rarely do they askfor a sale. Closing starts by asking.

you can do this in 3 ways:

a) Close by asking if the customer would like to make the purchase.This is the most simple and straightforward way of closing.

e.g. ' Can I call you boss now?' OR 'When do I start?' Or 'Am I selected?'

b) Close by alternate choice.Questions like, "Would you like it in blue or grey?"put the customer in a situation where they are not given the option to refusethe sale. If they answer with either of the options you've given them, thenyou've made the sale.

e..g 'Should I start the coming monday or the 1st of the next month?'

c) Close the sale by attaching accessory products or services to enhance theproduct / service.

e.g. 'I know some great people who I think you would really like having onyour team. when can I get them to meet you?' Or ' I was hoping I couldshare with you some of the ideas I picked up while doing research on thecompany. when can I show them to you?'

try your own...

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There you have it!

I am sure the article has been able to make you think about:

1. Creating a personalized greeting for yourself

2. making inroads into meetings faster with a higher degree of acceptance

3. Creating solutions not products/services

4. Increasing your success ratio from interviews/ presentations ordemonstrations

As for me, let me try and close a sale here'So are you going to hire me to become your personal coach, companytrainer or someone who helps you design brilliant training material?

Cheers!

Prabhjot Bedi+91 98720 [email protected]

www.prabhjotbedi.com



6 steps to selling yourself

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