Q&A for How to Be a Great Salesman

Let your customer talk before you jump into your pitch. Encourage your customer to talk about their issues or problems. Then, you can let them know how you can help them, with a better understanding of what they actually need.

Always be positive and polite and listen to the customer's needs. You won't know what the customer needs until they tell you. Try to create a solution for what they need. Even if it doesn't work out, always stay positive.

Learn about the products you are selling. As much as you can. If you feel like you have full product knowledge and can answer any of your customers' questions, you start to feel confident, and over time the shyness goes away.

Position things other than the price of the product. Get their mind off the price and focus on the things that you do better than your competitor. It could be free delivery, in-home service, better reliability, and other such things. You have to have something that sets your business apart, otherwise it wouldn't be in business.

Knowledge about your product and self-confidence will greatly improve your salesmanship.

I love an angry customer! Now you can work your skills! Bruce Lee said it, "flow like water." Go in that direction, say "Oh absolutely, that's not acceptable!" Empathize, listen intently, maybe offer another related incident you heard from a previous customer. They need to vent and be heard. Apologize, talk about it, then work in a new or different product that can solve their problem. Be confident and sincere and the customer will end up grateful for your help.

Dress to impress. Dress like you're going to a casual wedding. Nothing over the top, but not a t-shirt and jeans, either. Make sure there are no holes or buttons missing. Nice dress shows.

If it's in real life, be serious and don't go off topic. If someone doesn't listen, ask what their concerns are and then refute them the best you can. If you're primarily asking about the field of business, find out what people care about and find a way to relate it back to your product.

Start by introducing the product to the client and showing the client the advantages of the product you are selling over other competing products in the market.

Ask them about the occasion. Depending on their answer, pick a variety of dresses that would fit for that occasion, or a lot of occasions. Make sure you are completely educated about the product so you can talk about the advantages and why it's better than other dresses. Designer Dresses cost a lot of money, so the customer may take some time to decide, be patient.

In a jewellery shop, that could signal that the customer is uncomfortable about spending a lot. The customer may feel embarrassed or even ashamed that they have to buy on a budget in a store known for extravagant prices. Try to make the person feel at ease by talking up the lower priced lines without blinking an eye; after all, a sale is better than no sale, so don't be snobby. It could also mean they are scouting out the store for a robbery; use your intuition on that one.

Yes. But there is a fine line between being polite and assertive. Sometimes a client can walk all over you, get all the information from you and leave with all that information because you weren't in control. Let the client speak and ask a question, then answer back with a question about his question; as the conversation carries on, you will automatically seem "polite" but you will be assertively in control of the conversation, which ideally you want to end with a close (the sale).

Connect more with your customers by being extra friendly and really catering to their needs. You may also ask them for referrals.

Beat the competition's quality, price, or service. For example, if you can offer delivery when the competition can't, it may be worth the convenience for the customer to switch. Otherwise, focus on how you stand out from the customer's competition.

You need to be very convincing in most cases. You are taking their money and they are trusting you with it.

In this kind of a situation, you need to look into your own morals. You could lie and try to get the sale in an unethical way. Or, you could tell the customer the truth and let them know that the competitor may have a better option for them -- at least this way you earn trust for future potential sales with that client.

Find a niche. Figure out a product that is not being marketed in your area that could be useful, or find a service that the current market for an item is not providing. For example, you might discover that a certain product already being sold isn't usually home-delivered and make that your niche.

Know your product and the competitor's product well in order to highlight the plus that your product offers over the others. Secondly, read the customer's mind by being a patient listener. Never show desperation to the customer, but stay confident, polite and aware of the good that you are selling.

Try moving on to another product of the same nature, a more durable one. Turn it into a good selling point!

There is always a bottom line in terms of how low you can go until you start digging into your own pocket. It is acceptable to give returning customers discounts for doing business with you, but you can only go so far when it's their first purchase. If a customer is unhappy with the initial price, determine what their target price is and see if you can be flexible.

Knowing the equipment capabilities, emphasizing the nuances of new equipment, service record and comfortability with equipment.

Explain the enhancement and features of the accessory. Tell the customer why it would make their life easier or more enjoyable. Tell them that the item they would be buying would be satisfactory to them.

If you deserve the blame, be sober, apologize and take correction. If you do not deserve the blame, do not take offense, argue or sulk; take it humbly. If indeed you are not to blame, the truth about your innocence will soon come out.

Educate yourself. Find some good business courses and read everything you can on the subject.