Top 10 Keys to Marketing & Sales Success

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Time and again, studies have shown that focusing on customer satisfaction is the key to closing sales. It seems elementary, but you’d be surprised at how many salespeople try to “trick” or bargain their way to closing sales, using such manipulative tactics as discounts, coercion, preying on fears, or rote scripts. While these tactics may provide a boost in the short-run, many of them require constant maintenance and are poor in generating long-term customer loyalty and brand advocacy.

When marketing and selling, then, you should make sure you and your marketing/sales team make these top ten keys intrinsic to their approaches in order to achieve success:

1. I have the best interests of the customer AND the company in mind: I look for win-win solutions.
2. I try to achieve my goals by truly satisfying each customer’s needs, not by saying whatever it takes to convince them to buy.
3. I ask “why?” questions to identify my customer’s real needs and which benefits they seek.
4. I answer my customer’s questions as accurately as I can, or offer to find the answers for them.
5. I try to give the customer an accurate expectation of what my products or services will do for them.
6. I offer each customer the two or three product or service packages that best suit their needs, so they have a good range of purchase options.
7. I ask for the sale by asking which option they prefer, while stating the specific benefits of each offer and how they fulfill the customers’ stated needs.
8. If my customer has any objections, I address them directly, without reverting to manipulative language or sales pressure.
9. I close the sale with genuine thanks and appreciation, and ask for a referral or testimonial if they are satisfied with their experience.
10. I follow up with my customer to make sure they are happy with their purchase, sincerely thank them again, ask them to keep me updated about their future needs, and ask again for a referral or testimonial.

Ultimately, marketing and sales success depends on the relationships you build with your customers. By making these ten concepts a part of your everyday approach, you are off to a great start in establishing the kind of trust and reliability that transforms customers into loyal buyers. Keep this checklist handy and review it often to make sure you and your marketing and sales team start and stay on the right track for success!