Door-to-door Sales Tips
Door-to-door sales tips can be found a dime a dozen. Some work, some don’t. The selling can be an enjoyable task for some and an unpleasant one for many, one needs to be a bit of an extrovert to pull this sales technique off with repeated successes. Work on you personality, your sales pitch and delivery techniques, optimize your cold-call rates and positive results will follow suit.
So, you are planning to get into the first step of sales – Door-to-door sales. Well, as rewarding as the incentives seem, closing the deal is not that easy. No matter how charming, good-looking or suave you may be, facing problems with this technique, is inevitable. However, door-to-door sales can be a fun way to make money and gain valuable experience once you master the art of direct selling.
Door-to-door sales is not that tough, most people are friendly and accommodating, some are rude and then there are others who are too tired or busy to give you a second glance. It is part of the job to identify potential customers, the target group for the product you have and the best time to approach them. Before starting door-to-door sales, one must have a clear strategy for sales, the opening, the pitch, the negotiation and the closure must all be rehearsed before going to the door.
A successful sales in door-to-door depends upon the attitude of the salesperson, his approach toward the customer and the product itself. A good quality product sometimes sells itself, that does not mean that the marketing and sales efforts for it are any different.
Product Knowledge
A successful sale is a function of belief and convincing ability. A prospect must first believe that the product and its specific use will benefit him in some manner. Then it is up to the salesperson to convince him for making a purchase. Before everything, the sales rep must believe in the product himself along with the extensive knowledge of it. Product knowledge comes from both practical demonstration and research, and be up-to-date with the latest developments in your field.
Be Presentable
When trying to make a door-to-door sale, seem presentable to the potential customer. For that you need to make sure that you maintain a good personality. Your clothes should be clean and ironed, hair in place and absolutely no signs of body odor. This helps you in getting a smile instead of a frown from the other side. Despite all frustrations, a pleasing personality often receives a better response. So, always greet the customer with a warm smile. Do not seem creepy, just genuine.
Sales Pitch
● In door-to-door sales, try not to pressure the customer into buying your product. Surveys have proved that 9 out of 10 times a customer will not purchase a product if he feels he has been pressured by the sales rep. Don’t start off with product details the moment the door opens. In fact, don’t try to make a sale at the door. Not only is it an insult to the product you are selling, but for you as well.
● As a salesperson introduce yourself, the company that you are from and the product that you want to show the customer. Apologize for disturbing them and try to see if you can secure an appointment. It is ideal to meet the customer on the first call itself, as door-to-door selling does not allow for repeated visits unless the product is really amazing. Try closing the sale in the first meeting itself.
● While you are trying to make your customers buy your product, use some suggestive selling techniques, but do not come across as impatient or flustered if prospects do not respond the way you expect them to. Another good way to make an opening is to inform them of a sale you made in the neighborhood, the name of the customer and how it has helped them and in what way. This often acts as an assurance for the prospect and gives him the chance to refer to the neighbor, if they are acquainted.
Setting Targets
A careful analysis of the relevant sales process will enable you to know how many calls you can make in the day, and how many you should, to be successful. Make sure that you have calculated all the numbers right.
● Door-to-door sales is very often a hit-n-trial technique of sales, unless you can find the pulse of the prospective customer immediately and say just the right things, a task which is by no means an easy one. Try not being demotivated. It will show in your personality and in turn, will have a negative impact on the potential buyers. The best is to stay focused and positive all along.
● Try and maximize the number of prospects you can cover in a working day, it will increase your chances of making a sale. Schedule appointments according to your daily average cold-calling rate, remember, a missed appointment is a missed opportunity.
Time Management
Time management is the key here. Many newcomers to the joys of sales fall prey to the insidious habit of procrastination and end up making fewer sales than they could have, had they managed their time properly. Often fear of rejection or bad experiences delay decision-making in door-to-door sales and result in depleted confidence levels, impacting the whole process.
How long does it take you to make one pitch? Keep a buffer for unavoidable delays such as traffic and food stops.
● Keep a planner with you when you approach a customer. A planner will be helpful in scheduling appointments and save you a lot of travel time.
● Make sure to note down details of the cold call, and the timing and date of the next appointment.
● To manage time, keep time aside for cold calling and different times for call backs. This will help you keep your cool and organize your presentations better. Further, you can schedule a common presentation for people living in a certain neighborhood. This way, reach to more people in a single pitch.
Presentation skills
People don’t like to be bored, especially by a sales rep. Try to make your product presentation as interactive as possible. If you are selling a complex product like insurance or a technical one like a motor engine, you can create a portfolio of the various features and advantages it offers the client. As the customer goes through the document you can highlight the salient points of the product and how it may be of help to them.
While presenting the product, do not fear to ask questions, knowing the customer’s business will give you an edge when it comes to convincing them to buy from you. Similarly, don’t shy away from questions the customer may have, answer them as clearly and precisely as possible but be honest when you don’t know the answer, there is no point pretending to know better when the customer can just Google the whole mess and know the truth.
Convincing Skills
It is very important to be eloquent. This sets you apart from the rest of the direct sales crowd who merely push products on their relative merits. Convincing works only when your command over the language is impeccable and authoritative.
● To improve convincing skills, watch videos of great men and women making famous speeches, read their body language, facial expressions and listen to their tone of voice.
● While convincing the customer, keep in mind not to disagree outright with your customers, but make sure they hear you out and understand your pitch. Never be louder than the customer, be calm and modulate your voice according to the drift of the conversation.
● While you try to convince, do not try to intimidate the buyer, and don’t get walked over either. Make sure that you are on the same level as them, it works.
The incentives from a direct sales job depend solely on the number of successful sale closures you make, and as such require a high rate of door knock-to-sales conversion ratio to be profitable.
