Photographers – The Secret To Closing More Sales

Have you ever tried to buy a product or service from someone who has his or her own agenda?

I recently walked into a store to buy a new printer. I had a basic idea of what I wanted, I just had a few questions about one particular model. But when I asked for help, the salesperson spent minute after minute talking about different models with different options – none of which I was interested in. I repeated my question several times; he never answered one of them directly. So I eventually left without purchasing anything, and did my research elsewhere.

I see this all the time in sales. As a salesperson, you get so focused on your message, what you need to say about your products or services, that you forget one important thing.

To listen.

Here are five lessons in listening that will help you increase your sales potential.

Never pre-judge.

We all do it. You see the way someone is dressed, or the car they drive up in, and you determine they aren’t your ideal client before you’ve even spoken with them. Put all of your judgments aside, and listen instead. Start out with a question: Why is photography important to you? Then listen to the answer. Use their thoughts in your sales presentation. One of our biggest wedding clients every got married in a local park and played volleyball at the reception. Yet they loved and cherished photographs, and made us pretty much their entire budget.

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