It seems like tips for increasing sales are a dime a dozen.
Many of the programs out there do little more than chip away at your valuable time — and even more valuable money — while delivering subpar sales techniques.
If you’re tired of gambling on hit-or-miss strategies for increasing your sales, you’ve come to the right place.
In this article, we discussed six proven mindfulness techniques that are guaranteed to boost your sales and improve the overall environment of your business.
Tip #1. Focus on Relationships
“Don’t celebrate closing a sale, celebrate opening a relationship.” – Patricia Fripp
Building great relationships with your customers is paramount to increasing your company’s sales.
But if your focus is on selling your product at all costs, you may very well be missing the mark.
When salespeople focus on building relationships with their customers as opposed to just closing a sale, it creates a positive customer experience that is built on trust — and forges a sure path for return business.
Focusing on relationships looks like this:
- Seeing the customers as people, not just numbers
- Seeking to understand the customer’s needs
- Looking for creative ways to solve their problems; and
- Connecting with them on a deeper, more personal level
Tip #2. Positive Mindset
Attitude is everything.
What we think, carries over into how we behave, and when you’re in sales you simply can’t risk the negative impact of holding onto negative thoughts.
In order to be successful in sales, you must:
- Set aside your fear of rejection
- Focus on success, rather than failure
- See yourself as a “problem solver,” who is able to offer solutions to customer problems
- Be confident in who you are and in your abilities to connect with customers and make sales; and
- Always view your customers through a positive lens
Tip #3. Active Listening
Think of that person in your life who makes you feel heard. The one you feel truly cares about what you say and takes the time to dig deeper to understand your needs.
Chances are, you feel a special bond with them, and a level of trust that makes you want to build a deeper relationship.
Creating this type of bond with each and every customer is a surefire way to increase your sales. And the best way to do this is by practicing a technique known as active listening.
Active listening looks like this:
- Maintaining a posture of interest that includes open body language (uncrossed legs and arms, and leaning forward in your chair)
- Keeping a positive look on your face
- Looking your customer in the eye throughout the duration of the conversation
- Listening with your whole being, without thinking about what you will say next
- Repeating back what your customer says to ensure that you understand their needs; and
- Keeping your phone put away and out of sight
Mastering active listening skills will help instill confidence within your customer that you are the one who can meet their needs — and goes a long way towards ensuring return business.
The positive impact active listening can have on your sales should never be underestimated.
Tip #4. Mirroring
Mirroring is another technique you can use to improve your sales.
Mirroring is when one individual consciously copies the physical and verbal mannerisms of another — and when it is used correctly, mirroring is a powerful tool way to boost sales by:
- Increasing your likability
- Helping you make a quick connection with your customer
- Building a strong rapport; and
- Reflecting a feeling of empathy for your customer’s needs
To give the technique of mirroring a try, you will want to:
- Speak in a tone of voice that is similar to the one your customer is using
- Imitate the customer’s body language and body position
- Follow their energy level
- Use a similar style of communication; and
- Occasionally mimic their gestures, such as waving your hand or nodding your head at appropriate times
If you’re practicing mirroring, there is one critical thing you want to remember. If mirroring is obvious, it can come across as being patronizing and insincere — and will have the opposite of its intended effect.
Tip #5. Empathize
Empathy is the ability to recognize and connect with the
- Emotions
- Feelings; and
- Viewpoints
… of other people.
What does empathy have to do with sales? Everything.
We’ve all experienced the pushy salesperson. Maybe they seem rushed to close the sale or think they know what we need before we even have a chance to tell them.
This type of salesperson is lacking in empathy, and you can rest assured their customers are walking away feeling frustrated, misunderstood, and most likely vowing to never return.
Here is what empathy looks like in sales:
- Using your active listening skills
- Asking thoughtful questions that show you are paying attention
- Avoiding making judgments or assumptions; and
- Acknowledging the feelings of your customers
Tip #6. Meditation
If you’re wondering what meditation can possibly have to do with sales, you may be surprised.
Meditation can help boost your sales by:
- Lowering stress in the workplace
- Helping to encourage your employees’ self-esteem
- Encouraging employee self-control
- Improving listening skills, resulting in more focused sales conversations; and
- Heightening your employees’ critical thinking skills
The regular practice of meditation helps fight stress by decreasing the amount of cortisol we produce.
At the same time, meditation boosts our ability to produce “feel good” hormones, like:
- Endorphins
- Serotonin; and
- Dopamine
When our stress is reduced, we’re better able to focus on approaching our jobs in a healthy way.
The recent years have brought a new and unique set of challenges to the world of sales, and now more than ever, your business must be customer-focused in order to succeed.
It’s about more than simply closing a sale. It’s about cultivating trust in our customers and building long-term relationships that lead to repeated interactions and word-of-mouth contacts.
Here’s our list of proven mindfulness sales tips that will boost your sales strategy and ensure customer connections that will last for years to come.
