7 Best Sales Techniques for Startup Salesmen in India

It is not easy to work as a salesman in a startup as you might know that 90% of startups fail, and 42% of them fail because of no market need or you could say it as they fail because of lack of sales as per the report by CBInsight.

Being a salesperson for a startup you need to understand that it is not possible to create a perfect product in the first round. A product needs lots of iteration to reach its final shape but the problem is startups may die before reaching to the final shape of the product. So to avoid such things, being an entrepreneur you should be great in doing sales.

In one of lecture Guy Kawasaki said,

Sales fixes everything

So I will tell you a few great techniques by which you can easily convert your clients. Although you need to understand when you work in sales, the days don’t remain the same, sometimes you get the conversions quickly, and the other times it takes longer than expected. But being a salesman, you cannot rely on the circumstances as everyone has his set targets to achieve by the month’s end. However, one thing is sure; special sales techniques and tricks work best when your client is suffering from the most prominent disease, i.e., “Paralysis by Analysis.”

Today, I will share my best sales techniques step by step, which helped me in growing from no-one to someone and which are perfect for Indian salespersons. With these sales techniques, you can easily close your deal in 20 to 30 days.

Table of Content

1. Diversion Sales Technique
2. Luck trying Technique
3. Comparison Sales Technique
4. Showing Urgency Technique
5. Process Focused Technique
6. Value Focused Technique
7. Emotion Triggering Technique
8. Status Doubting Trick

1. Diversion Sale Technique

During my real estate days, I got the lead of a client who was looking for a villa. I contacted him and asked all the necessary questions like preferences, total budget, carpet area needed, mode of payment, etc., and arranged a meeting for the next day.

My colleague and I went to my client’s house and explained the details about the available option for villas, but after 20 minutes, we changed the perspective of the meeting. Client was looking for a property for residential purpose in INR 4cr; and all of a sudden we suggested him some other property for investment purpose in a smaller budget of INR 70 lakhs by saying, “Sir, buying a villa is an extremely lengthy process and we have completely understood what exactly you’re looking for, so let’s meet on Sunday morning to visit all the shortlisted options. Meanwhile, why don’t you look at this XYZ property, which is the best investment in the entire city these days and inventories are vanishing like a hot cake.”

The whole situation was quite dramatic and very exciting because within the next 40 mins we made a sale and fixed meeting for a villa on Sunday. As this technique was a great success to me, I started using it with all of my big-budget clients.

Where and How to Apply Diversion Technique

• When the client is looking for high ticket products
• Sell small ticket product just as an add-on

Pros

• Closes on the first day in 1 hour
• No follow-up needed
• You never lose a client if the technique fails

Cons

• Client might look at you with a weird look
• Never observed any other disadvantages till date

2. Luck Trying Technique

This sales technique is super fascinating and the easiest one, where you have to reach the client at the right time with the proper documents to sign on. So, as the name suggests, you have to try your luck with this technique. You might be aware of the fact that 80% of sales are closed after the 5^th attempt and quiet amazingly 92% of sales representatives quit after the 4^th attempt. So if you are lucky enough to meet a client who has already done every possible research about the same product which you are offering and he is on the verge of closure, then you just need to tell him/ her the name by which he/ she has to draw a cheque.

How to Apply

What a salesman usually does when he/ she visits the client? Probably introduces himself and then starts with product explanation. However, in this technique, you don’t have to explain the product, rather after introducing yourself, you have to pull out the application form and tell the process with the signing amount. After that, ask for the cheque directly. This may sound absurd, but it works.

Where to Apply

• For selling insurance, education courses, shares, bonds, etc.
• When the client shows much excitement, and you feel that your client already knows the product details.

Pros

• Can close a deal in 1-5 minutes
• No follow-up needed
• Presentation not needed
• No negotiation required

Cons

• High chances of misfire
• Might be considered as conman if you are not good in handling after the misfire

3. Comparison Sales Technique

Look at the three options available and tell me which one do you want to opt for?

• 1 kg banana for Rs 5
• 2 kg bananas for Rs 7.5
• 3 kg bananas for Rs 12

Now here, average viewers might say I am a fool and don’t know how to do business. However, if you notice carefully, you will realize there are always more order for the smallest packets, i.e., 1 kg, but after looking at the price all those small orders will get converted into the medium ones which are 2 kg for Rs. 7.5. Also, the ones who will come to buy 3 kg will try to trick me and will buy 2kg+2kg instead of 3kg and ultimately end up buying more and hence paying more.

How to Apply

Always show two or more bad options and one supreme quality of your product so that the client starts comparing it with your prices and products instead of comparing it with the competitor’s price and product.

Pros

• Can sell pre-fixed products
• Can spike up revenue by selling high margin products

Cons

• Chances of losing the client in case of no value addition

4. Showing Urgency Technique

This is the best sale technique to break your client’s procrastination if done correctly. However, the biggest mistake which people make while showing urgency is that they show their urgency to get the sales done instead of producing urgency in the client’s mind.

Let me explain it with a real example:

Mostly every month, sales managers have meetings with their subordinates to pump them up to close the deal before month’s end.

Manager- How many sales have you made?

Salesperson- Sir, I have many good follow-ups.

Manager- I am asking how many sales have you already completed?

Salesperson- Zero

(After a long lecture),

Manager- Why don’t you show urgency to your client?

Salesperson- Hmmm, will do so, will call and get it done by today itself.

Now before this moment, the salesperson had never shown any urgency, never even hinted about it. However, as he has been pushed by the manager, see what happens:

Salesperson (to the client)- Sir, I just got the news from my seniors that only five inventories are left and probably might end by the night. If it’s feasible for you, please give me a cheque of booking amount, I will come to you and pick it up so that I can book the product for you.

Client- Ohhh, but I am out of town for two days.

Now, after two days:

Salesperson- Sir, only two units are left. Can I pick the cheque from you?

After five days:

Salesperson- Sir, only 1 unit is left, I can even give it to you at a reasonable price as it is the month’s end.

Now, you tell, have you felt any urgency?

The answer is no. On one instance, inventories were going to be vanished on 1^st day and on the other hand, inventories are available at a discounted price even after 7-8 days. By doing this not only did you lose the sale of the month, but you also missed the clients’ trust, and now that client will consider you to be just like every other salesperson.

How to Apply

Every industry has an average time period of sale-conversion. For example, in real estate during a standard market scenario, the average sale gets converted in 30- 45 days depending on the budget, client, and location. In referral marketing, your average sale gets converted in 7-10 days.

So during the 1^st day of the meeting, you can say your client, “For today, I am offering ABC product at XYZ price on UVXYZ terms and conditions, but I can offer this deal only for the next seven days. You can give it a thought with a cool mind and let’s fix our meeting after five days so that if in case you have any doubt, I can clear them and if you would be ready by the time we will complete other formalities on the same day.”

Now, this is considered as a real and professional urgency, and the best part was, I could also schedule my 2^nd meeting right over there.

Pro Tip- If a client misses the product, show some attitude by saying that currently, the product is not in stock, but we can go for a similar product. After 2-3 days call the client and tell him that due to 1 cancellation in the previous product, I am filling the forum for you and coming to pick the cheque.

Where to Apply

• Can be applied to any product with any ticket size

Pros

• Can close the deal even in half the time
• Spike up your monthly target

Cons

• Cannot be adequately applied where companies have only 1 product

5. Process Focused Technique

This is one of my favorite sales technique, and I highly recommend it to everyone. As I explained it in my last article, “How to get initial sales,” that if you do not implement the process, then you can destroy everything. This method takes time to close any deal but is so smooth that you can always remain in a win-win situation. No matter what your product is, no matter whether you continue with the same product or not but if you have acquired any customer with process-focused technique then there are 95% chances, your client will call you each time before making a decision even if they are purchasing from competitors.

How to Apply

In most of the cases, the oldies of any trade know the right process or at least know 80% of it. You can talk to them and experiment it in your style because sometimes the same things do not work with two people.

Pro Tip- Never skip any process for fast closure unless it is an experiment for you to learn something extra.

Pros

• You never lose any client (exceptions are always there)
• You will get referrals from your clients even if you don’t ask
• Anyone can apply in any industry with any product
• Can make you star of your company

Cons

• Cannot close the sale quickly

6. Value Focused Technique

This sales technique is also one of my favorite and can be considered as the sub-part of process focussed technique and when both applied correctly, can create wonders. In this process, you have to change the way of conveying your message with lots of words modulation. You have to convert each feature of your product into value addition in the client’s life.

How to Apply

Let us take a scenario that you are selling a washing machine to your client. So the most common way of telling its feature can be, “Hi sir, this small washing machine which is built by XYZ company. Though it seems small but has lots of features and it can wash clothes quickly with just one button. You can even dry your clothes in just 2 minutes etc.”

Now if I apply value addition method, the same can be conveyed like, “Hi mam, let me show you the one of the smallest washing machines that can fit any corner of your kitchen and the best part is you don’t need to worry much, you just have put clothes into it, and the rest is done by this machine so that you do any of your tasks without feeling occupied and can enjoy extra time.”

Keeping in mind that females of the house do mostly washing, I talk to the wife out of the couple because I am adding values in her life which are, “extra time,” “less space occupied in the kitchen,” “hassle-free life” etc.

Pros

• Smile while purchasing
• Rest same like process based closing

Cons

• Hard to convert sentences and phrases perfectly

7. Emotion Triggering

No matter what the position of a man is, no matter how hardcore he is, every human being is driven by emotions. Some aspects of emotion triggering methods are ethical while some are unethical depending on which emotion you are triggering. Even bribing comes into this method. I know, this is not ethical, but this is in the system and especially in B2B businesses. Let me share an example of ethical ways:

How to Apply

Let us take a scenario that you are into real estate and are showing an apartment to a couple and let’s suppose while showing the kitchen, lady points at the beauty of the garden which is visible from the window of the kitchen. You can keep reminding the couple about the garden after every 10-15 mins, like, by saying, “Best part of the house is they are majorly designed keeping ladies in mind as they spend more time at home and especially the kitchen, as you have noticed from there you have a wonderful view.” After a few minutes, you can say, “Moms can continuously look at their child playing in the garden from their kitchen itself so it will save a lot of your energy.”

After a few minutes, you can say, “these days the pollution is increasing, and people are getting asthmatic problems. However, this place is surrounded by trees in the garden to keep the air fresh and pollution-free.”

Similarly, you can say N number of phrases to trigger the emotional point of the client.

Pros

• Can force the client to buy what you want to sell
• Rest same as process based

Cons

• If your way is unethical, you might face any type of adverse circumstances.

8. Status Doubting/ Ego Hurting Trick

I know I have promised for only seven ways, and this sale technique is the 8^th one. Don’t worry, I am not going to mention the old line, “I believe in over delivery.”

I personally never liked this sales technique and even never used it that’s the reason I haven’t included in the counting, but have seen many salespersons utilizing this technique and closing the deals. So being a competent sales professional, you should know the maximum number of ways.

Every person on this earth has some ego, and if you can use that ego in your favor, then the deal is yours. By the way, my purpose of mentioning this technique is not for you to use on someone, instead, I mean to make you aware so that you can safeguard yourself if someone tries it on you.

How to Apply

You need to be very rude and insulting in this case. So what do you have to do? Present your product to the client politely in the best possible way. After that ask for buying the product, when the client refuses to buy, insist him 2-3 times politely for buying the product saying this is the best featured product they can ever get.

If the client still refuses, say abruptly, “I don’t think you even had the money in your pocket, people like you can never buy such products, you just waste others’ time.” and some other similar lines and take advantage of the situation if the client responds.

Where can it be Applied

• Selling in a fair, railway station, bus stand.
• Selling products in the shop like mobile, washing machine, clothes, etc.

Pros

• You get the Sale

Cons

• The risk to lose the client forever
• You have bought negative reviews
• The situation might get worse to any extent
• You have hurt someone’s feelings

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