The 8 Things You Can Do to Be More Assertive in Sales

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The average attention span of a human being keeps dropping every year. According to Kraus Marketing, an average person’s attention span stands at 8 seconds. A lot of things compete for a client’s time. This has made most salespeople resort to aggressiveness to grab attention.

But then, aggressive tactics might work for the first time, but they aren’t sustainable in the long term. This is why salespeople should consider taking an assertive approach. Assertiveness does more than impress customers. It helps engage them and builds profitable relationships.

assertive in salesSource: Pixabay

Research shows that 79% of people under 35 feel they’ve lost out from not being assertive enough. Thus, it’s time you start growing this skill as a salesperson. So, how can you become more assertive in sales? This article looks into what you can do to develop this critical skill.

Let’s get started.

How to be more assertive in sales:

1: Work on Your Appearance

You’ll meet a lot of people while working as a salesperson. It will be tricky to make an impact if you do not look good. Thus, working on your appearance should be at the top of what you must do. Before you even utter a word, your appearance tells people what to expect from you.

Always dress in a manner that makes you presentable to your audience. It would be best if you also kept eye contact when meeting your customers. Looking and sounding confident will help you be more assertive. You can create an excellent first impression on a customer’s mind if you look sharp.

2: Know What You Want

People will have second thoughts about buying from you if you aren’t confident. And, they can know if you are confident by observation. Thus, ensure you have all the details about your product or service. The more knowledgeable you appear, the more trustworthy you become.

You should explain everything customers need to know. Prepare for all potential questions and ensure you have ready answers. Then, it would help if you ended your engagement with a call to action. It is vital to provide customers with direction after explaining what you’re selling.

3: Be Clear and Calm

Assertive people are calm and collected. This is especially when communicating with people who have divergent views. It is vital to put your point across with firmness. But it’s not right to sound rude even when disagreeing. This can easily pull customers ways from your business.

So, take your time to listen to other people’s views. If interacting with a customer, listen to their needs carefully before speaking. This will ensure you answer all their questions and leave no room for doubt. In the end, it will make it easier to boost your sales and achieve goals.

4: Practice

practice assertivenessSource: Pixabay

Assertiveness isn’t a skill you learn in a day. It takes time before someone can tell that you are an assertive person. It would help to practice it patiently until you get the desired results. You do not have to wait for a customer to practice. Start doing it within your circle until it’s a habit.

You can ask a friend to role-play with you. They can act as a customer, and you’ll remain the seller as you always are. Practice speaking with empathy and try to be precise. Let your friend ask questions, including some that can make you angry.

5: Don’t Get Angry

So, what happens when someone asks questions that can anger you? As a salesperson, you should avoid getting angered. Anger doesn’t help solve problems; instead, it escalates them. Start practicing how to control your emotions when role-playing with someone.

This is one of the most challenging skills to master if you are short-tempered. But it is doable with time if you remain consistent. Mastering it will be rewarding because you’ll increase your conversions. It’ll also be easier to build relationships and attract more business.

6: Be Respectful

Always respect your customers and anyone else you interact with. As said before, being rude can affect your ability to generate sales. Being respectful means listening when others are speaking—not trying to interrupt them and force them to accept your way of doing things.

Customers won’t buy from you if they feel disrespected. They also won’t refer other people to your business. Thus, ensure you are always polite and if you differ with a customer, be ready to explain your reasons. Maintain a calm voice, so they don’t feel like you’re shouting at them.

7: Be Realistic About Your Aims

It would be best always to be realistic about what you want. You cannot be assertive if you fear airing your views. This will make people take advantage of you, especially competitors. Thus, if a customer gives you an audience, maximize it and ensure you pass your message.

Being realistic means that you make demands that customers can relate to. Do not quote prices that are too high or low compared to the market price. Also, tell them the benefits and flaws of your product or service. This will give them the confidence to pay and try it.

8: Learn to Ask Questions

An assertive person asks questions when necessary. Customers get convinced when you have candid conversations with them. Asking questions to understand their needs better can be an excellent idea. It will make it easier for you to find grounds for convincing them to buy.

For instance, you can ask them what they expect from the product or service. Or, you can ask about their budgets to provide the best advice. The more questions you ask, the better you understand customers. Also, it will be easier to build connections for future business.

Conclusion

Being assertive when dealing with customers comes with various benefits. It helps increase sales and also retain customers. Thus, you should consider learning and developing it if you haven’t. You will end up with a satisfied customer base and more referrals.

This article has made it easier to develop assertiveness. It has provided everything you should know about it. You can now start implementing these things in your career life. You will grow your selling skills and get the desired results if you practice them in real-life situations.