IT Resellers: Six Tips for Closing a Sale

Successful hardware and software resellers have certain things that they need to do if they are going to be successful, whether it be on the road, online, or in the office. Know who you are talking to, know what you’re selling, and help your customer see that they can’t live without what you have.

Remember that you can have all of the information that you want about a potential customer at your fingertips. Smartphones, tablets, and laptops are all valuable tools that can help you draw up any information you may need in order to address your client’s needs. However, it is up to you to know what to do with that information.

Six Tips for Closing a Sale

1.      Know the customer that you are working with.

To make your knowledge of a customer work to your advantage, you will need to take data from previous visits and enter it into your database. Then, you need to study that information before you meet with your customer. Knowing the customer allows you to get to point quicker, and even if you don’t remember every detail about every customer you meet with, that customer will probably remember if they have told you which operating system they use and you can avoid asking them the basics.

2.      Know what you’re selling.

You may not have to know every detail about hardware or software. However, the more you know, the more answers you can give on the spot, which makes you more likely to complete a sale. Never give an answer that you are unsure of. Loss of credibility is something you can’t get back. It is important that you (accurately) answer as many questions as you can, then, for the questions that you cannot answer, offer to find out for them right away. Show them that you may not know it all, but you can get them the answers they need immediately.

3.      Understand the business of the customer.

If the customer has a lot of credit card data coming to them via email or over the phone, understand the issues that carries with it. If the customer only accepts personal checks, know that and be ready with technology that will cater to that part of their business. If a customer has a 24-hour help line and they are proud of that service, understand how your technology offerings will make their operations more efficient. Don’t offer technology that will be a step back from what they need – help them advance.

4.      Follow through with everything.

No one likes to be told they will have an answer tomorrow, then they wait for three days. First, that is irritating. Secondly, in three days, the customer may have moved on to a different vendor. If you make a sale and you tell the buyer that their new machine or software will be installed by Friday, make certain that happens. Sometimes customers have to make arrangements to be ready for Friday, and when your team doesn’t show up, it can be frustrating. 

5.      Know the value of what you have for sale, and share that value with the customer.

If your product costs more than a competitor’s, then share that value. Assure your customer that with your higher price tag comes greater value. If your product costs less than a competitor’s, explain how the price might be lower, but the service or product is still better. Some people are naturally afraid of committing to the lowest prices because they assume “you get what you pay for.” If that is not true, have proof that you are correct.

6.      Don’t forget: You’re there to sell.

Much like you need to know your customer, different situations call for different speeds of delivery, but often, the person you are visiting has work to do. They do not want to sit through an hour of jokes and anecdotes before you get around to your sales pitch. Be polite, and part of being polite is not wasting your customer’s time. There are times when the person you speak to will want you to take your time. Follow the lead of the customer and it will be hard to go wrong.

When you work with small- and medium-sized businesses, every dollar they spend is important. Know your customer and their want, and get in there and make a sale. Show them how their work will improve with your product, and it will be hard to go wrong.