How to effectively communicate with your clients – 10 proven tips

Today we have some fresh and proven tips on how to effectively communicate with your clients in sales negotiations. Read on and improve your sales skills with our New Business and Analytics Manager. Effectiveness guaranteed!

Building relations with a client requires a lot of work and engagement. Not everyone is a born seller, but there are a few simple rules which can help you during sales negotiations. Here they are:

1. Know your client: Before you send your first email, learn about them as much as possible. It’s good to know what they do in the company and what their position is (based on this information you can make a guess about the level of their decision-making in the organization and describe whether the product you offer will be used by the person you contact or by the rest of the team).
2. Listen to the client’s needs: Rigid, non-personalized offers belong to a bygone era. It’s better to think about what the needs are of the person you are talking to and what the expectations are. Ask if they have any experience with similar products and give a few options that they can use. This doesn’t take much time and you will be able to avoid big mistakes. (You don’t want to be trying to sell a rare steak to a vegan or a pack of cigarettes to a non-smoker.)
3. Be nice: Not over the top of course, but it is so much better to negotiate with a pleasant person than with a brusque one. Your attitude affects the way you are perceived by others and this can be transferred into the sales results.
4. Be flexible: When you know what your interlocutor needs, it’s good to adjust your offer to this. Standardized packages are not always attractive to our clients, so consider rethinking what you can remove from the offer and what you can add to make it more appealing to the client.
5. Do not promise things you cannot guarantee: The truth will come to light anyway and you will only compromise yourself and the company you represent, and lose your credibility. Offer only what is possible to provide your client with – no one likes to be deluded.
6. Put yourself in the client’s position: They may not always know your product and therefore it is good to suggest training and offer support for the time they use your services. Because of rotation and staff changes in the client’s teams, it’s good to mention your availability from time to time.
7. Keep in touch: Once in a while write an email or call your client to make sure that they are satisfied with the service they receive and that the offer still suits them (it’s good to keep in mind that client’s needs change from time to time ). But…
8. Don’t be a nuisance: There is nothing worse in a relationship with a client than forcing yourself on them and contacting them too frequently. If they ask for time to think, respect that and do not call them every 15 minutes.
9. Appreciate your client: Thank them for choosing your offer. If it’s possible, consider such options as loyalty discounts or partner programs which will make your product even more attractive.
10. Do not criticize your rivals: Know your competition in the market but do not promote yourself based on their faults. Be a professional and indicate the strengths of your offer and focus on discussing them.

Hints were delivered by Beata Lukasiewicz, Brand24’s New Business and Analytics Manager, cats freak and social media lover.

How do you build good relationships with your clients? Leave us a comment!