Law firms benefit from a high level of trust from their clients. If they master sales, they can not only attract new clients but also offer additional services. Profitable examples include digitalisation consultancy and transfer pricing documentation.
„If I’d asked people what they wanted, they would have said: faster horses.“ – Henry Ford
A salesperson is an adviser who helps the customer make a decision. A customer will only ever buy something if they have a reason or a problem that the product solves.
If the results are not satisfactory, a plan is absolutely essential. You can draw up such a plan, for example, if you are aware of the individual stages of the sales conversation. Once you are familiar with these, you can take the right action and steer the conversation in the right direction.
„Anyone who always does what they have always done should not be surprised if they keep getting the results they have always got.“
What are the stages of the sales process?
Sales stages are the various steps or phases a customer goes through in order to purchase a product or service. They describe the entire process, from the initial contact with a potential customer through to the completion of a sale. The exact sales stages may vary depending on the company and industry, but generally speaking, there are a number of key stages that feature in many sales processes.
The sales stages help businesses to structure and organise the sales process to ensure that they engage with potential customers effectively and provide them with a positive customer experience, thereby driving sales and building long-term customer relationships.
What is a sales pitch?
A sales pitch is a conversation between a salesperson and a potential customer, the purpose of which is to sell a product or service. The aim of a sales pitch is to convince the customer of the benefits of the product or service and to persuade them to make a purchase.
A sales pitch can take various forms, e.g. in person, over the telephone, by email or via chat. A successful sales pitch requires a good understanding of the product or service, the market and the customer’s needs, as well as excellent communication skills and the ability to persuade on the part of the salesperson.
So what, then, are the eight stages of the sales pitch?
The 8-stage model of the sales pitch is a variation on the 7-stage model, with an additional stage added:
- Preparation
- Welcome and introduction
- Needs analysis
- Product presentation
- Value proposition
- Handling objections
- Conclusion
- Follow-up
In the 8-phase model, objection handling is included as a separate phase to ensure that any objections the customer may have are dealt with effectively before proceeding to the close. This stage gives the salesperson the opportunity to address the customer’s concerns, provide them with further information and convince them that the product or service is the best choice for them.
How can you structure a sales pitch in stages?
1. Welcome
There are a few things to bear in mind when greeting someone. When you ring someone, introduce yourself first and then the company you work for. However, if the same customer rings you, state the company name first. This reassures the customer that they have ringed the right company. If the customer has already used your name, that’s the first step towards building a relationship.
2. Sparking interest
You should capture the customer’s interest as early as possible. On the phone, it is particularly important to think carefully about your opening sentence, as you only have a very limited amount of time.
3. Customer research
It is important to find out where the customer stands and to know what they already know. This stage is very often overlooked because many salespeople talk more than they listen.
4. Value-added strategy
Find out what your customer really needs. What is their problem, need or desire? What benefits can you offer? Only when the customer truly recognises and understands what you have to offer them, or how you will help them, will they choose you and your service or product. The customer is constantly asking themselves: What’s in it for me? How will this benefit me? You need to answer this question consistently.
5. Handling objections
Objections are signposts to success. You don’t have to resolve them, but you must take them seriously. Objections are emotional expressions. Through their objections, the customer is saying, „I’m not yet convinced, I’m still unsure, I don’t believe that yet, I need more information.“
That’s why the rule is: move away from objections and focus on the benefits! Objections are like small children – pay them attention!
6. Final phase
If your gut feeling tells you that everything has actually been discussed, then kick off the closing phase with an open-ended question: „How do we want to proceed from here?“ What’s the next step? By asking an open-ended question, you won’t get a ‘no’ – instead, you’ll find a path that leads to the contract, or at the very least the client will tell you what else they need from you in order to reach a decision. In any case, make sure you reach a binding agreement with your client.
7. Positive conclusion
Make the best possible impression; the customer should remember you favourably. But don’t bring up any new points. So avoid saying things like, „That reminds me…“, otherwise you risk having to start all over again. Always remember: after the meeting is before the meeting!
The module – Sales Training with lecturer Wolfgang Steffen – forms part of hsp’s continuing professional development course on digitalisation consultancy.
The Digitalisation Consultant course enables you to bring yourself and your staff up to speed so that you can provide your clients with genuine added value. Find out more about how to retain your clients in the long term.
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