Another Quick Way to Sell More Signs

How can you get more sales appointments, which will lead to more sales?

When you are prospecting, this important sales practice is an easy item to overlook. But it can make a big difference in your results.

An effective way to get more sales appointments is a quick and compelling opening statement. A statement that not only introduces you and lets the prospect know what your business does, but also plants the “seed of benefits” that gives the sign prospect good reason to talk.

You know the typical signage prospect’s window of attention. 10 seconds, max. In that brief window, you need to have a strong and practiced statement as to why it is worth the prospect’s time to continue the conversation.

What are some of the compelling signage benefits you can mention in your opening statement? Here are a few ideas:

1. Location/site branding
2. Develop consumer memory for a location and the products sold there
3. Reinforce and extend recall of other advertising efforts
4. Modify customary purchasing decisions or habits
5. Increased sales revenue
6. Increased number of customer transactions
7. 24/7 Marketing of your business
8. Increased foot traffic

Here is a list of items to quickly mention in your brief opening statement:

• Your full name
• What company you are with
• What you sell
• How your prospect will benefit from signage
• A question to gauge the prospect’s level of interest

When you state your name, remember to use both your first and last name (i.e., “this is Jim Smith with Ace Signs”, not “this is Jim with Ace Signs.”) That is a major pet peeve with some prospects – using your first name only implies that the prospect already knows you.

So here is an example of a professional signage sales opening statement:

“Steve, this is Jim Smith with Ace Signs. We sell business signage of all types, and we help retail companies maximize their foot traffic while keeping their signage costs low. I’m calling to find out if you’d be interested in discussing how our products might help your efforts.”

As you get further into a prospect conversation, keep in mind that business transactions also often involve both personal and emotional benefits. For example, if you are speaking with a district manager who purchases signage on behalf of her company’s locations, remember that an effective signage program is a very visible expression of that district manager’s good judgment (this is particularly important for retail.) That could be a factor to increase the probability of a manager’s promotion within her company – a huge personal and emotional benefit.

Remember – don’t try to sell your product with an opening statement. Opening statements are meant to engage attention and begin building rapport. After that is done, then you can begin selling.