We all know about the ick in the world of dating. You know, when your date does something seemingly benign and you get such an icky feeling that you just can’t shake. Maybe they have a fascination with cryptocurrency or they serenade you with a guitar and a song. Whatever it might be that causes the ick, once you’ve got it, it can be hard to see them in the same light.

While we usually talk about icks in terms of romance, they can also occur in professional settings – especially if you work in sales. After all, landing and converting a good lead can be a lot like dating – the last thing you want to do is give your lead the ick.

Charlie Day is the author of the book Sales Is Easy If You Just Know How! and host of the podcast of the same name. She specialises in helping women who work in sales. According to Day, steering clear of the ick factor is one of the hardest parts of bringing in new clients and customers. 

We spoke to her about her method for closing down leads, which she calls the P.E.R.F.E.C.T. method.

The ick factor in sales

Working in sales or in a role that requires you to convert new clients isn’t easy. In fact, it can often feel like you’re becoming the worst version of yourself in the process.

“I think sales has got a bad name because of so many bad practices: cold calling, pushy tactics, sleazy closing,” says Day. “When I think about the classic sales person, I think of someone pressuring you to buy something, like Mr Wormwood from Matilda.” Naturally, no one wants to be compared to him.

The problem with traditional sales tactics, according to Day, is that they rarely take into consideration what the other person wants.

“We want to be looked after, nurtured and to understand if this is the best thing for us to buy based on our problems and needs,” she says.

The traditional Mr Wormwood approach, Day suggests, uses a “very masculine energy”. She adds, “I think women in particular struggle with it; it doesn’t come naturally to us, and we’d much prefer to nurture someone through the process rather than pressurise them.” 

Using the P.E.R.F.E.C.T. method to close down leads

Day’s P.E.R.F.E.C.T. method takes the icky Mr Wormwood vibe out of selling and adds in room for nurturing, listening and understanding.

Here’s a breakdown of the seven-step process:

Problems

The first step in sales should be to develop an in-depth understanding of your lead’s problems. “The best way to uncover these problems is by asking lots of questions,” says Day. “The best salespeople ask lots of questions, and listen more than they talk.”

Engagement

Next, it’s about engaging the potential buyer. “This could be via social media, via marketing, via personal interaction or through networking,” she suggests.

Reach

After you’ve started engaging with one lead, it’s important to expand your reach and work on other new leads.

Ask yourself questions like: “How can we reach more people? Where do your ideal clients hang out? How can you get in front of more of them? What can you say to make them notice you?”

Follow up

While you don’t want to be pushy, it is important to keep in touch with leads.

“One of my favourite sayings is, ‘The fortune is in the follow-up,’ and it’s so true!” Day says. “You should follow up with everyone who enquires and continue to follow up with them. The average lead needs following up at least seven times.”

Keep follow-ups brief, engaging and personal.

Energy!

Throughout the process, be sure to cultivate a strong, positive energy that feels real to you. “Sales is an exchange of energy and you need to be showing up to your sales process with your best energy,” she says. “People buy from people, so be yourself, create real relationships and use your energy and passion to close the sale.”

Conversion

Of course, sales is ultimately about converting leads into clients. “You need to be on top of your conversion rates,” says Day. “How many leads do you need coming in and where do those leads come from? And what % then convert into sales?” Keep tabs on the stats while you are nurturing new leads.

Then add more

The process doesn’t end once you’ve made that conversion. You should always be thinking about what else you can do for the lead.

“Now more than ever customer service is a key part of the sales process, from the moment an enquiry gets in touch they want to be treated well, looked after and have the best customer service,” Days says. “What can you do to add more to your customer journey and wow them from the beginning to the end?”

Images: Getty