Be Aware Of Overselling

Running your own business is not easy work. You put your heart and soul into making sure all the components run smoothly as one. However, as business owners, the key to being able to continue running all the wheels that go with it smoothly, depends on how well your product or service sells. Without that component flourishing, running the behind the scenes smoothly can become a moot point. One of the biggest mistakes that business owners come across is actually over-selling.

But what is overselling?

Over-selling can be different things depending on the situation. Have you continued your sales attempts after the customer is already willing to purchase? Are you trying to push your customer into buying more than what they need or want?

This can be a huge hurt for your company’s bottom line. Not only does it ruin the trust between a customer and the salesperson, it can also affect repeat business. Do you think that customer who felt pressured to purchase something they didn’t need will return? Probably not. There can be short term benefits to overselling, because the sale is closed. But it is ultimately not worth missing out on a loyal customer who would continue their business with us. Not to mention the customer satisfaction. This can lead to negative reviews, negative word of mouth, and we don’t want that!

Here are some tips on how to avoid over-selling to your customers and keep their business for the future!

Ask Questions

Be sure that you are asking them what it is that they are looking for. Sometimes they don’t know fully what they need. The questions that you ask should be broad enough so they have an idea that you offer more than what they were originally looking for, but not too detailed to deter them from hearing you out. Asking questions shows your customers that you care. It shows them that you are knowledgeable and have experience enough to know what to look for on behalf of their business.

Listen

Listen to what they are asking you for. If you are trying to pitch a service or product that they aren’t in need of, you will most likely lose their interest. When you listen to your customer you are letting them know that you are interested in what they have to say and what they need. So, if while you listen it sounds like they need more than you are asking for, the likelihood that they will listen to you in return is much higher.

Gain Trust

Gaining the trust of your customer is arguably the most important part of running a business. Even if you are not offering, or do not have what they need in that moment, chances are they will return to you the moment they do need what you are providing. Typically, customers will remember the great customer service they experience, they will remember that you did not try to sell to them and understood your needs, and they will want to come back to work with you again.

Sometimes issues such as overselling can get overlooked and/or not be taken seriously. As you can see, not overselling your product/service is far more important than most business owners realize. Because there are many different aspects of your business that can be affected by overselling, it is important to recognize them and take proactive action against it. Being aware of these effects is a key element in keeping your business successful and running smoothly. It could make a difference in the long run, turning a one-time customer into a lifelong customer.