How to Sell Anything to Anyone – 5 Key Principles By Matthew Toren

Think you’re not in sales? I beg to differ. Whatever your business, you are unquestionably in sales. In fact, every person, even those without a job or a business, is faced with sales-like situations on an almost daily basis. And whether you’re trying to convince an investor to buy into your company, talk your dad into letting you borrow the car, or trying to get someone to buy a car, the principles for success are the same.

This is even true for online businesses where there is no face-to-face interaction. The delivery method might vary from one situation to the next, but the keys to making the sale are fairly consistent every time. So how can you sell anything to anyone? Here are 5 key principles to keep in mind at all times:

1. Believe in what you’re selling. If you have even a hint of doubt about the value, authenticity, or quality of your offering, it will come through. You can try to hide it, but people are more perceptive than you might think, and people can pick up on it, whether in person, over the phone, or even in sales copy on your website.

2. Know your audience. It’s important to tailor your communications to the person or people you hope to get a positive response from. Everyone has his or her own “triggers” – both positive and negative. What appeals to one group might not appeal to another. So do the proper research into who you’re selling to, and find out what’s most important to them. If you’re speaking their language, they’re much more likely to buy.

3. Know your competition. In almost every sales situation, there is competition. Sometimes it’s another person or business, and other times it’s your prospect’s own ideas and fears. Knowing as much as you can about any potential competition is critical to overcoming many objections and focusing on the positive attributes of what you’re offering.

4. Brag about yourself. While you don’t want to overdo it, you do want to eliminate any doubt in your prospect’s mind about why he or she should take the action you want them to take. If you know what you need to know about your competition (#3 above), you can use that knowledge to highlight your offering. Don’t cut down the competition, but do make your prospect aware of the advantages of what you’re proposing.

5. Tell them what to do. Even if you do everything else right, it’s vital that you ask for the sale at the end. People need to know exactly what you’d like them to do. Whether you want them to sign up for your newsletter or sign on the dotted line, a call to action is very important to closing any sale.

Mastering the key principles above can help you sell anything to anyone. What are some other keys you find helpful? Share your thoughts in the comments!

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