Four signs of a positive sales pitch

When you’re looking to sell something – whether it be a service, a story or an experience – it’s essential to avoid a bad deal. Who wants to be on the receiving end of a bad exchange? No one. That’s why you need to provide a positive spin to any sale so you and the consumer can find common ground from the very beginning.

Remember, your offer is always about more than just the product alone, especially in aged care. It’s a lifestyle; an ongoing care experience that directly impacts the individual. It pays to invest in the individual, and these four signs indicate you have a positive sales pitch underway.

Consumer alignment

A good sales pitch has to start off on the right foot, which typically means your consumers’ values and goals are closely aligned with what you’re offering. This won’t always be the case, particularly in such a large market like aged care. But for the most part, consumers looking for your lifestyle offerings will find you.

To show you’re both on the same page, it’s essential you:

• Listen to the consumer’s needs and wants
• Avoid selling a forced lifestyle they clearly do not want
• Provide evidence and examples of positive experiences
• Encourage questions and feedback
• Build a rapport before attempting to close a deal
• Be open to requests and potential alterations to a service or experience
• Recognise when a consumer is not going to be aligned with your offerings

The great thing about sales is there’s always room for negotiation, though. You will have interactions where a win-win scenario can be achieved and interactions where you just have to accept a positive long-term outcome will not be reached.

Trust and transparency

Any conversation surrounding aged care services or even retirement living will feature a plethora of questions and queries. Answering with honesty will build trust and transparency integral to future success. 

If your consumers feel listened to and they see you’re providing trustworthy information, they’ll instantly know it’s a good deal. Likewise, if your consumers are providing honest answers to pertinent questions, you know it’s a good deal. 

So it’s essential to avoid red flags, evasive answers and inconsistency. Be timely and accurate with your responses to questions from potential residents and their families. This transparency and honesty will inform and reassure consumers signing up for critical aged care services. 

Foundations of a relationship

As you talk through key details with a potential or existing customer, you’re building the foundations of a relationship, not just an exchange of services. So what are the best ways to build and nurture relationships?

• Start with a conversation – rather than just talking about services and solutions, talk to the consumer about their needs, background and lifestyle to really understand who they are.
• Offer insights about yourself – relationships cannot be one-sided. Provide insights into who you are and your values to help leverage relatability. 
• Reach out – the early stages of a sale could be prolonged. Perhaps you have a retired couple looking for a future home, or someone scoping out potential home care support. They might not be willing to commit just yet, but even a simple phone call or email sustains a positive relationship and keeps you front of mind.
• Make them feel like a priority – one of the best ways to promote a positive customer experience is by making them a priority. Work hard to resolve queries quickly, and take the time to listen and actively support during phone calls or in-person meetings. 

Acknowledgement of individuality 

A personalised sales pitch leaves everyone feeling confident. Exploring shared interests and common values are great ways to start, but when you really dig deep into the unique concerns of a consumer, you’re on the right track.

Always go above and beyond to acknowledge individuality and support unique wants. Yes, there will be limitations and constraints to what you can offer, but any flexibility will encourage consumers to pick you over a potential competitor. Even an attempt to alter services could be the motivating factor for a consumer despite an unsuccessful outcome. It shows you are listening and want to provide a tailored healthy ageing experience.