MAKING SALES
15.1 Personalities and Buying Decisions
Making sales is the foundation of all successful businesses. There are countless courses and books on how to make sales however there is no one agreed upon approach to making sales.
What is important is to recognize that different personalities respond to different approaches. Here is a quick summary of the main types of personalities, based on the DISC profile.
Here are the buying preferences of the four major behaviour styles.
D – High Dominance Style
Buys: new, innovative products and looks for results
Typical characteristics: an entrepreneur with many interests; often has several activities going on at once; does not like to waste time; usually has a fairly strong ego
Driving Forces for Selling a High D: don’t waste time or give a lot of facts and figures; you and your product must appear credible; get to the point quickly, start with business – they will let you know if they want to chat; ask questions so they can tell you what they want; stress opportunities for prestige, challenge and efficiency; emphasize results and the bottom line; give direct answers; flatter their ego; ask for their opinion.
I – High Influencing Style
Buys: showy products and looks for an experience
Typical characteristics: a friendly, people-oriented person who would rather talk than listen, rather socialize than do detail work; very quick buyer who values service; likes to try new things
Driving Forces for Selling a High I: let them talk for a while and be prepared to bring the conversation back to business; allow time for socializing, perhaps over lunch or dinner; provide a warm and friendly environment; use testimonials and drop names; have fun in the presentation; illustrate experiences and tell stories; it’s ok to touch their arm or back; don’t dwell on details; provide recognition for their accomplishments; support their dreams.
S – High Steadiness Style
Buys: traditional products and looks for security
Typical characteristics: may be somewhat shy, but wants to be your friend; slow to make changes; needs to trust the salesperson; not an innovator, likes the traditional way of doing things
Driving Forces for Selling a High S: take it slow and easy, being too fast or rushing them will lose the sale; earn their trust and friendship; involve the family in decisions; may require additional visits for reassurances that this is right for them; use facts and figures and give them a process; make sure you answer all of their questions; be sincere in a quiet manner; stress security or assurance if they buy now; give them time to think about the purchase.
C – High Compliance Style
Buys: proven products and looks for technical information to justify their selection
Typical characteristics: may be suspicious of you and your products; does not make changes readily; usually not too talkative; will not readily try out new and innovative technology
Driving Forces for Selling a High C: no small talk, get to the point and answer all of their questions; needs lots of proof, background information, proven results before purchasing; needs time to absorb details and digest facts before proceeding; use plenty of research to back you up; ensure quality; find ways to minimize risk; give a complete proposal, explain details; do not over-promise; be businesslike, do not get personal.
When making sales you need to adjust your behaviour to match and mirror the appropriate personality type.
15.2 Build Rapport
On approaching the prospective client make sure that you have a smile, make eye contact and speak clearly. Your smile is a powerful tool so make sure that you use it!
Show interest in your prospect. Ask them about their needs – don’t assume you know what the need and don’t launch into a lengthy monologue about what services Music Lessons Academy offer.
Remember, most prospective clients do not have a lot of time and want to know that you are going to give them the information/services that they are looking. So step one is to find this out.
15.3 FAQ
Below is a common list of FAQs for the overall Music Lessons Academy business.
How long of a lesson should I take?
For kids 5 to 9 years old, a 45-minute lesson is a good duration for the lesson. For 9 and up and students who have specific music goals such as playing in orchestra at school, a 60-minute lesson is a much better investment. For advanced players, an hour lesson is recommended.
Should I buy the instrument before starting lessons?
You will need to purchase or rent an instrument for your child to have at home. WE rent 3/4/scale guitars and violins for $20 per month. For piano and drum sets, we can help you with the right decision for a good home instrument within your budget. You do not necessarily need to spend a lot on an acoustic piano to get started. You can purchase a decent electronic keyboard that work fine for your child’s first year. For drums, electronic sets are great as they allow the student to practice at home without shaking the house down! With both keyboards and drums, headphones can be used by the student at home.
How do I know my child is progressing?
To keep our students learning and progressing, we use the Musical Ladder system. Every 3 months our students take a test with their teacher to make sure they are absorbing the material in the lessons and making progress. Our students love this system as they get to earn cool colourful wristbands and certificates as well as trophies for their achievements! Our teachers also will take the time to conference
What happens if my child gets sick and can’t make a lesson one day?
We have group make up classes on the weekend, that are age and level appropriate. You can sign up online for as many as you would like and the make-up never expires, meaning you can take the make-up class a week or 2 months later.
What happens if I leave for 2 months and come back?
If you are leaving for 30 days or longer, you have the option of holding your time and teacher for when you return by paying your normal monthly tuition. You may also withdraw completely and re- register when you return, however your time and teacher may not be available.