Here’s a six-step process that’ll help you sell ideas to prospects and customers.

1. Lay the foundation. The key to selling your ideas is to remember everything you do and say makes an impression. When you send an email, answer a call or make a presentation, you’re marketing yourself. Every interaction makes an impression. If you want people to be attracted to your ideas, try to be positive, open-minded and trustworthy.
2. Define the opportunity. You can’t sell your idea until you have clearly identified the opportunity at hand or the problem and its underlying cause. Try to determine what advantages the opportunity may generate or what it will cost if no action is taken.
3. Prepare your proposal. Describe the parameters of your plan, how long it’s going to take and who will be involved with its implementation. Customers may favor a plan that’s easy to understand, offers a realistic timeline and outlines the resources and investment required.
4. Understand the organization. Learn how the prospect’s organization operates and who makes the decisions. Know who the players are and what they need.
5. Rehearse the presentation. If you’re going to present your ideas to a group of managers or in a one-on-one session, practice your delivery. If your proposal is to be submitted in written form, be prepared to clarify and defend your ideas.
6. Present with passion. If you don’t have confidence in yourself or your idea, your prospect or customer won’t either. Confidence is convincing. Passion persuades because people want to believe.

Source: Jim Dawson, Managing Partner of ADI Performance, a sales training organization.

Tags: marketing yourself, presentation, proposal, reherse, sell ideas