Woah…did we just crack the code of sales conversations to land more freelance fashion design clients?!
If you’ve ever felt sales conversations were scary (or gross) or just need to elevate your sales game, then our guest, Nikki Rausch, is here to share her best tips and tricks to help you feel confident in your sales calls. We talk about navigating the sales staircase framework, using the power of smart questions, and leading the conversation with finesse.
Learn how to make your potential clients feel understood, tailor your offers to their needs, and even snag a free gift training on mastering the sales conversation. Get ready to level up your sales game and leave your clients saying “yes” in style!
Episode Highlights
Introduction to Nikki Rausch
- Heidi introduces Nikki Rausch, a sales expert with 25+ years of experience, known for her “Selling Staircase” framework and strategic approach to sales conversations.
Strategic and Genuine Conversations
- Nikki stresses the importance of combining authenticity with structure in sales, always centering the conversation around the prospective client.
5-Step Sales Process
- Nikki walks through her 5-step process:
- Pre-frame
- Discovery
- Proposal
- Close
- Follow-up
- Emphasizes using precise language and questions tailored to move the conversation forward.
Pre-Framing the Conversation
- Outlines how setting expectations with strategic pre-framing questions positions you as an expert and creates psychological safety for the client.
Value of Asking the Right Questions
- Highlights the power of questions like “What would it take to earn your business?” and the importance of letting the silence do the work.
Collaborative Selling
- Encourages sellers to make prospects feel heard and supported through open-ended questions like “What questions come to mind for you?”
Tailoring Conversations to Client Needs
- Advises using the client’s own language to build rapport, and smoothly transitioning from discovery to offer by asking for permission to proceed.
Proposing Solutions
- Recommends offering multiple solutions—starting with the highest-priced—to establish value and give clients options.
- Reinforces the need to understand timelines, decision-makers, and budgets.
Understanding Client Pain Points
- Differentiates between the needs of startups and established brands, and how to adjust questions to spotlight your unique value in solving their problems.
Free Training Gift
- Nikki shares a free video training on the 5-step sales conversation, providing additional value to listeners.
Increasing Client Lifetime Value
- Suggests asking how you can serve existing clients in new ways to increase repeat business and revenue.
Follow-Up Strategy
- Talks about the necessity of follow-up calls to prevent ghosting and recommends using closed-ended questions at the close to prompt decisions.
Sales Psychology and Anchoring Offers
- Discusses leveraging loss aversion by leading with the highest-tier offer and anchoring expectations early in the conversation.
Balancing Power in Sales Conversations
- Stresses the importance of pre-framing and setting a strong structure to guide the call while maintaining credibility and authority.
Key Questions and Responses
1. What is the Selling Staircase Framework?
- Nikki explains that the Selling Staircase is a 5-step process, including pre-framing, the discovery call, the proposal, closing, and follow-up. Each step is designed to guide the sales conversation strategically and genuinely.
2. How do you start a sales conversation?
- Nikki emphasizes the importance of pre-framing the conversation with strategic questions to showcase expertise. She suggests starting with questions like “What would it take to earn your business?” to set the tone and encourage the prospect to think deeply about their needs and expectations.
3. Why is asking strategic questions important in sales conversations?
- Nikki highlights that asking strategic questions helps uncover the client’s needs, builds trust, and shows understanding. Questions like “What questions come to mind for you?” open dialogue and make the prospect feel valued and understood.
4. How do you present multiple solutions to a client?
- Nikki advises starting with the highest-priced option and working down to guide the buyer toward a decision. This approach helps the client make better decisions and usually positions the most comprehensive solution first, creating an anchor offer.
5. What are the key strategies to prevent “ghosting” in business?
- Nikki suggests scheduling follow-up calls after sending proposals to address any questions and earn the business. Making it easy for prospects to connect and using closed questions during the closing stage can also prevent ghosting by requiring a yes or no answer.
6. How do you maintain the balance of power in a sales conversation?
- Nikki stresses the importance of not letting the prospect hold all the power, maintaining credibility, and asking questions that highlight the seller’s unique offerings. Creating a sense of safety and setting structured expectations early on help balance the conversation.
7. How can a sales conversation maximize opportunities with existing clients?
- Nikki emphasizes the importance of follow-up calls to address ongoing needs and cultivate repeat clients. Strategic questions about existing client satisfaction and future needs can build long-term relationships and increase the lifetime value of clients.
About Nikki Rausch:
CEO of Sales Maven, Nikki Rausch has the unique ability to transform the misunderstood process of “selling”.
With 25+ years of selling experience, entrepreneurs and small business owners now hire Nikki to show them how to sell successfully and authentically. Nikki has written 3 books, all available on Amazon. And she has a podcast called Sales Maven which you can find on your favorite podcast platform.
Nikki is a sales professional who believes in teaching others to be strategic and genuine in their own unique ways. She provides structure and guidance for sales conversations, while also emphasizing the importance of authenticity and organic communication. Nikki’s approach is about giving people the tools to be successful in sales, rather than imposing her own style on them. She believes in the power of individuality and finding a balance between structure and personal expression in sales.
Mentioned in this Episode:
Podcast Episode 181: The Secret to Get New Clients on Autopilot for Your Freelance Fashion Design Business
Connect with Nikki:
Visit their website: https://yoursalesmaven.com
Email at: nikki@yoursalesmaven.com
Connect on Linkedin
Free Mastering The Sales Conversation Training: https://yoursalesmaven.com/fashion