Rehash is a sales tactic used after the sale is closed. Your customer has said yes; now let’s find more products or services they will say yes to by rehashing additional items or services that also fit their needs. Read on to discover how rehash will boost your profits while helping customers make decisions.
Rehash is a technique that works best for small sales but can be useful for large sales too. If you sell products that are under a thousand dollars, rehashing can bump you up to the thousands. For example, if I sold you paper, I’d move on to supplies like pens, notebooks, staples, and then to larger items like printers and staplers. If I sold you internet services, I would then discuss internet security products or management services that would complement your purchase.
After you’ve got a customer’s commitment (or signature on a contract), the two next steps are crucial: rehash the customer’s experience and ask for referrals. Once you have a yes, it’s much simpler to get additional yeses from them, so don’t stop there; try to close additional deals while you’re in front of, or on the phone with, the customer.
When a customer buys into a pitch for a second, third, or even fourth product or service, we keep good notes so they can see the agreement is documented. This is also the place where you’d record orders if you were using a separate sheet. As long as the additional products or services are relevant to what the customer is already purchasing, we can keep doing this up until the order contains several items that weren’t originally planned, but now see as useful.
If the customer nods their head in agreement or continues the conversation by asking questions, this is your cue to try and close the sale on the products or services you’ve been discussing. You need to be patient and make sure to answer all questions or objections before moving on to anything else. Close them on that first, get the commitment or order, then rehash. Once those deals are closed, you should move on to the next relevant product or service and do the same.
Once the customer says no to an item or service, don’t take that as the end; move on to the next relevant product. Keep your mind on the order. You are there to take their order, so make sure they understand all the products or services available. Once they say they don’t want anything else, respect that and bring the order to them to sign, or tell them when the contract will be available and how they will be able to execute it.
Now is the time to go over the process with the customer; if shipping is expected in a week, tell them what to expect; if the service will take a few weeks, explain how they will be kept informed of any changes and how they can proceed with installation or setup. Don’t leave their office or end the call without answering every question they might have. Assure their satisfaction by clarifying the order they just placed, the arrival of the product or service, the arrival date, the people involved, and your role in the process. Specify payment methods, whether invoices will be mailed or emailed, the billing address, and the name of the person responsible for making payments. If the buyer and purchaser on the bill are not clear, there has been no sale.
A follow-up meeting to discuss a more extensive list of items or requirements is another example of rehashing. You can try an impulsive influence if the customer cuts you off after the first or second item because they don’t have time or can’t right now. If they tell you they’re pressed for time, you can combine two impulse influences by saying, “I totally get it; I have to be at an appointment at a specific place within the next thirty minutes,” and then use a previous sale as an example, such as when John from the local dental office ordered some of your prospect’s purchase and wanted to add a few more items during a second call when it was more convenient for them.
Tell them since neither of you has time today, it’s best to set up a follow-up call or meeting to review additional items or services. Use their name to build familiarity. Give them a day and time you’re back in the area and ask if that works for them. Be respectful so you can maintain that relationship. It’s much easier to sell a customer and keep them for years rather than to push them into buying now but never again. Taking a few practice runs in front of the mirror will help you feel more at ease and genuine as you move from one product to the next.
To succeed in sales, you must develop a thick skin, so put forth your best effort, brace yourself for setbacks, and keep going. Keep a positive outlook and enjoy discovering who you truly are. For more reading on how to succeed in your sales career, Download 6 Steps to a Close, Be Your Sales Self, Sales Objections in the Close, and How to Deal with Sales Rejection. Happy selling! Subscribe for more business, sales and investing posts. Have a lovely day.
