Understand the customer before you pitch
Someone messages your Instagram: “How much is it?” The seller sends a price list and waits. The buyer can’t tell whether the offer fits and goes off to compare. Two or three questions change that: what is it for, by when, and what budget in sums. They turn a price desk into an advisor and save time for both sides.
People buy outcomes, not products: not a drill, but a hole in the wall; not an air conditioner, but a cool flat in July. Describe what you sell through what changes for the buyer, what they save and which problem disappears. Once the value is clear, price stops being the main argument.
Trust and honesty beat discounts
Trust is built from small things: calling when you said you would, quoting the full amount with no hidden fees, saying “let me check and get back to you” instead of inventing an answer. Without that, even the lowest price doesn’t convince.
Honesty is also a long-term strategy. If a model doesn’t fit, say so and suggest another, or occasionally even a different place to buy. One lost sale costs less than a refund, an angry comment in a neighbourhood Telegram group and a recommendation that never happens. Where people lean on friends’ advice, reputation is a working asset.
Speed and a clear next step
A customer who writes in Telegram or leaves a request after an ad is ready to talk now. A few hours later they may be talking to a competitor. A fast reply is one of the cheapest and most underrated advantages you can have.
Speed alone is not enough, though. Every contact should end with an agreement, for example:
- a meeting or site measurement on a specific day;
- a quote sent by an agreed time;
- a call-back on a set date;
- a Click or Payme payment link sent, with a clear idea of when payment is expected.
Objections and refusals are information
“Too expensive” or “I’ll think about it” is no reason to argue or to give up. It signals that something is missing for the decision: a warranty, instalments, examples of work, a comparison with another seller. Ask calmly what it is and help remove it.
Write down every refusal with its reason. After a month a pattern appears: price, delivery time, a cheaper listing on OLX, doubts about the company. That data is useful not only to salespeople but also to whoever runs ads, the website and the product range.
A system beats a star seller
If the business rests on one strong manager, their departure hits revenue. You need defined deal stages, a CRM or at least a spreadsheet, a bank of answers to common objections and regular review of real chats and calls.
Count the numbers: enquiries, replies, meetings, quotes, deals. Intuition helps, but only the numbers show which stage is leaking customers. Remember that people differ too: one wants details, another a quick decision, a third consults the family. For that last group, material that is easy to forward works well.
The sale doesn’t end at payment
A customer with a good experience comes back and brings friends. Check that everything is fine, help them use what they bought and get in touch when you have something relevant, not just for a mass mailing. Repeat sales and referrals usually cost less than winning a new customer through advertising.
In retail this looks like quick contact and honest advice; in B2B, preparation for meetings and support after the deal; in services, clear terms and promises kept. The form differs, the substance is the same.
How to roll out sales principles in your team
Don’t try to fix everything at once. Pick two or three principles that are weakest right now. If deals stall, work on next steps and record-keeping. If price arguments dominate, focus on discovering needs and showing value. Stay with them for several weeks, then move on.
Once a week, review one real conversation: which principle worked and which was broken. If you need to tie sales to advertising, CRM and analytics in one system, the markdev team can help review your funnel and build a plan. Tell us about your task.
FAQ
Which sales principle should I start with?
Start with the one that hurts most. If leads get lost, fix reply speed and CRM notes. If customers leave after hearing the price, work on discovering needs and explaining value.
Do these principles suit a small business selling on Instagram?
Yes. They don’t depend on channel or company size. On Instagram and Telegram, reply speed, clarifying questions and a clear next step matter even more.
Do I need a CRM if I have one salesperson?
At least a simple spreadsheet with contacts, agreements and refusal reasons. Memory fails, and notes help you keep clients and see weak spots.
How do I know the principles are working?
Watch the share of enquiries that reach the next stage, the number of repeat purchases and referrals, and how refusal reasons change over time.
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