Last year I had a joyous experience making a purchasing decision. Each time I met with my salesman Sayid, he made me feel as if I was his only client. He was prepared for our many meetings. Even after my brand-new carpets were installed and the furniture was back in place, he stayed in touch, sending a token gift, and calling a week later to see if I was still happy with my color selection.
Everyone is selling something. If you’re in sales (and let’s face it, most everybody is in at least some capacity in their job), how do you differentiate yourself from the rest of the pack?
Simple — by being prepared!
Preparation can turn an otherwise unproductive sales pitch into a home run. Before calling on a client, glance over their ordering history. What products or services have they purchased and why. When was their last contact with your company?
If it’s a prospect, what will you do different this time than last time? Don’t call the same person with the same sales pitch. If it didn’t work last time, it’s not going to work this time. People don’t often suddenly change their minds. Review what’s been discussed in the past, and use that background information in your next pitch.
Of course, preparation takes time, which is why many sales reps don’t bother. They’d rather make the next call than spend time following through on the last. But your sales “rate of return” will increase substantially with preparation. You are someone looking out for your prospective customer’s interest, not just another sales rep looking to make a sales goal.
Consider a recent purchase you personally bought from a salesperson. Did s/he sound happy to talk with you, provide you some useful information? Sayid made me feel like a priority by always being prepared. And how have I rewarded him? By recommending him to my friends and sending more business his way.
Now that’s what I call successful selling.
