|
|
Methodologies Of Effective Salespeople
This week, Promotional Consultant Today is taking a peek into the seven strategies that make successful salespeople tick. Wednesday we looked at solutions for customers and improving presentations. Yesterday we tackled new ideas, and helping customers. Today we'll discuss forming relationships, being customer-centric and retaining clients.
Article continued below
| |
sponsored by:
THE PPAI EXPO 2008
|
TOP SHELF TIP NO. 225
"Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let every New Year find you a better man."
Ben Franklin, American statesman, scientist, philosopher, inventor, 1706-1790 | |
|
|
Forming Relationships
Effective salespeople possess a customer relationship vision. The day of "get the order and get going" is gone. If that's all a salesperson has to offer, the smart customer goes elsewhere.
If you've ever bought a life insurance policy, chances are you didn't hear from the salesperson again. This is an example of the "just get the fish in the boat" mentality. Their focus is on making the sale, not on creating a relationship that has a long-term potential.
Customers sense when they are being hustled; they catch on quickly and won't tolerate such tactics. Even though they may need what is being offered, they refuse to buy from salespeople whose motives are so clearly transparent.
Without such a customer relationship vision, there is no future.
Becoming Customer-Centric
Effective salespeople see themselves as marketers. The holiday greeting card arrived in the mail with a photograph of a group of employees on the outside. Over the photo were the words, "Season's Greetings From Your Team." Wait a minute. That's their team, not mine. Was the card anything other than a friendly gesture? Perhaps not.
At the same time, it may reflect the underlying attitude of so many businesses and particularly a large group of salespeople. We say that it's "all about the customer," but what comes through is quite a different message -- it's really all about us.
It's an overarching danger in business, including sales. While we say the right words about being customer-centric, the real message comes through, one that betrays our customer commitment: "We come first."
The highly effective salesperson never falls into that trap.
Retaining Clients
Effective salespeople pull customers ever closer. Why does Toyota sell more vehicles every year? The 2007 J.D. Power Customer Retention Study offers insight into Toyota's success. "Toyota maintains its high retention rates by providing high-quality vehicles and service to its existing customers," says J.D. Power's Neal Oddes, "which in turn generates favorable word-of-mouth recommendations that attract new customers."
The report indicates that 64 percent of Toyota's customers say they are staying with the nameplate.
If Toyota were to rewrite Chevrolet Malibu's "The car you can't ignore" ad headline, it might go something like this -- "The car you're glad you bought."
This is exactly how the effective salesperson behaves every day.
When it comes to selling, the major task for the highly effective salesperson is not to meet or beat the numbers, but to hone those qualities that deliver the right results.
Source: John R. Graham is president of Graham Communications, a marketing services and sales consulting firm. He is the author of The New Magnet Marketing and Break the Rules Selling. He writes for a variety of business publications, and speaks on business, marketing and sales topics.
PCT is taking a few days off to welcome in 2008. We'll be back on Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2008 with more tips. Have a safe and New Year! | |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
Copyright 2005-2007 Promotional Consultant Today. All Rights Reserved. |
|
|