Assumptions ? The Hidden Sales Killer

Assumptions can kill a sale. In my sales training workshops, I frequently discuss the importance of not making assumptions about a person before, during, or after the sales process. Participants frequently nod and tell me that they NEVER make assumptions. One person (Doug Maquire, www.MaquireMarketing.com) sent me this story of a situation that occurred in a department store he worked in many years ago.

"I was the 'young kid' who had signed on to take the 9 month Management Training course for a department store chain. Sales people were generally assigned specific areas to cover within the store but being a 'management trainee' I had to learn all departments."

One day, a rough looking middle aged fellow entered the store. He was dressed in well-worn workpants, work boots, and a soiled red and black plaid shirt just like you'd expect a lumberjack to wear. No one approached him (I guess he didn't look like a good sales prospect) and he didn't move from the front entrance; he just stood there surveying the store from left to right. I walked up to him and asked if I could help. He said, "I need a pair of wool socks. No nylon, no cotton, just wool socks." We went to the Menswear Department and both watched as the sales person assigned to that department walked away from us so he wouldn't have to waste his time going through the full selection of hosiery just to find a single pair of wool socks."

I then started asking questions about style, colour, size, price range, etc., to help narrow down exactly what the customer needed. "It don't matter." he replied, "Just wool socks. I work back in the bush and we only come to town every three weeks. Nylon makes my feet sweat. Cotton's okay but it don't last long. I need socks I can wear at work everyday and that's wool."

So, I checked the content label of every style and colour of sock that we had in stock and eventually found a pair of 100% wool socks. "Good", he said, and we walked up the checkout counter to ring in the $3.95 pair of wool socks. The man left and I got a bit of ribbing from the sales person in the Menswear Department about my 'big sale of the day' and how 'not to spend my commission all in one place!'"

Three weeks later the customer returned. He then walked over to me and said, "I need more wool socks like that last pair". This time he decided that he'd take 6 pair. We took the socks up to the checkout counter and rang in the six pair of $3.95 socks. The customer paid cash, said thanks, and walked away with his purchase. This time I didn't get quite as much ribbing from the sales person in the Menswear Department.

Exactly three weeks later the customer came back. He walked through the front door and made a beeline for me. "I need more of them wool socks", he said. "The boys at camp want to know where I got them and want some too. How many have you got?" I checked the display area, the stockroom, and our new stock shipment and told him I had 58 pair. He paid cash and bought them all.

I never found out exactly how many people he worked with, but every three weeks he'd show up at the store and ask what I had in the way of tee-shirts, long johns, plaid wool shirts, work boots, gloves, caps, toques, coveralls, work jackets, etc., and each time he arrived, he'd walk right up to me for service and we'd both go to the proper department and select what he needed for himself and for the guys he worked with. He always paid cash and always thanked me for my help."

If Doug had made the mistake of following his coworker's footsteps and made the same assumptions about the customer, he would have lost thousands of dollars in sales.

It is easy to make assumptions about our customers and prospects. A person's appearance, age, gender, nationality, or role within the company, often influences us. I have made this mistake when speaking to companies in the past. Upon learning that they only had a few salespeople, I made the assumptions they would not be willing to pay my standard fee. I later learned that this assumption was completely inaccurate and that they were fully prepared to invest in their teams' development. As a consumer, I have often noticed that most sales people will approach well-dressed customers before they talk to people who are attired in jeans or casual clothing. Avoid this fatal mistake and go into every sales interaction with an open and clear mind. This will definitely have a positive impact on your sales.

Copyright 2004 Kelley Robertson, all rights reserved.

Kelley Robertson, President of the Robertson Training Group, works with businesses to help them increase their sales and motivate their employees. He is also the author of "Stop, Ask & Listen ? Proven sales techniques to turn browsers into buyers." Visit his website at http://www.RobertsonTrainingGroup.com and receive a FREE copy of "100 Ways to Increase Your Sales" by subscribing to his 59-Second Tip, a free weekly e-zine.

---

How to Master the Art of Salesmanship

I put together this little article because, although basic, we... Read More

Sales Skills are Life Skills

I love the art of selling. LOVE IT. When I... Read More

Closing the Sale - It Doesnt Have To Be Uncomfortable

"The Close" is sales jargon for the bit where you... Read More

Method to the Madness of Training Seminars

I arrive with about 350 other guys. We smile at... Read More

Better Listening Skills = More Sales

Today's business environment is intrinsically tied together by ongoing information... Read More

3 Ways To Overcome Pricing Challenges

How many times have you had a customer say to... Read More

7 Ways to Cut Loose from Old Sales Thinking

Sooner or later, we all backslide into old ways of... Read More

Prospecting: Not A Wild Goose Chase... Its A HUNT

Prospecting for future customers can be fun if you approach... Read More

Keep Sales Simple

For those of us working in the exciting world of... Read More

Do You Fold Like A Taco?

Have you ever eaten a soft taco? The shell isn't... Read More

Visual Science of Selling

Statistics state that 55% of people judgments are made based... Read More

Sales Skills for the Non Sales Professional

Have you ever wondered how in the heck you're going... Read More

The Golden Week of Selling

Have you ever heard of the Golden Hour? I live... Read More

How A Dancing Horse Can Increase Your Sales

"Yeah right!" I thought to myself as I started to... Read More

8 Sales Lead Generation Methods

I've been getting lots of email from my readers lately.... Read More

Knowledge is Power in Auto Detailing Sales

The most important thing for an auto detailer to do... Read More

The Multiplying Factor In Sales Success

Mark has an attitude! Mark had worked in an operational... Read More

Dont Close Your Eyes Or Let Deaf Ears Fall Upon You

To listen to your customer is important, and to hear... Read More

Sales Letters - How to Write Them

You could just send out your brochure to potential customers... Read More

Sneaky Sales Tactics

The reason why you have a job in sales is... Read More

The Choice between Yes and Yes: A Psychological Revelation

Three year old Kara was throwing a tantrum. She didn't... Read More

Unlocking the Myth of Hypnotic Communication

Unquestionably when the word hypnosis pops-up in a conversation or... Read More

Body Language, Five Key Ingredients

When making your living in the sales industry, and working... Read More

The Processionary Caterpillar Syndrome Costs You Sales?

Some years ago I read and interesting story that illustrated... Read More

Increase Your Influence, Increase Your Sales

Selling is everyone's lifeblood whether they realize it or not.... Read More

How to Spellbind Your Prospects in 10 Seconds!

You've got yourself 10 seconds to HOOK your prospects or... Read More

Successful Sales Strategies: Winning the Close Ones

The "Three Cs" in building customer relationships are a key... Read More

10 Boundless Ways To Anchor Down More Sales

1. Multiply your marketing and advertising efforts on the Internet.... Read More

The Art And Science of Closing - How To Close More Sales Right Now

One of the questions I often get asked as a... Read More

Increasing Your Sales FASTER -- Dealing with Ill Think It Over.

Do you frequently hear that from a prospect?"I'll Think It... Read More

Transforming Problems into Sales

My silent fish tank was no more. Enough water had... Read More

Three Ways To Get A Prospect To Say Yes To Your Offer

Here are three proven ways that will increase your sales:1.... Read More

In Sales The Biggest Rolodex Wins

How many names do you have in your business Rolodex?... Read More