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.

---

The Truth About Sale Success!

Bill Brooks of The Brooks Group wrote an article several... Read More

In Sales The Biggest Rolodex Wins

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

10 High Powered Ways To Magnify Your Sales

1. Give your prospects a f~ree trial of your software... Read More

How to Reduce Sales Resistance

Sales resistance is a fact of life for most sales... Read More

Method to the Madness of Training Seminars

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

How To Write A Solution - Savvy Sales Letter to To Get Clients

Too many sales letters are shaped into paper airplanes and... Read More

4 Reasons Why the Sale is Not Made

When sales are down, a salesperson must begin to take... Read More

Three Fast, Short, Simple Ways to Escalate Your Sales

1. Sell an inexpensive product to sell an expensive product.... Read More

Make Your Prospects Speak

You've probably heard people speaking about someone that he was... Read More

The Myth of the Natural Born Sales Wonder

When I researched the field of using personality inventories to... Read More

The #1 Lead Generation System of Top Sales People

Developing an abundant supply of targeted referrals is the number... Read More

Are You Doing What It Takes To Win More Sales

What does it take to be a WINNER during these... Read More

10 Killer Ways To Multiply Your Sales

Would you like to multiply your web site sales? Or... Read More

3 Steps to Immediately Improve Sales

Want to increase sales within your company? It's not as... Read More

Turning Sales Techniques Into Sales Success!

The goal of all sales training is not just to... Read More

Sales Marketing: 10 Amazing Secrets To Sell Any Product Fast.

Implement these smart sales marketing secrets and you'll be capable... Read More

The Art of Backend Selling

The art of backend sellingThe backend sale can be more... Read More

7 Quick and Easy Ways To Multiply Your Sales

There are always some great, fast and easy ways to... Read More

Seven Keys To Closing More Sales During The Second Half Of 2006

It's not too early to start planning for the sales... Read More

How to Maximize Sales by Minimizing Windshield Time

During the late 1980's I was a field sales representative... Read More

The Key to Driving Sales is Understanding What Not How

What does it take to make a sale lately?In Sales,... Read More

In Sales - Heres News You Can Use

Here's an idea on how to make reading the daily... Read More

Sales Success ? The 5 Steps

It's a common question we come across everyday: why is... Read More

Quiz: What Kind of Sales Shoe Are You?

Have you ever wondered what type of saleswoman you are?... Read More

How to Build Rapport in 7 Seconds!

I had my first official sales training by a man... Read More

Secrets to Getting in Front of Your Best Prospects

As a salesperson, your ultimate goal, of course, is to... Read More

Unleash Your Inner Sales Superstar & Win More Business Right Now!

It's a rainy afternoon on a typical mid week afternoon... Read More

How To Win Business By Networking

In sales we do tend to become focused upon our... Read More

Ten Ways to Super Charge Your Sales

1. Add a no-fee interactive game to your web site.... Read More

3 Tips to Get Clients Now

"I need more clients!" wails Steve, a 32 year old... Read More

Is It Time To Rethink Your Sales Training Program or Is Your Sales Training Delivering Results?

Sales is still a must for any company who wishes... Read More

7 Phrases You Cant Say in Sales

7 Phrases You Can't Say in Sales (Because They Will... Read More

Focus On The Customer: The Only Secret To Closing

People are always looking for ways to close the sale.... Read More