Value is in the Eye of the Beholder
Sales today is filled with stereotypes. The "sleazy car salesman", the "annoying telemarketer", and the ever-present "pushy commission salesman". And in the sales profession, we may not realize it ? but we do think of other people in our profession this way sometimes. Now, this may not be because of our vision of them ? it may, in fact, be because of their vision of us as customers, and their knowledge of the sales process.
We all know that the profession of sales has a stigma attached to it. If you're a salesperson, you are pushy, rude, overbearing, and only want money ? at least, that is the common misconception. And although you may not want to hear it, this is true of some. Those obnoxious, pretentious and sometimes even nauseating individuals, who are the primary reason for a bad outlook on salespeople. They are not doing this intentionally, though. They just do not know sales the way they should know sales.
Think of this. You are struggling your way through aisles upon aisles of items, arms full, and have forgotten a basket. You see an employee walk by, and look. One of two things could happen.
The uneducated sales person would continue to walk by, never to be seen again as they hunt for a more "worthy" prospect. However, the educated salesperson would handle this differently.
You would see them walk by, and think nothing of it. All of a sudden, a friendly voice comes from behind you "Here you go. You looked like you could use some help."
The employee hands you a basket with a smile. They take a look at the items in your basket, and ask if you have any questions. You tell them that you were wondering which cleaner is better on your flooring. The salesperson responds with a smile, and proceeds to give you information on each floor cleaning product. You thank them, and with another smile, the salesperson informs you of where you can find someone to answer any other questions, and continues down the aisle.
Which person helped the customer more? Which person just made a sale, however small, where the other hadn't seen one?
The more important question to ask yourself though, is which salesperson are you.
This may or may not be a situation you can relate to. But if you have been helped in this way, you will surely remember it. And you will probably go back there again, hoping for the same great experience. But at least one of your customers can relate to this experience, and look back with a smile. Shouldn't all of them?
It should be every salesperson's goal to genuinely help their customers. Instead of being the uneducated salesperson, try this. Rather than recommending a certain product, or completely ignoring a browsing customer, try to figure out what they really need. Use a random act of kindness as an icebreaker ? in this case, a basket to someone who needed it. Ask if they need assistance with anything. Give them information on all products they might be interested in. Answer any other questions, tell them where you will be, and politely leave them to their decision. This might seem simple, but you will be amazed at the response. Higher customer satisfaction, more return customers, more referrals, and more sales. Just from a smile, a question, and leaving them be.
Cherilyn Lester is an accomplished sales professional and is currently involved in sales training for retail establishments. Most training is done at a distance, providing an easy resource for companies around the globe on a contract basis. You can reach her at cr_lester@hotmail.com
How do you respond when an absolute stranger calls, at... Read More
Do you hang up on telemarketers? 9 times out of... Read More
This is a stupid question but it has to be... Read More
I was sitting at my desk last week when my... Read More
Could this be the worst moment in your selling cycle?You've... Read More
Linda felt like she had reached a plateau in her... Read More
I really just don't get it.How can so many businesses... Read More
The number one requirement, whether you are a business owner... Read More
Everybody is familiar with the old retail chant, "Location, location,... Read More
If you were selling a mansion, and you were selling... Read More
There are hundreds of books available to teach you how... Read More
Telephone canvassing, or cold calling, is the practice of sitting... Read More
I am sure you are familiar with the phrase, "I... Read More
I'm not a baseball fan. Never have been. In fact,... Read More
In the last article... Read More
You can make a difference in the second half! You... Read More
Can you close a sale in just seven seconds? If... Read More
Do you know why your customer won't buy? You've given... Read More
The above quote, "Eighty percent of success is showing up."... Read More
I wonder when we decided to become a sales person.... Read More
Hello everyone, hope your day is going well! I know... Read More
A mannequin head is a life-size head that includes all... Read More
Sometimes we can all use a friendly reminder to keep... Read More
This week's article is my response to a question by... Read More
Many stores on a budget choose to buy a used... Read More
Virtually every business you contact has this question in their... Read More
A mobile auto detailer and their profits are tied to... Read More
You've polished your sales page over and over againuntil it's... Read More
So the other day I'm watching the movie The Matrix,... Read More
Writing good sales copy is not an art, it is... Read More
Here are five sure-fire ways to guarantee you will not... Read More
While working with a new coaching client, I asked to... Read More
Last minute discounting has become so prevalent that many companies... Read More
How many of you made as much money as you... Read More
Selling isn't something you do to people, it's something you... Read More
Selling "-abilities": Reliability (Part 1 of 4) Most salespeople... Read More
Selling is just a whole lot easier when you know... Read More
A few weekends back, the Brobdingnagian Bards performed at the... Read More
First, recognize that motivation is an inside job. The word... Read More
As I prepare this issue of this Newsletter, at 37,000... Read More
Business owners of long standing know the cardinal rule "take... Read More
Do you have 5, 10, or 20 years of sales... Read More
You can have your cake and eat it.What is it... Read More
Testimonials are all-important to sell anything. You may already have... Read More
Ever feel like you were "just a salesperson"? I think... Read More
Make sure you target women. It's true for almost anything... Read More
Remember those school exercises that started "Compare and contrast....yada yada... Read More
Let me tell you about my friend Peter who has... Read More
A mobile auto detailer and their profits are tied to... Read More
How many sales opportunities have you lost to competitors who... Read More
Steps - it is unrealistic for most salespeople to expect... Read More
Why would a prospect buy from you rather than from... Read More
Sales is a critical part of any business, including non-profits.... Read More
TELEPHONE TECHNIQUESSelling face to face is different from selling on... Read More
"THE ANSWERS (1 - 5) ARE HERE!!!"Question 1) List the... Read More
How many of you have a corporate web site? Everybody... Read More
The customers you already have could be your biggest lead... Read More
Alexander Graham Bell once said, "When one door closes another... Read More
It's easy to spend days, weeks, or months speaking with... Read More
Have you ever met with, or talked to a prospect... Read More
For two winters I heated my house with an old... Read More
How many times have you heard that you gotta get... Read More
I've been using a technique that has helped me to... Read More
There are many tactics and techniques that go into converting... Read More
Many pressure washing companies try to stay away from the... Read More
By a show of hands, how many of you grew... Read More
Sales |