Often a very touchy subject for salespeople.

June 19, 2019
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Order Taker or Professional Sales Person?

 
time is extremely valuableFor many in the position of a Sales Representative in the field, we spend much time and expense getting out to the client as well as getting in front of them face to face. Their time, as well as ours, is extremely valuable. We have only so many opportunities to make our pitch. You have spent time and money to get there now we must make the most of the opportunity.
 
Our culture regardless of the industry or market, many have moved away from true customer service and professional sales to that of being an order taker. Is there a difference? There most certainly is… Stop being average and be excellent!
 

Seize Opportunities

Are you making the most of every sales opportunity you have or merely taking order requests from your customer? They don’t know what they don’t know. As a professional salesperson, we have an obligation to serve them, listen, answer questions, provide solutions to challenges and obstacles they face in their shops. If you are merely filling orders based upon past sales and order fulfillment then you are cutting the opportunity for sales increase by over 25%. How many of us wouldn’t like a 25% increase in our bottom line?
 
Walmart, for example, has understood missed opportunities to capture sales before the customer leaves with what they came in for. Walmart has spent millions of dollars in research and development to learn the buying habits and understand shelf real estate within the store increasing profits 20-30%. This is why you see the point of sale items at the register and end cap displays scientifically placed within the store. It is why Amazon has spent millions of dollars on the point of sale at the checkout on the Amazon store.
 

change in 60 daysAdd-ons & Step-ups

An answer for us in the paint refinishing market selling to the shops is addon sales with consumables that will increase the performance of equipment and reduce wasted paint product and time.
  • Put sample products in their hands, let them experience the difference.
  • Listen to their challenges and give solutions or assist them in finding solutions.
  • Be a professional salesperson and give yourself a pay increase of 20%+ simply by making the most of every opportunity.
  • Develop a system you can use and do it for 60 days.
  • Consistently follow up and follow through with the system, then share with us your testimony, we know you will have one.
charlie brown

Are you listening or are you simply hearing them?

For some, you may believe you were just asked the same question. That is not the case, just ask your spouse if you are married. Better yet remember good old Charlie Brown and His teacher. [for a reminder watch the video to the right]. Oh, you hear the noise and listen past it never truly knowing/getting what they are saying. Listening is active participation with an intent to understand everything they are attempting to communicate. Clarify, asking them is this what you are saying, repeat what you heard and give them permission to correct and redirect you.
 
Unfortunately, more often than not as a salesperson, you find yourself carrying 90% of the conversation trying to close or make the sale. In conversation, there are two participants and your customer needs to feel heard as well as understood. As a sales professional, you should be listening intently for opportunities to capitalize on what you learn by listening to the needs, desires, as well as challenges your customer is facing. Their challenges often are not even on your radar and if you will listen they will tell you how to close the sale. Effective listening, letting your client sell for you.
 

Six Ways Listening Improves The Customer Experience

1. Listening Gets You Feedback And Data:

Your customers can give you the best source of real-time feedback, and employees on the front line are typically the first ones to hear from customers. Together they can diagnose the good, the bad and the ugly and identify opportunities to create a better customer experience. Employees on the front line must listen to customers. Leadership and management must listen to the front line.

2. Listening Gets You Stories To Share:

According to HundredX, most feedback methods produce loud-sourced data that is negative. There’s an old saying that the squeaky wheel gets the oil. Companies usually debrief problems and complaints, but it’s important to look at all feedback, the bad and the good. In addition to managing complaints, problems, etc., take good feedback and stories and share them with employees and customers. Positive feedback should be shared on websites, brochures, and more. It can be some of your best marketing!

3. Listening Grows Customer Retention:

It’s pretty much universally accepted that it’s less expensive to keep existing customers than to acquire new ones. A survey by HundredX and YouGov shows that 88% of business executives believe that to be the case. And HundredX believes what drives retention is listening, and just as important, acting on what you have “heard.”

4. Listening Will Increase Customer Spending:

It’s pretty simple: Make a customer happy and they buy more. And what makes them happy, in addition to good customer experience, is feeling that they are being heard. The proof is found in social media. When a customer tweets (or posts on any other social channel), we must listen … and respond. HundredX cites a report from Applied Marketing Science that found that customers who receive responses to their tweets are willing to spend 3-20% more on average-priced items.

5. Listening Creates Brand Ambassadors:

When you make customers happy, they talk to their friends, family members and colleagues. This is amplified through social media. And, your best marketing is going to come from customers who sing your praises.

6. Listening Creates Employee Retention:

Customer feedback is gold —and so is employee feedback. Listen to your employees’ suggestions and ideas for improving any aspect of the business, and act on the best suggestions. You will be amazed at the incredible suggestions your employees will give you if you simply ask and listen.

Stop Being Average, Be Excellent! Creative Closes

 

Train Before You Step On The Field

 

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