4 minute read
olSen on SaleS
The little things
Sales is competitive. How do we stand out from our competition? Price, value, quality are important, but these things are more about the product. How do we stand out as salespeople? My contention is that there is not one big thing that sets the Master Seller apart from the crowd but a series of little things—habits—that impact how customers perceive and more importantly, feel, about the salesperson they are dealing with.
Reception
Most sellers are professionally polite with whomever answers the phone. The Master Seller treats everyone at the account with respect and caring. The Master Seller is warm; taking the time to treat everyone they talk to as someone important, a real person.
The receptionist is our number one ally, and we need to treat them as such. Students come to me all the time and say, “I had a great conversation with the buyer, but now I can’t get them on the phone.” I ask, “How long have you been calling on the account?” “A couple months.” “What’s the receptionist’s name?” Usually, they don’t know, and I say, “Well, there goes option number one.”
Receptionists will help us, know what’s happening at the account, and are often related to the buyer!
The Follow-Up Question
Sellers will often ask a personal question when they get the buyer on the phone.
Seller: “How was your weekend?”
Buyer: “It was fine. Spent some time with my family.”
Seller: “Great. Anyway, I’ve got a great deal on a 2x4.”
The Master Seller will ask a follow up question.
Master Seller: “How was your weekend?”
Buyer: “It was fine. Spent some time with my family.”
Master Seller: “So what did you do with your family?”
When we don’t ask a follow-up question it means our first question wasn’t sincere. The Master Seller knows what they are going to promote, and they know why it’s a good deal. They know (have convinced themselves before they get in front of or on the phone with the customer) they are going to get the business and are not in a rush to get there. They genuinely want to get to know their customers and their customers feel it. The seller that takes the time to get to know their customers on a personal level wins all the ties—and there are a TON of ties in sales—and they get all of the last looks!
Offer More Than One
As simple and obvious as this is most sellers only offer one item and only one of the item! The Master Seller offers many items and multiples of every item. Why don’t most sellers do it? Because it takes more work. What they don’t understand is that the customer knows it takes more work also. Customers will naturally side with the person who is doing more work for them, they can’t help it. The Master Seller gets more chances per call and when they do get orders, they get more of them!
Consistent Calling
When we call willy-nilly, we will get will-nilly results. Calling on accounts on the same day at the same time makes us someone they can count on. It sends the message that the customer is important to us and part of our lives. People want to connect. They want to be part of something. When we call on a consistent basis, we create partnership, not just a buy-sell relationship.
Asking for the Order
I listen to hundreds of sales calls every month. Most sellers do not ask for the order. The Master Seller asks for the order in a natural, positively assumptive manner and they do it every time. They make “asking for the order” part of the “relationship” they have with their customers.
If you ask 100 sellers, “What kind of salesperson are you?” most will say, “I am a relationship seller.” The problem is most of them have a Master/Servant relationship with their customers. They put the customer above them. They present product and value(sometimes) in a timid, “what-do-you-think-of-this?” tone, which is like pushing the “I’ll let you know” button.
The Master Seller explains clearly and simply why what they are presenting is a good deal and asks directly for the business.
It’s the little things that make all the difference.
James Olsen
Reality Sales Training (503) 544-3572 james@realitysalestraining.com
REDWOOD DECKING
