BASICS OF SALES

Many years ago when I first started selling, I picked up a tip that stayed with me for my entire selling career. Anytime that I would see a group of salespeople gathered about exchanging anecdotes I would invariably listen and soak up everything I could.

During one of these sessions a salesman whom I knew to be quite successful said something I never forgot. He said he started asking his customers why they bought from certain salespeople and what they looked for in those salespeople. He could do this because he had a great relationship with these customers built on years of trust. He related what he thought were authentic answers to this question.
Sounds simple enough, but who among the rest of the salespeople there ever thought of asking this question. The question I thought was brilliant in its conception and simplicity.

I listened thought about what he related and promised myself that I would conduct my own study when I gained more experience and the trust of my customers. What he related stayed with me always and was instrumental in me asking the same questions of my customers constantly throughout my career and updating these questions with new customers on an ongoing basis.

Here is what his customers expected from salespeople and how they thought salespeople should act.

1.My time is valuable, salespeople should know their stuff and be brief.
2.Don't bait me by saying the price is going up. It leaves a bad taste in my mouth. If it goes up prove it, tell me and show me when.
3.Better keep your word.
4.Don't need to discuss politics, weather or daily topics unless I ask about that.
5.Don't make extravagant statements.
6.Make a misrepresentation and you're gone.
7.Don't knock your competitors.
8.I don't need to be entertained socially, I have friends for that purpose.
9.Give me the best proposal, don't hold anything back.
10.The salesperson who is overly familiar is not one I appreciate.
11.Frank comparisons between products is acceptable, but don't knock a competitor.
12.Don't oversell me or undersell me be concise and truthful.

Some of these I found quite obvious, others informative, but all of them worth remembering and
taking note of.

Thank you,

Joe D'Ambra
www.basics of sales.com
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