Selling for Keeps
by J.Conners

When you are in sales and you come across a customer, you don’t want to think of that customer as someone you can only make one sale to, you want to think of them as someone you can make several sales to.

I can remember not to long ago when I was in Banking working as a branch manager, when I would meet with my staff every Monday morning to go over their individual weekly goals.

I must say that they were very good sales people, but unfortunately their focus was on getting that one sale to meet their individual goal, instead of focusing in on the complete package.

By the complete package I mean, getting all of the customers business. I’m not saying that you should get all of the customers business in one sitting, but at least ask some probing questions so that you may compare your products and pricing to their existing ones.

When you are dealing with a customer, you don’t want to treat them as a statistic, rather, you want to treat them as a person, use their name frequently during your sales session. You don’t want to make the sale, than hurry them out the door like cattle.

Always make your customer aware of ongoing promotions and new products that you have available, or, if you have upgraded a product that they currently have, you might ask if they would like to consider the upgrade.

When a customer walks into your office, or calls you on the telephone, greet them with a smile, be enthusiastic, and greet them by name. Make your customer feel welcome. This will keep them coming back. When a customer is in your office, in your surroundings, you want them to feel comfortable, so do your best to make them feel that way. Treat them as if they were a guest in your home.

When a sales person sells for keeps, they are selling to ensure that one day they will have all of their customer’s business and not leave it to their competition.

If you first come in contact with a customer, don’t hold anything back. Don’t concentrate on making one sale to satisfy your goal. Think of the big picture. You want all of their business.

Smile, use their name, listen to them intently as they ask their questions and address any concerns that they may have. Ask questions about their life, their work, and their families. Get to know them and what their needs are.

Once you know their needs, you can than begin to sell them your products that fit their needs.

Always make your customers aware of all the products you have to offer, let them know your hours of operation, give them your cellular phone number, let them know what your availability is. Leave them by telling them that if they ever need anything else, to come in or call and to ask for you personally.

These small gestures alone will give your customer a comfort level with you, which in the long term will keep them coming back. In time you will manage to have all of their business, so the next time you sell something, sell for keeps.