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News Article: Selling Relationships
Selling Relationships
The phone rings … I introduce myself and my company.
"Can I speak to the individual that handles advertising?" someone says.
"I’m sorry, they’re not available" I lie. "Can I take a message?"
Obviously this salesperson has lost any chance of making a sale in just about twenty seconds (a new record?).
Maybe this line would work if you are hawking pencils but not if you are selling a relationship!
In today’s sales environment relationships are everything. If you plan to have the opportunity to sell anything to a customer more than once you have to establish a relationship with that customer.
A seasoned salesperson understands this but I am trying to educate the rookie; the guy/girl that is just starting out. The individuals who have a supervisor or business owner telling them to get on the phones … walk the beat … the guys that think cold-calling is the only way to sell.
Maybe years ago … but not today!
How do you establish and develop a relationship? First …
Do Your Homework
A cold-call is a good way to find out a lot about the customer. Use this phone call or visit to find out who you should contact, what is the customer’s business and even if the customer can use your service or product. DO NOT use this call to try to sell anything. You are fact finding only!
Visit the library and the Internet and do some research. Find out who the decision-makers are. Establish just what is the customer’s core business and assess just what benefit your products or services will bring to that customer.
Look at local and business periodicals as well as the infamous Yellow Pages. See how they advertise, how they present their capabilities, and what type of customers they hope to attract.
Contact the local Chamber of Commerce, Small Business Association, and Better Business Bureau. These organizations are an excellent source of third party information. They will be able to supply you contact as well as referral details.
If the customer has a website, visit it. See how they perceive themselves. Establish what is important to them. Then, use these keywords to search for their competitors. Find out who is their competition and expand your customer base as well!
The phone rings …. I identify myself.
A long tele-computer pause then …
"Billy! How are you doing?".
I hang-up.
Treat your customers as you would like to be treated!
Your customers are VERY BUSY PEOPLE. They have very little time, if any, built into their schedules to talk to a salesperson. Spend time to contact the customer, either by personalized letter or telephone (the letter is preferred), to set-up a time to make your sales pitch. You have done your homework! Now is the time to make your educated presentation.
Always, always arrive at the appointment on time or early (but not too early). The customer should not be left hanging. If you are going to be late, get in touch with the customer as fast as possible. And remember, always apologize even if it is not your fault.
At this time, never ever EVER try to make friends with the customer. This will come over time at its own pace. Do not force it. Your customers are professionals … and so are you. The secret here is for you to act in a very professional manner (even if the customer does not).
The phone rings … I identify myself.
"We would like to offer you free website design services!" someone says.
"No thank you. We already have a website." I explain.
"But, but … it's free" someone says obviously upset.
"No thank you." I say trying to console the distraught salesperson.
"But we will do it for FREE" says someone loudly.
"No thank you." I state again.
"Oh … F___ You!" as someone slams down the phone.
Not everyone needs what you sell!
After all the research, after all the leg work has been completed, after you have all your ducks in a row, the customer may still not be interested in your product or service. The benefits of what you’re selling may be obvious to you but the customer is just not biting.
This is OK! The customer may already have a supplier of a similar product or service. They may be extremely satisfied with the service supplied by your competition. Again, this is OK. But don’t give up. You know (since you have done your homework) the value of this customer. You know that either it will be worth your time and effort to develop a relationship with this customer or it is time to chalk-up this experience to continuing education and move on.
On a personal note, after the initial rejection, I kept in contact with many customers that literally took months to get the initial order. After I got a chance to demonstrate our capabilities I never let the competition back in! The door will not open unless you continue to push!
The real relationship!
Lastly, you must understand that your success will be proportionate to the success of your customers. If you demonstrate a willingness to work with your customers, a partnership if you will, you will reap the rewards of every order you can deal with.
If you (or your supervisor) decide that you have to make the maximum profit on every order … you have just wasted a lot of time developing something that will not continue. In order to maintain a relationship, the terms "Loss Leader" and "Customer Support" can not be foreign to you.
But what happens if a specific sector of the economy hits a rough spot? Diversify! Work to establish yourself in a broad cross section of businesses. Your customer base must be diversified. Your customers understand this!
OK. Now you have decided you are in Sales for the long haul. You will work with your customers to establish and continue relationships that will be mutually profitable. This is great! Now is the time for you to be exposed to …
The 80-20 Rule!
This is a very simple and true edict that goes like this:
80% of your business will be generated by 20% of your customer base. Also, 80% of your problems will be generated by 20% of your customer base (usually not the same customers). Try to keep this in mind. It will allow you to keep your sanity!
