Get proactive about your business and your customers! Maybe it's
time to change the way you think about sales success. Instead of
striving to just make another sale, focus on your customer's needs and
wants. Here are 9 Tips on how you can become your customer's "go-to"
guy, winning their business, and their loyalty.
We can get
so caught up in our own needs and wants that our customers and prospects
can fade into a nameless faceless pool of "maybe someday". We chart, we
graph, we calculate our commission checks-all based on ourselves, and
our company's objectives. Maybe it's time to readjust our thinking to
reflect the customer's best interest. It sounds obvious, but
unfortunately, it's oftentimes not the case.
Relationships,
Relationships, Relationships. Don't think of your customer as a
commodity. They are people. Just like you, they have families,
interests, goals and needs. Get to know them beyond just an assigned
number in your database. The more levels you connect with your customer,
the better you will understand their business wants and needs, personal
preferences, trigger points and how your relationship can be mutually
beneficial.
Listen. Stop talking at your
customers. In our fast paced, eager-tongued, bottom-line,
show-me-the-money world... the best sales people take the time to listen
to their customers. It will set you apart. It will give you the
advantage of really understanding the best fit for them and help you
know how to best serve their needs. It also communicates to them that
you are there for them and you get that it's really not all
about you.
Customer Service. Don't just focus on what you
want from them-to make a commission check, up your company's ratings or
add them as a win on some internal chart. Keep the focus on them. It's
not complicated. It's all in the words: Customer Service - how
can you best serve your customer? It may not always be convenient or
advantageous on the cuff, but excellent service always comes back to
reward you.
Be Their Advocate. Go to bat for them. If they
tell you they've been quoted a lower price at your competitor, don't
just shrug it off to a lost deal. Get creative with your margins and
find a way to win their business. If they've had an unpleasant
experience with one of your internal departments, follow through with it
on their behalf so it doesn't leave a bad impression in their mind. Let
them know you are on their side and that you are in this thing together.
Make
an Impression. Go the extra mile. Anyone can be average. Purpose to
go above and beyond what they ask for or expect. This will always stand
out in the long run, and certainly over your competitors. They will not
quickly forget you and that's invaluable to branding you in their minds
the next time they need what your business has to offer!
Educate
Them. Help them to really understand your services and products.
Don't forget your company's history, strengths, unique value points,
culture or anything that might set you apart. No one knows your company
and offerings more than you do, so use that to your advantage every time
you touch them. What sets you apart? Spell it out for them. Don't wait
for them to ask all the questions-guide them along the way, build the
momentum for them.
Be Available. How many times
have you had to follow up when a company representative should have
returned your call, responded to your question or provided you with
requested information? It can be exasperating. Respond quickly, when you
say you will, and if you don't have the answer-be prompt to let them
know you're checking on it, and then follow through. Surprise them by
pro-actively offering tips and suggestions, inquiring of their current
needs, or simply just checking in.
Stay Informed. Do your
customers contact you for advice? Do you even cross their mind when they
want to know the latest in the industry? Can they trust you to give
them the straight story about the competition, new innovations, industry
initiatives or product timelines? Strive to not settle with the ABCs of
your own services or product line, but to be a wealth of information
and trusted source beyond your next sale.
Is the
Customer Always Right? Well, no... but neither are you. If you are
wrong, say so. It will foster loyalty and respect, you don't see that
too often. Transparency and humility speak volumes.
Winning
customer loyalty and business takes effort, but it's well worth it. It's
not always about the best price, convenience or even having all of the
bells and whistles. People prefer to work within established, trusted
relationships where their needs are being met. Challenge yourself to
become your customer's "go-to" guy by following these basic tips and see
how it enhances your business relationships.