Sales Master Best Practices: Has several ways of influencing the customer to want to see you again.
By: Dave Kahle
Rarely is a business2business sales call a one-call close. Our products are too varied and sophisticated and the customer’s buying processes are too complex for that.
If we see a prospect for the first time, and aren’t able to identify an opportunity or start a project in that first call, we don’t want that one sales call to be the only time we see that prospect.
For example, let’s say you sell industrial supplies. You have 25,000 items that this prospect could potentially buy from you. Just because you don’t discover a likely project on your first visit doesn’t mean that you won’t on the next.
Or, you may have had a customer call you with a specific need. You presented your solution, and the customer bought. In his eyes, he may think that the need has been filled, the project is finished, and he has no need to see you again. You, on the other hand, recognize that there are an additional 24,999 things he could buy from you.
In either case, your on-going success is dependent upon you uncovering additional opportunities within your accounts. And that means that your customer must be willing to see you again. And again. And again.
The best salespeople understand this nuance, and have developed specific strategies and tactics to influence the customer to be open to seeing them again. They take a long-term approach to sales, and understand that every call represents a new beginning in a developing relationship. Just like a romantic relationship, if the other party doesn’t want to see you again, the relationship is not going to progress.
Why would they want to see you again? They must receive something they value from the time that they spend with you. In other words, they have to get something that warrants their investment of time. Probably the most powerful “benefits†have to do with helping the customer do his/her job more effectively. For example, if your customer is a purchasing agent, he/she sees time with you as likely to provide him a source he doesn’t have, or some information he can use. A small business owner, on the other hand, views his business as his job, and looks for things that can help his business.
There are personal “benefits†as well. You make him feel good because you express sincere interest in him and listen intently. Or he enjoys talking with you because you have things in common.
Regardless, the best salespeople understand this sophisticated issue, and develop ways and means to continually insure that their customers want to see them again.
That’s why it is a best practice.
Tags: b2b sales, developing sales relationships, influencing customers, sales master best practices
This entry was posted on Tuesday, April 14th, 2009 at 12:50 pm and is filed under Best Practices for Salespeople. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
April 14th, 2009 at 3:51 pm
bizsugar.com says:Sales Master Best Practices: Influencing the customer to want to see you again….
Blog post discussing the nuances of a sales relationship and steps that can be taken to make your next visit one your prospect is looking forward to….
April 14th, 2009 at 11:16 pm
As a sales manager or a small medical equipment distributor, I have been reading your website and forwarding your articles to our sales people regularly. Sometimes, we discuss them during our weekly meetings..
I would like to thank you for giving open access to your articles and look forward to reading and sharing more of them.
However, I realize that our sales people are not so much interested in reading moreso applying the very practical lessons you explain. It seems our sales people are contented with very few sales commissions and their regular salaries…
What could be a sales manager action plan in this case?
Thanks again…
April 15th, 2009 at 6:07 am
Greatings,
http://www.davekahle.com – da best. Keep it going!
Thank you
GlenStef
April 15th, 2009 at 9:04 pm
Interesting, I`ll quote it on my site later.
May 2nd, 2009 at 12:30 am
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May 18th, 2009 at 5:58 am
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June 4th, 2009 at 10:24 am
Hi, cool post. I have been wondering about this topic,so thanks for writing.
July 2nd, 2009 at 11:16 am
I have been a sales manager for the last 5 years. Newbie…
The most sustainable way I have found for influencing is by creating the right connections. What I mean by that is to have others do it for you… If you create the right relationships this shouldn’t be a problem.
You should check out Brian Parsley’s take on how to create connections. It’s the connections you create for others that in the long term give you the power to influence.
http://www.brianparsley.com/?p=35
July 18th, 2009 at 5:53 pm
Great post, thanks for sharing this with me
I look forward to reading your future posts!
August 1st, 2009 at 10:17 am
All the best for your future.
http://www.davekahle.com – cool!!!!
August 6th, 2009 at 11:18 pm
The best information i have found exactly here. Keep going Thank you