It is very important to be relational in sales. The customer needs to feel like they can trust the seller, and one of the ways that they can do that is through good conversations with the seller. When the seller takes the time to get to know the buyer, it can expedite the sales process. Taking the time to create a foundation for the sale is crucial because it lets the buyer know that you are invested and interested in them in more than just a business setting. Asking the buyer/client questions about themselves and their personal life gives them the assurance that you care about them and that you are not just concerned about the commission that you could potentially get out of the sale.
One really good example I can think of is our mechanic from home. Our family’s mechanic always takes the time to ask my parents about our family, friends, work, etc. Over the years, he has become a friend to my family. If he fixes something on one of our cars, he will text or call my parents a day later to make sure that everything is running okay. This makes my parents really trust him as a mechanic and person. He has shown my parents that he cares about our family and our safety since day 1 of being his customer. For this reason, he has gotten my parents’ business for over 25 years. This is a great example of showing that creating a relational foundation with your clients is worth it in the long run, even if in the moment it feels like it is taking too long and is not worth it.
BoweryJE22
This is something that salespeople seem to forget yet it is arguably the most important part of sales. That is a great example of how this concept works in real life! Especially in a field where so many people do not trust mechanics! Great post!
This story goes to show how important trust is. I think that in industries like automotive technology, trust is especially important. Highly technical and specialized fields make it difficult for customers to achieve true information symmetry, so anyone ‘selling’ in these fields should take special care to build rapport with customers.
Bonding and rapport is extremely important in sales and we have repeatedly been told that it should be the first step in your sales process. A lot of new salespeople want to show off their knowledge right away and jump into a deal with the client, this is not a great way to start. There are many ways to build rapport with clients and they are important to practice in a sales call to start it off right.