In my experience in dealing with customers, one thing seems to make a huge difference. The better you know the customer, the better your interactions will be. You can do this in many ways. One way is to talk to the customer and share in their lives. Care about them. Ask them how their family is. How they did last hunting season. The list goes on and on. The hard part is finding out about them. Many people put up a defense around new people. As you talk to them you can eventually break through this barrier. In my experience, I’ve found that the best way to do this is to listen. Get the customer to start talking and simply listen. Most people will talk about themselves for a long time. Everyone loves talking about themselves. When I did this I would sometimes speak to them to share a similar experience or ask a further question, but mostly I would listen. This was an immense tool in building trust. Then, the next time you see the customer, you can ask them about the things that they told you. Their family, the things that interest them, the things they are struggling with, etc.
I had the unique experience of practicing this strategy when I was not in a selling position. Through the promotional events of my family business I would meet new customers (mostly our key customers) and talk with them. Although they were buying from the family business, they were not buying from me as I was not in a selling position. Also since it was mostly during promotional events, the climate was relaxed and personal. Through this I was able to develop many friendships. Now, when I am working on the counter, and a customer I know calls up or walks in, there is an instant connection between us. I can talk to them more easily and they trust me. It makes the experience more rewarding and pleasurable for both parties. Getting to know the customer can make a huge difference in the sales process and is a very important aspect. Without it, selling would be a much different process.
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I believe that this article speaks truly about any sales position. Without knowledge of the customer that you are selling to, it makes it hard to relate to that customer. If you are able to talk to them about parts of their life, it makes it easier to sell to them. Plus, if you truly listen and remember what customers have said in previous conversations, it lets the customer know that you truly care about what they have to say. You aren’t just letting them talk so you can make a sale, you actually want to know them as a person better.
I completely agree with what Cliff is saying. I worked at State Farm last summer and the lady that sits at the front desk knew every single person that walked through the door and was able to have a ten minute conversation with everyone. It was a small office, but she would remember what type of insurance they have to what was going on with their family the last time they spoke. After watching her for a few weeks I realized that customers really do appreciate the fact that she got to know them so well and if she wasn’t at her desk, they’d always be asking for her because they preferred doing the business with her. It really is an important aspect of being a good seller.
Cliff, you’re right on. Since I work as a tennis coach, I’ve learned that knowing your customers and customizing your reactions based on their traits is probably even more important than proving to them that you know how to correct technique. One summer, I taught a little girl who was having trouble getting started. Her parents switched her from a different coach that was too intense and only focused on drilling perfect technique – she had been getting nowhere. During our first lesson together, I quickly found out that she adored Calico Critters… and thus every game after that had a Calico Critter theme. We saved them from hot lava by hitting 10 forehands in a row over the net and had tournaments between characters (played by us, of course) to see which animals could rally back and forth the longest. Bottom line is, selling is all about meeting your customer where they’re at and taking the next step with them.