Copyright 2012
Jim's Story
Getting to Know You
Yes! Really get to know your customer. You will be amazed how your sales volume and earnings will grow if you will take the time to learn more about your customer their likes and dislikes.
When you learn what your customer enjoys and likes, you have an all-new ground on which to visit. Your customer will have a better opinion of you because you took the time to get to know him better. For instance, look around his office, his shop or where he spends most of his time. You will be surprised at what you can learn without asking.
I called on a new prospect and during my product presentation; I spotted a fly fishing rod on his shop wall. This told me he liked fly-fishing and pretty soon the subject became fly-fishing. We really hit it off so he liked me and became a customer.
While visiting with the top engineer for a Fortune 500 company, I learned his hobby was sailing. During our discussion about his love for sailing he mentioned that he was interested in a certain type sailboat, but could not find what he wanted. I made a note of his desires and started looking for him. In a couple of weeks I found what I thought he wanted. I went to see him and told him all about the boat I had found. He got excited and went to look at the next day. It was precisely what he wanted and he bought it. He has never forgotten that I went out of my way to do something for him. That was about 15 years ago. He is still enjoying that sailboat and would not take anything for it.
Another of my good friends was fascinated with lighthouses. He even built a home on a Texas lake fashioned after a famous lighthouse on Lake Michigan. While in a bookstore, Minnie found a book about famous lighthouses around the world. I gave it to him for Christmas.
Another of my customers is an avid golfer. I always have golf balls for him and any particularly good books on golf courses.
It goes on and on! You will soon learn that your sales work is a lot more fun when you make a study of your customers and learn a lot more about them. Plus you will get more and more business from each customer. They respect you for being interested in them beyond just getting an order.
Really KNOW YOUR CUSTOMERS!!!!!
Tap into a wealth of Knowledgte.
Jim has hired, trained & developed thousands of sales people in his 60+ years of Sales leadership.
He is happy to answer questions regarding sales.
If you are stuck - Ask Jim Byers