After a while, the ebb and flow of our days becomes second nature to us and we are no longer fully aware of what we do or don't do during a customer interaction. Just like most human beings, salespeople become creatures of habit.
Habits can be good, like when we see a red light and automatically ease our foot on the brake. Or, they can be bad, like when we finish our customers' sentences for them because we already know what they're going to say. To keep yourself, your selling, and your perspective healthy, it's beneficial to shake things up once in a while. But because we're creatures of habit, we have to consciously seek new, different, and fresh ways of doing things.
When's the last time you checked in with a prospect or customer on the phone and said something fresh? Or interesting? Or do you always say the same thing, such as "I just wanted to check in with you after your visit to our showroom to see if you had any questions or to see if I could help in any way." Blah, blah, blah.
How am I supposed to feel good about dealing with you, Mr. Salesperson, when you don't help me along a little bit? I've been greeted a thousand times in a thousand retail stores in the same way. How interesting is that? I want to be surprised, delighted, intrigued, entertained. Show me something different. Or show the same old thing in a different way. Speak to me in a new language or with a new voice or from a different lectern.
Prospects and shoppers are bombarded with messages, most of it being meaningless drivel. What if, for just a day, you helped your prospects sort through the drivel and acted as a filter for them, instead of adding to the din. What if you were the protector from the drivel, instead of a contributor to it?
Set asude your brochures and your Powerpoints for a day. Really listen to your customers. Really notice what words are coming out of your mouth. Take note of your body language, your posture, your facial expressions. Today is a new day in the universe. Shouldn't we treat it like one?
If you like this post (or don't) please leave a comment. Skip Anderson is the President of Selling to Consumers Sales Training. He works with companies that sell to consumers in all B2C sectors to increase sales by leveraging the buying potential of every prospect and shopper.
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