Everyone is a potential client. I do some coaching because I was asked, but I have plenty of field time and my experiences come from that—experience. When I have a client with a "no soliciting" sign on their door-- that is the first thing I tell them to take down. We are all in sales, and you can't be out looking for business, soliciting yourself, with a sign like that on the door—and complaining how rude people are when YOU call. When I turn down a door to door solicitor I say, “no thank you, and good luck to you”. Because I do my share of door banging and may not want what he’s selling, but I have empathy. I don’t get paid the kind of money I do because its easy. And this guy may be on the other side of the desk someday, with me trying to market to him. Its easier to be kind—there is no glory to be had putting down the little guy.
Professional sales is about relationships. Like the merchant who won't give change for the meter, or directions at a gas station-- that merchant is only in for the sale. You are nothing more than a walking dollar bill to that person. That person does not care about you and expect that attitude if you have a problem with your dry cleaning. A peeve of mine is a sign on a restaurant saying “restrooms for clients only”—well I may not be a potential client at that second, but I bet sometime today I’ll be looking to eat. Why are you giving them your dollars?
I also sell product. I recently had a woman rant about a contractor’s shoddy workmanship. It was ridiculous the condition he left her home. Her refrigerator wouldn’t even fit in the allowed space. I told her to get him back in here! But she said she didn’t want a contractor back in her home, and was angry at me for not having empathy for her sob story. All of a sudden it was my problem. And she laid into me, the woman was a loon. Its probably not the contractors fault if she was this irrational to him. Some people are content to complain and get more satisfaction being a victim than taking action.
When you accept situations like rudeness, shoddy workmanship, you keep those companies in business. It doesn’t matter to me, shoddy workmanship and redo’s are great for me—I get to sell them twice. But then I see good, honest contractors struggling for the biz, and the slick Willies just creating problem after problem. Some so bad I’ve refused to let them carry my product. Vote with your dollars. Keep the “good guys” in business vs going for lowest price. That isn’t how you make your business work. Or at least I hope so, selling just on price isn’t selling, but a loser’s game. You whine when a client buys on price alone and didn’t see your “value”. So don’t buy yourself what you are trying to persuade others to do. Walk your talk. When a product fails – even if it’s the clients fault, you can save that relationship with empathy. Sales is about relationships.
Everyone is a potential client and we should treat each other that way. The person you just gave the finger to while road raging might be your next client. Its one of my favorite stories. I was in a store and another salesperson walked in. The owner took a minute to chat and his wife walked in. She started jumping down the guys throat. The other rep had given her a ration of road rage just a few blocks away, screaming, gestures, cutting her off—he gave her a liberal dose. She was so upset she was in tears. Even more ironic, I saw it as I was driving to the client, taken back by this rage, she had every reason to be upset. The owner simply walked the guy out of the store. No drama, no explanations and no opportunity for an apology. Then he sat back down to finish his deal with me.
