by Art Waskey | May 5, 2021 | Art of Sales Weekly
The sales rep felt dejected. He had demonstrated to a client the cost savings offered by changing to a new process. When he followed up on his proposal, he was told that the order had been placed online due to better pricing. The rep had failed to differentiate his proposal from the online offering.
Create a partnership
What would have made a difference in the above scenario? Wise customers realize and appreciate the value of partnerships with their key suppliers. Sales disruptors like Amazon, Grainger, Fastenal, etc., or the possibility of manufacturers going to direct sales, exist. I believe that the industrial gas and welding customer is still looking for local, strategic distributor partnerships, however.
Steps to take
Here are some steps you can take to create partnerships and differentiate yourself from the disrupters:
- Verify the decision-maker – Be sure you are dealing with the person who can approve the deal. Don’t make the assumption that your contact, no matter their influence on product or service selection, is the decision-maker. Spend time building relationships with the front office executive team.
- Ensure commitment – Before giving a solution to a problem or offering a cost savings idea, get a commitment to buy. Ask: “If I offer you a [specify the percentage] cost saving enhancement to your production line, can you guarantee I will get the order?” A written pre-commitment is best.
- Differentiate your services – Differentiate yourself from the online disruptor. Value-added services, like installation, engineering, and training, differentiate the distributor from the online seller or big box store. Separate the price of these added functions from the product or service you are selling. This prevents customers from buying online and expecting you to install or train them on the product.
- Offer other value added services – In addition to the above, consider offering these other value-added services: VMI (Vendor Managed Inventory), Kanban, consigned stocking, qualified service technicians, and product enhancements.
- Add fees – Value-added services add to your costs, but I find customers generally are willing to pay a premium for them. Some distributors have converted value-added services into revenue streams. Consider adding fees for services like transportation, acetylene cylinder inspection, cylinder maintenance, equipment installation, training, and engineering.
Make each sale count
Create partnerships and be sure your customer is aware of the added value associated with your products and services. Make each sale count by differentiating your proposition from that of the online or big box seller.
Get tips and tricks like the above in The Art of Sales books. Or subscribe to the FREE monthly articles here.
by Art Waskey | Apr 27, 2021 | Art of Sales Weekly
Finding the sweet spot
During my long career in sales and executive leadership, many have approached me with concerns over their career path. They were often uncertain about their current choice and searching for a job with greater meaning. Finding your sweet spot — that place of contentment — is not easy. It requires making it a habit to do certain things.
Ask questions
The journey to find your comfort zone starts by asking some critical questions:
- What do you do better than people around you?
- What do you do without effort?
- What do you do without being asked?
- What do you do readily without getting paid?
- What do you do that highly energizes you?
When you have answered these questions you are ready to develop new habits.
Three dimensions
In his book The 8th Habit, Stephen Covey explains that habits lie at the intersection of knowledge, attitude, and skill. As we develop these three dimensions, we increasingly become equal to new challenges and gain possibilities.
Knowledge –We must be life-long learners. Develop the habit of reading every day and choose topics that motivate you. For me it’s leadership, sales, and theology.
Attitude –When I meet someone who isn’t excited about his/her career, I ask them about their true passions. Recognize what you want to do with your life and make realignments accordingly by developing the right habits.
Skills – Work on honing the habits that foster your unique talents and tap into what motivates you. This will make a difference. Regardless of what you are doing now, practice the habit of sharpening the skill-set that gives you the greatest sense of accomplishment and reward.
Leave a legacy
Deep within each of us is an inner longing to live a life of greatness and contribution — to leave a legacy. Make a habit of striving for the knowledge to recognize your path, the courage to take it, and the talents that enable you to be all that you can be.
Get tips and tricks like the above in The Art of Sales books. Or subscribe to the FREE monthly articles here.
by Art Waskey | Apr 20, 2021 | Art of Sales Weekly, Featured
A year of living behind closed doors and in front of computers has left many wondering if the art of selling has been redrawn. Of necessity, we have adapted to ordering products and services online. Will this buyer’s paradigm shift diminish the role of the traditional salesperson that knocked on doors? Are we still in the people business?
The answer is mixed. Yes, more sales are being directed through online channels such as Amazon, Grainger, Home Depot, etc., and directly to suppliers/manufacturers. A salesman’s interaction is not required here and this is unlikely to change. Yet, there remain many circumstances in which the personal touch is still required to make a sale. What we think of as traditional interpersonal selling is still important.
Technical expertise
In today’s sales environment, technical expertise is what differentiates you from the online order cart. It brings added-value to the transaction. Reps must be able to recognize, demonstrate, and present cost savings to their customers. It is these interactions that keep us in the people business.
Required skills
To compete against the ease and pricing of online transactions, you need good interpersonal skills. Focus on these:
- Use body language – Be empathetic. The ability to understand and share feelings builds trust between people. Use eye contact and positive gestures. For example, leaning forward in your chair demonstrates confidence, interest, and enthusiasm.
- Look your best – First impressions may not be fair, but they are a fact. Make sure your initial visit is a positive one. Remember, you feel the way you look. New clothes lift your spirits and this will show. Check your face for possible embarrassments before you get out of your car. When you arrive, smile.
- Demonstrate interest – Your goal is to make the client feel important. Show genuine interest by encouraging your prospect/customer to discuss his or her interests, needs, and priorities. Do not launch into a spiel about yourself or your products. Address your customer by his name, offer a compliment, ask questions, and listen.
The human connection
The pandemic has changed many things but not our ingrained need for human connection. The “click” cannot replace what transpires in a face-to-face sales call. We are all in the people business. Work on your interpersonal skills.
Get tips and tricks like the above in The Art of Sales books. Or subscribe to the FREE monthly articles here.
by Art Waskey | Apr 1, 2021 | Art of Sales Weekly
The goal
Satisfying customers is the goal right? Do so by keeping sales consistency!
You can classify salespeople into two general groups: hunters and gatherers. The hunter is a networker and skilled at finding and closing new business, but easily bored with customer detail. The gatherer is like a golden retriever, friendly and loyal and driven by the desire to keep the customer happy. A successful business needs both types of salespeople. Hunters do their best work on the outside, with face-to-face calling. Match them with your gatherers, who excel at inside sales and providing customer service. Both hunters and gathers should have the same goal and that is to ensure the consistency of a sale.
Make it consistent
Here are three issues to be aware of when working to ensure the consistency of each sales transaction.
- Buyer’s remorse – In any new relationship there can be doubt about whether the right decision has been made. This is particularly true with a large sale or one that involves an urgent need. We have all woken up wondering if we made the right decision or if the urgent product will be delivered as expected. To avoid buyer’s remorse, review with your customer the logical reasons for the purchase. Point out the features and benefits of the product or service you have just agreed to.
- Continued connection – An order does not complete a sale. Once the paper work is signed, introduce your customer to your inside service support team for any help he may need.
- Consistency of service – Follow-through is important. A rapid response thank-you email or text demonstrates your commitment. Have your sales and operation managers make a call or visit as well. Invite your customer to tour your company’s facilities so he can put names to faces. These actions provide the customer with consistency of service.
Grow your business and sales consistency
The salesperson who provides and coordinates consistent service after an order is taken creates a satisfied customer base. This yields client retention and guarantees more business.
Get tips and tricks like the above in The Art of Sales books. Or subscribe to the FREE monthly articles here.
by Art Waskey | Mar 16, 2021 | Art of Sales Weekly
Selling is about helping others and meeting customer needs. A good sales person needs to be many things, including focused, organized, and gregarious. Most importantly, however, you must be mindful of meeting your customers’ needs. As a sales professional, you are in a position to help people buy solutions.
Your customer’s best interest
Here are four practical ways to sell with your customer’s best interest in mind.
- Be professional – There’s a big difference between someone who sells and a sales professional. The former pushes product. The latter focuses on identifying what is behind the customer’s need and matches that to a solution. The need can be driven by pain, or gain, or both. Pain is related to solving an immediate problem. Gain is centered on buying for value. While the two needs are sometimes interrelated, they are solved quite differently.
- Act on a commitment – Deliver on the need. The best salespeople are effective, confident, and thoroughly familiar with their client’s business. They know how, when, where, and why to deliver the product and service purchased.
- Provide continued support – The customer is looking for a salesperson who is both a counselor and a consultant. The best in class salesperson is a creative, strategic thinker who can anticipate the customer’s ongoing concerns, goals, and objectives.
- Develop long-term loyalty –The formation of lasting customer relationships based on honesty, integrity, and trust reap the greatest rewards. James Duffy, author of More Than Account, says that 8% of sales people capture 80% of the sales. That 8% have strong customer relationships.
Care and commitment to meet customer needs
Today, a purchase can be made with the click of an online button, no sales person involved. Your best defense to this is building and sustaining good in-person customer relationships (see building-a-business-relationship). Buyers want to know the seller cares, especially in larger deals, and online platforms cannot provide that. Help meeting customer needs ensures that customer makes the best decision and receives the greatest return on their investment. This is the sales professional’s greatest tool.
Get tips and tricks like the above in The Art of Sales books. Or subscribe to the FREE monthly articles here.
