Working with small to medium businesses can be tough. They work hard and sometimes they are just scraping by, so when they decide to spend money on anything, it is a BIG decision for them. Unlike corporate companies a hundred dollars is not a drop in the bucket for them. Those dollars spent could end up breaking the bank. So when you are approaching a small, local business trying to sell them anything, ads, social media, business services, their decision to buy can sometimes come down to how they feel about you, the salesperson. They are going to ask them selves,
"Does this person care about my business? or Are they just trying to "sell" me?
If you don't care about their business they will see right through you. You have to want to help their business; you have to want to see them succeed and see results. Ask yourself - is this product or service necessary for this client? Will it make their business more efficient? Will it give them a Return on Investment (ROI)? Will it keep them in business?
If you believe that you are helping the client and selling them something that will enhance their business then they will be more apt to buy from you. Conviction is powerful.
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| Photo from EnchantedMarketing.com |
Taking this theory a little further...If all sales people starting caring more about making their clients money wouldn't we, the sales person, make more money in the end? Times are changing, people don't want to buy cars from the sleazy, slick salesman - they want the knowledgeable person who is going to help them make a sensible decision. If we starting caring more for our customers well-being, they would be more willing to buy from us, and to that end, spend more money because they have faith in what we are selling them.
Now you not only have a customer, you have a return customer.
For that matter, we could change the whole outlook of how sales people are looked at. Wouldn't it be nice to call or stop into a business and not be shut down right away because you are a "salesperson?"
As salespeople, we need to dig down into that ethical under layer that we all have somewhere in there and realize being ethical can make us money, in theory it could make us more money than the latter. If you are making your client money, that means they have more to spend with you. If a client trusts you, they will not only choose to do business with you; they will also being willing to spend more money with you. They will continue to be your client.
So now you are keeping clients rather than cycling through them like the Cookie Monster goes through chocolate chip cookies. (I had to use at least one metaphor/simile!)
Let's change the way businesses look at salespeople!
