Sales & Service Tip Of The Week

“DO NOT BE CONDESCENDING!”  Have you ever walked into a store and the sales associate treated you like “dirt”?  How did you feel?  Did you go back to that establishment again?  Probably not!  Customers don’t like to be treated like they’re stupid.  Avoid talking down, belittling or being sarcastic with customers.  People don’t like it.  Be careful using names or words like “honey”, “sport”, “buddy” or “dear”, in you’re interactions with your customers.  They’ll react negatively, which creates a further barrier for you.  Don’t fall into the trap of using trite sayings such as, “to be honest with you,” or “to tell you the truth.”  Haven’t you been honest and truthful up to now?  Eliminate these sayings from your vocabulary and focus on providing quality service for every customer you come in contact with daily.  Your beliefs equal your sincerity and that’s what comes across to your customers.  What have you been called as the customer?

Sales & Service Tip Of The Week

Have you heard, “courtesy is good manners in business?”  The ability to say “please” and “thank you” goes a long way in serving the customer (it works well at home too!).  Some people think being courteous to customers is a sign of weakness – absolutely not!  Your customers are coming to you for help and by being polite and willing to serve, allows the customers to “feel good” about dealing with you.  When customers “feel good” about their experience, they want your ideas and suggestions, so they buy more.  Don’t forget to “smother” your customers with kindness, but be sincere.  Your behavior signals to the customer your true feelings about wanting to serve.  Apply the Golden Rule:  “Do unto others as you would have others do unto you,” and you can never go wrong.

Sales & Service Tip Of The Week

“Negative information has twice the impact of positive information on purchasing decisions!”  That’s right!  Did you know that dissatisfied customers tell an average of ten other people about their bad experience, while satisfied customers will tell an average of five people about their positive experience?  Did you know that?  It’s all about choosing your attitude when you show up for work.  Keep your personal problems at home and be positive when interacting with your customers.  Allow your P.R.I.D.E. to shine through along with your willingness to serve and your customers will thank you for it.  Remember, People Really Interested Deliver Excellence.

Sales & Service Tip Of The Week

“People buy from people they like.”  Have you ever heard this before?  Well, it’s true!  Think about it:  Do you always get your haircut at the same place?  Go to the same dry cleaner, drugstore, bank or gas station usually?  Customers like to shop or buy in similar surroundings, where they know what to expect and appreciate being recognized.  Don’t you?  So remember, to the customer you are your company.  You make it happen.  Don’t blame others or make excuses when things go wrong.  Serve each customer as if you were in your own business.  It is YOU, INC. that the customers come to know and ask for help to solve their problems.  Catch this entrepreneurial spirit and watch your sales grow as your customers keep coming back!

Sales & Service Tip Of The Week

By now, as a sales and service professional, you should be able to recite the 6 A’s by memory.  Any volunteers?  More importantly, you should be “harvesting” the rewards by applying these skills, concepts and techniques with your customers.  It’s never too late to “go back to the well” and replenish your mind and body with the spirit and desire to Apply Service, so you can develop lifetime customers.  A famous coach once said “The will to win is not nearly as important as the will to prepare to win.”  Master these sales and service tips and there’s no stopping you.  The progression on learning today is:  training and practice, which leads to habits.  It starts and ends with you.  Are you willing, able and committed to the journey of self-improvement?  Allow these tips to provide the framework for your continued sales and service success.  Remember, “Winners execute fundamentals skillfully…by habit.”  Be strong, stay well and sell often!

Sales & Service Tip Of The Week

Now we are ready for Step-6, our last “A”, Apply Service – where we follow up.  Service is the key to future relationships and assuring continued success.  In fact, it may be the only difference that sets you apart from your competition.  The more similar your products and services are to competitors, the more different your selling and service should be!  Service builds your reputation and leads to repeat sales to build your business in good times as well as bad.  When does your service begin?  As soon as you greet, Approach or say “hello” to your customers!  It’s the “little things” that customers seem to remember and keep them coming back.  You cannot provide customer satisfaction by “brushing the customer off.”  Appreciate what you sell and appreciate the opportunity to serve.  It’s all about developing customers for life!

Sales & Service Tip Of The Week

If no sale is made, what should you do?  Have you ever heard, “don’t burn any bridges” or “never say never?”  Always keep the sales door open.  Don’t allow your nonverbal to show disappointment.  Look for ways to keep your “foot in the door.”  Remember, “things change!”  Never insult or reprimand the customer.  This is negative, damages relationships and can create more problems for you later on.  Also, do not base the sale on what it does for you personally.  Being in a contest or feeding the family is your concern, not the customer’s.  This is unprofessional and comes across as “whining” to the customer.  Be aware of “overselling” a customer too.

What is overselling?  You talk too much which creates doubt with the customer.  One salesperson defined overselling as, “you just bought back what you sold.”  Complete your transaction, change the subject and look for a sales opportunity with another customer.  Closing is the emotional part of the sale.  It’s the culmination of the selling and buying processes coming together.  Master this step and you are well on your way toward sales success.