Today, my guest blogger program begins!!. I never expected to be so lucky and start with an outstanding blogger, public speaker, professional sales trainer, author and one of my favorite people to follow on Twitter!. Kelley Robertson (@fearlesselling on Twitter ) was more than enthusiastic in participating on Rant-A-Touille, and completely in line with the whole idea of blogging (sharing knowledge and spreading ideas) he accepted to be posted here!
OK, but...Who is Kelley Robertson? Here is a brief Bio that may give you an idea of why am I so honored to have him as my first guest:
Kelley Robertson, President of the Robertson Training Group, is a professional speaker and trainer on sales, negotiating, and employee motivation. He is also the author of “Stop,Ask & Listen – Proven Sales Techniques to Turn Browsers into Buyers.” You can find his articles on his blog Fearless Selling, a great source for sales reading material that will rock your mind!. For information on his programs, visit his website at www.RobertsonTrainingGroup.com. Receive a FREE copy of “100 Ways to Increase Your Sales” by subscribing to his 59-Second Tip, a free weekly e-zine available at his website. You can also contact Kelley at 905-633-7750 or email him directly.
Kelley, thanks a lot for sharing your knowledge with us. I think the title of your post is self explanatory, thanks for letting me use it on this blog.
To all Rant-A-Touille readers, please feel free to comment and rant about this article. Your opinion is highly appreciated.
Best regards
The Power of Partnering
“Get the sale at any cost.”
“Make more calls.”
“Tell them what they want to hear.”
Sales professionals in virtually every industry are under tremendous pressure to close sales. It is not
uncommon for them to hear comments similar to ones above from their sales manager, supervisor, or
boss. But this approach does not create trust with customers and does not encourage repeat business or
a lasting relationship.
A more effective approach is to develop a partnering relationship with your clients. This means working
with them to help them achieve their goals and objectives. Simple in theory, this strategy requires a
completely different approach. Here’s what I mean.
In the majority of sales meetings, the sales person looks for ways to position his or her product/service so
that the prospect will buy it. However, a partnering approach means putting your goals and objective
aside. It means focusing 100% of your attention on your customer. It requires a self-less mindset because
there are situations when the best solution is not yours. In fact, it may mean telling your customer to
contact a competitor. I experienced this just a few days before writing this article. A subscriber to my ezine
contacted me about delivering a particular service. Although I may have been able to help her, I
knew someone who could better meet her requirements. It was mentally difficult, but I made the decision
to refer her to my competition.
Partnering also means that you provide exceptional follow-up to ensure that your customer is completely
satisfied with their purchase. This does not mean you make just the obligatory follow-up call. It means you
explore their actual use of your product and/or service and help them maximize its full potential.
A client of mine was experiencing less than favorable results after implementing a new program into their
business. We scheduled a follow-up meeting with the management team, because as the vendor, I knew
that the answers lay in the execution of the program. During the meeting we explored several ways to
improve their results and one of the solutions required me to provide additional follow-up. Although I could
have charged this client for my time, I knew that it made good business sense to absorb the cost of this
follow-up because my primary objective was to help my client achieve the best results possible.
Subsequent meetings indicated that this investment was worth it as my client began discussing how we
could take this initiative to the next level.
The challenge with this concept is that most sales people want some form of instant gratification. But this
approach does not offer a direct or immediate payoff for the sales person. However, from a business
perspective, it makes good sense.
It is also important to note that you don’t necessarily have to give away this additional service. A few
sales trainers I know (including myself) incorporate telephone coaching into their proposals. They charge
for this service but they position it as a way for the company to improve their results. They demonstrate
how this additional investment will drive more dollars to their clients’ bottom line. Ultimately, your goal
should be helping your customers and clients improve their business results. Here are a few points to
consider.
1. Focus on their goals and objective instead of your personal agenda (closing the sale). If
necessary, recommend another supplier or vendor who offers the exact product/service your
client needs.
2. Follow-up. Contact your customer and talk to them after they have made their purchase. Ask
them if they are getting the desired results. If they aren’t, look for ways to help them maximize
their results. Offer additional support. Give them extra resources. Help them get the best results
possible.
3. Incorporate a systemized process into your sales pitch or proposals. People will pay for extras
providing they see that value that is brought to their organization.
4. Send information to your customers on a regular basis without being asked. I like to send articles
that are relevant to my clients on a regular basis. This demonstrates that I am looking out for their
interests, rather than my own. I prefer to send articles written by other people, not just the ones I
write.
Zig Ziglar once stated, “You can get anything you want in life if you just help enough other people get
what they want.” When you help your customers achieve their goals and objectives you become more
than a supplier or vendor. You become a preferred partner. And this will prevent your competition from
overtaking you in the marketplace.
Create a checklist of the additional services you can offer to your clients to help them achieve their goals.
Helping your customers reach their objectives will help you increase your profits.
One word of caution…this is a process, not a quick fix. This strategy does take time to generate a return.
However, it is well worth the investment.
© Copyright 2005 Kelley Robertson, All rights reserved.
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