By Jeffrey Gitomer
Sales Moves

I’m a salesman. I sell online training. I write about sales, because I make sales. I had two sales calls today. Both at the same time. One with an existing customer and one with a prospective customer.

During every sales call, while you are trying to qualify the customer, they are trying to qualify you. I have found a strategy where I qualify myself to the customer first, so that they become relaxed, open and confident about doing business with me.

Today, I arranged a meeting with a customer and a prospect, because I felt that they could do business with one another. I brought them together at my offices for that sole purpose. Each of them could benefit from what the other sold. And each of them could sell their product to the other guy’s customers.

Let me share a reality about how I make sales. Keep in mind, this is not how to sell, this is how I sell. Big difference.

I make friends with my customers before I ever start to talk business. I believe that friendship is the basis for open communication. I am friendly and I hope that my friendliness is contagious. Begin the sales call getting to know each other. Open talk, laughter, sharing stories, finding solid common ground.

I establish rapport with them by finding common ground. By communicating conversationally, the atmosphere is relaxed and communication is more open. The conversation is natural, not salesy.

I sell on my home court. More than 50% of my sales appointments take place at my office, where I have total control of the environment and where I have all of my sales aids at my disposal. My team is there with me if I need them, and I have a decided advantage by having my resources at my fingertips.

I introduce everyone to everyone. It’s important that I honor my guests and respect my fellow workers by introducing one to another and spending a few moments exchanging details and pleasantries. It creates an atmosphere of warmth and begins to create credibility in the mind of the customer. They can see what they are about to buy and they can meet the people they’ll be dealing with.

I entertain them and I feed them. I find that when I am eating with someone the conversation strays from business. The more personal the customer is willing to be with me, the more likely I am to gain the sale. While we’re talking, there’s fruit and cheese. Food relaxes people.

I engage them. I talk about their business. I find out their present circumstance, their key motivators, and the core issues that are driving their current actions or reactions. I don’t probe; I engage. By engaging, I am able to elicit full answers and exchange meaningful data. I have studied their business before the meeting started, so that I don’t have to ask stupid questions. And because they already know me, and feel good about me, I am able to get truthful answers and ascertain key facts.

I provide them tangible value. I take customers in my studio and record an actual lesson that would be used in any potential training that we would agree to. The message is pre-prepared, pre-written, totally about their business and their issues and drives home value points that prove I could help them. I show them what I can do for them instead of telling them what I can do for them.

I help them grow their business. By bringing two people together for the purpose of doing business with each other, I create an energy in my conference room the likes of which I rarely see. Sparks and dollar signs fly as they speak of possibilities and make plans to meet again to structure a deal.

I “wow” them, every way I can. Every action I take has a wow factor, because I execute the actions the best way possible.

I ask for the sale, but only after I know they are eager to buy. The energy level at the end of the day is so high, they sell each other on me and our capabilities. I don’t even have to ask for more business, they ask to buy. Wow!

My customer speaks louder for my capabilities than I do. My customer is proof that I can support my claims.

I’m not always looking to make a sale. I’m looking to build a relationship, part of which is a business relationship. And sales follow. Big sales.

Jeffrey Gitomer, author of The Sales Bible and The Little Red Book of Selling, is president of Charlotte-based Buy Gitomer. E-mail him at salesman@gitomer.com.

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