The Art of selling: Six reasons to like your customers
On which side of the fence do you sit? Are salesmen born salesmen, or are they made? Is selling a science, something that can be broken down into a logical sequence of components or, is it an individually tailored art? Last month I made the case for the scientists, this month I turn the tables…
The case for the artists
Joe Girard holds the Guinness World Record for being the world’s greatest salesman. In 1973, he personally sold 1,425 cars, including his yet to be beaten achievement of 174 in one month. He credits his success to a simple yet clearly effective strategy – he didn’t just find ways to like his customers he uncovered things he could love them for. Now if that is too cheesy and American for you, let me suggest that many salespeople seek ways that their customers can like THEM. Joe Girard simply turns that technique round 180 degrees. It clearly works.
One of the oldest sayings in sales is “people buy people first”. Like many a cliché this is a truism too. I firmly believe that the art of selling is as much to do with being likable as it is with product or service specification and quality. Let’s face facts, most of our competitors offer similar products and services of similar quality at a similar price in similar places. When you’re faced with a 50:50 choice who do you buy from? The people you like most is invariably the answer, and if you want to be liked more the formula is very simple – like your customers first.
However, we are now in the age of online where increasing amounts of business is conducted with little or no human interaction and clearly the old rule of liking can’t be applied – or can it? You see I believe that companies and organisations can be liked, and disliked for that matter, as much as individuals. I also suggest that many businesses are either ignoring this or making the same mistake of the average salesman of yesteryear: concentrating on trying to make customers like THEM rather than finding new ways to like their customers. The best companies find ways to surprise and delight their customers which in turn cause them to be liked in return. For example, last week my wife received a phone call from Ocado.com explaining that her grocery delivery would not take place at the appointed time as the van had broken down. When she asked for a delivery the next day the surprising answer that “all the slots were taken” and she would have to wait 48 hours, was disappointing to say the least. Following her written complaint, she immediately received an email, confirmed by a letter the next day, apologising and including a £25 voucher. She now likes Ocado.com even more than before.
Here are my thoughts of ways to like your customers and for them to like you:
- Treat every customer as an individual. If any of your communications, letters, emails or forms smack of being ‘standard’ then rewrite them. Lakeland, the creative kitchenware company, state on their website: “we've got 31 stores all over the country, from Aberdeen to Truro - if ever you're passing, pop in - we'd be delighted to see you” which is much more personal way of communicating their size.
- Try and hold something back so you can give a ‘surprise’ gift. Last week I facilitated a four-day senior managers’ conference for one of my clients and every evening delegates returned to their rooms to find a copy of a book I’d mentioned during the day. The feedback for this gesture was very pleasing, particularly as I had arranged for them all to be signed by the authors.
- Offer existing customers exclusive previews of products and services – it surprises me how many businesses fail to do this and treat their best clients no differently from new prospects.
- It should be possible for many businesses to mark the anniversary of their customers’ first transaction(s) with a small gift or just a thank you note. The common courtesies of business are a rarity these days and consequently you will stand out from the crowd if you make the effort.
- View problems as opportunities to impress. Imagine it was you who’d been let down – how would you be turned from critic to fan?
- One of the greatest sales trainers I’ve ever met, Ray Wilsher, sadly passed away last year. He always imagined every one of his clients to be “Mrs Wilsher” and always considered her reactions, good and bad, to a company’s products and services. It’s a very valuable lesson I endeavour to remember and apply.
So is selling an art or it is a science, and if it’s both is it weighted one way or the other? Leonardo Da Vinci labelled one of his principles “Arte/Scienza” - the development of the balance between art and science, imagination and logic; whole-brain thinking if you like. To quote the master, “Study the science of art and the art of science”. I can think of no better advice for salespeople.
Peter Knight is chairman of Phoenix, a communications agency, and author of the best-selling ‘HEMP: Highly Effective Marketing Plans’. If you run a real business and have come up with a stunning marketing plan, or you want help to create one, Peter would love to hear from you at pk@phoenixplc.com
