The ABCs of selling Many years ago, I was listening as one of my grandchildren practiced his ABCs. He had a little picture book that helped him remember what the letters stood for, and he studied it intently, determined to be the first in his class to know all the letters and words. With his determination, I knew he would master the alphabet in no time at all. As he worked, I started thinking about what those letters mean to me, after a lifetime in sales and years of helping young hopefuls get started in their careers. I didn''t draw pictures, but these are the words my alphabet book would include: A is for availability for your customers, so they can reach you with questions, concerns, or reorders. If I can''t reach you immediately, I want to know that you''ll get back to me within minutes or hours, not days. If you''re slow to answer the call, your phone will stop ringing. B is for believing in your product, or find something else to sell.
It''s also important to believe in yourself. C is for customers aren''t always right, but if you want to keep them as your customers, find a way to make them right. D is for deliver more than you promise. Never make a promise you can''t keep. E is for education is for life - never stop learning. Education is an investment, never an expense. F is for follow-up and follow-through. Never leave a customer hanging.
I like to say that the sale begins when the customer says yes - every sales person knows that following through after the order is written is what earns customer loyalty. G is for goals, which give you a reason to go to work every day. When you reach your goals, set higher ones! H is for humanize your selling strategy by learning everything you can about your customers. To be successful in life - and especially in sales - you must have a deep-down burning desire to help people. Studies show that you can''t talk business all the time. Your customers are people first! I is the least important letter in selling. Unity consistently produces greater results than individual endeavors. Teamwork divides the effort and multiplies the effect.
J is for join trade organizations and community groups that will help you both professionally and personally, such as Toastmasters, chamber of commerce or Junior Achievement. K is for know your competitors and their products as well as you know your own. Sam Walton, creator of Wal-mart, the world''s largest retail chain, spent more time in Kmart than his own stores. Information is power. L is for listen to your customers or they''ll start talking to someone else. We learn more by listening than talking. Remember, most people won''t listen to what you''re saying unless they already feel that you have listened to them. Being a good listener can make or break a career.
M is for maybe, the worst answer a customer can give. No is better than maybe. Find out what you can do to turn it into a yes. N is for networking, which is among the most important skills a salesperson can develop. Someone you know knows someone you need to know. O is for opportunities are everywhere. Keep your antennae up. P is for price, which is not the only reason customers buy your product, but it''s a good reason.
Q is for quality can never be sacrificed if you want to keep your customers satisfied. R is for relationships are precious: They take time to develop and are worth every minute you invest in them. If you want one year of prosperity, you grow grain. If you want 10 years of prosperity, you grow trees. But if you want 100 years of prosperity, you grow relationships. S is for service is spelled "serve us" in companies that want to stay in business for a long time. Most customers who complain don''t really want their money back. They just want products or services that work the way they''re supposed to.
They want someone who will listen to them and fix any problem that arises. T is for trust, the most important word in business. Trust is central to doing business with anyone. Trust is telling the truth, even when it is difficult, and being truthful and trustworthy in your dealings with customers and staff. It takes years to build up trust, but only seconds to destroy it. Without trust, you have another word that begins with T: Trouble. U is for unlimited potential is possible whether you sell computers or candy. You are the only one who can limit your potential.
V is for volunteer: It''s always good to give back. You''ll probably find that you get more than you give, and there is no shortage of organizations that need your help. People who do volunteer work and help others on a regular basis have a healthier outlook on life. They are inclined to be go-getters and consistently report being happier and more contented. W is for winning doesn''t necessarily mean beating everyone else. A win-win situation is the best of both worlds. Legendary professional football coach Vince Lombardi said: "Winning is not a sometime thing; it''s an all-time thing. You don''t win once in a while, you don''t do things right once in a while, you do them right all the time.
Winning is a habit. Unfortunately, so is losing." X is for x-ray and catscan your customers so that you know everything about them - so you can serve them better. We want to know through routine conversation what turns that customer on - hobbies, interests, concerns. Y is for you, a word your customers need to hear often, as in "What can I do for you?" Z is for zeal, a critical element in your presentations, service, and life in general. Let your enthusiasm shine through! Some things never change - including the importance of knowing how to treat your customers and what really matters in your relationships. And as you can see, most of these items cover far more than just sales. Someday, I think my grandchildren will still be able to use my little alphabet book.
Nothing would make me prouder. Mackay''s Moral: Now you know my ABCs - sales skills from A to Z.