Assumptions ? The Hidden Sales Killer
Assumptions can kill a sale. In my sales training workshops, I frequently discuss the importance of not making assumptions about a person before, during, or after the sales process. Participants frequently nod and tell me that they NEVER make assumptions. One person (Doug Maquire, www.MaquireMarketing.com) sent me this story of a situation that occurred in a department store he worked in many years ago. "I was the 'young kid' who had signed on to take the 9 month Management Training course for a department store chain.
Sales people were generally assigned specific areas to cover within the store but being a 'management trainee' I had to learn all departments." One day, a rough looking middle aged fellow entered the store. He was dressed in well-worn workpants, work boots, and a soiled red and black plaid shirt just like you'd expect a lumberjack to wear. No one approached him (I guess he didn't look like a good sales prospect) and he didn't move from the front entrance; he just stood there surveying the store from left to right. I walked up to him and asked if I could help. He said, "I need a pair of wool socks.
No nylon, no cotton, just wool socks." We went to the Menswear Department and both watched as the sales person assigned to that department walked away from us so he wouldn't have to waste his time going through the full selection of hosiery just to find a single pair of wool socks." I then started asking questions about style, colour, size, price range, etc., to help narrow down exactly what the customer needed. "It don't matter." he replied, "Just wool socks. I work back in the bush and we only come to town every three weeks. Nylon makes my feet sweat. Cotton's okay but it don't last long.
I need socks I can wear at work everyday and that's wool." So, I checked the content label of every style and colour of sock that we had in stock and eventually found a pair of 100% wool socks. "Good", he said, and we walked up the checkout counter to ring in the $3.95 pair of wool socks. The man left and I got a bit of ribbing from the sales person in the Menswear Department about my 'big sale of the day' and how ?not to spend my commission all in one place!'"Three weeks later the customer returned. He then walked over to me and said, "I need more wool socks like that last pair". This time he decided that he'd take 6 pair.
We took the socks up to the checkout counter and rang in the six pair of $3.95 socks. The customer paid cash, said thanks, and walked away with his purchase. This time I didn't get quite as much ribbing from the sales person in the Menswear Department.Exactly three weeks later the customer came back. He walked through the front door and made a beeline for me. "I need more of them wool socks", he said.
"The boys at camp want to know where I got them and want some too. How many have you got?" I checked the display area, the stockroom, and our new stock shipment and told him I had 58 pair. He paid cash and bought them all. I never found out exactly how many people he worked with, but every three weeks he'd show up at the store and ask what I had in the way of tee-shirts, long johns, plaid wool shirts, work boots, gloves, caps, toques, coveralls, work jackets, etc., and each time he arrived, he'd walk right up to me for service and we'd both go to the proper department and select what he needed for himself and for the guys he worked with. He always paid cash and always thanked me for my help."If Doug had made the mistake of following his coworker's footsteps and made the same assumptions about the customer, he would have lost thousands of dollars in sales.
It is easy to make assumptions about our customers and prospects. A person's appearance, age, gender, nationality, or role within the company, often influences us. I have made this mistake when speaking to companies in the past. Upon learning that they only had a few salespeople, I made the assumptions they would not be willing to pay my standard fee. I later learned that this assumption was completely inaccurate and that they were fully prepared to invest in their teams' development.
As a consumer, I have often noticed that most sales people will approach well-dressed customers before they talk to people who are attired in jeans or casual clothing. Avoid this fatal mistake and go into every sales interaction with an open and clear mind. This will definitely have a positive impact on your sales.Copyright 2004 Kelley Robertson, all rights reserved..
Kelley Robertson, President of the Robertson Training Group, works with businesses to help them increase their sales and motivate their employees. He is also the author of ?Stop, Ask & Listen ? Proven sales techniques to turn browsers into buyers.? Visit his website at www.RobertsonTrainingGroup.com and receive a FREE copy of ?100 Ways to Increase Your Sales? by subscribing to his 59-Second Tip, a free weekly e-zine.kelley@robertsontraininggroup.comThe Work-from-home Fashion Primer
Last week, I reported how writers, stay-at-home parents and online marketing geeks had chosen careers as hermits: http://www.thehappyguy.com/hermit.htmlThousands of work-from-home hermits responded, confessing that they were wearing their pajamas while reading my column. Fortunately very few sent me photos. Here are some of the questions they asked:Q: Is it acceptable to wear pajamas at high noon if Nobody sees me, or am I committing a fashion faux-pas.A: It is totally acceptable to wear pajamas at high noon. You can even wear them at low noon. In fact, you can wear them all day long.
The only exception is in England you must not wear pajamas at tea time. Pajamas and tea don't mix. The combination can be lethal. (See the November 2002 report: "Spontaneous combustion among British work-at-home hermits.")Q: How should I handle "casual Fridays" in my workplace?A: I have replaced casual Fridays with "formal Thursdays...
The Work-from-home Fashion Primer
Jeans > The Work-from-home Fashion Primer
3 Most Common Questions on Candida Yeast Infection
Candida yeast infection is a very common disease and more and more people worry they may be suffering from it. Therefore there are a few questions people are asking them most often.
The first most common question is: do I have a Candida yeast infection?
Well, the answer to this question can be found in the symptoms which are characteristic for this disease. The most common symptoms are itching and the feeling of irritation in the vaginal area; redness or swelling of the vulva; a white, thick, unpleasant discharge which looks similar to cottage cheese and which has no scent, although sometimes it could smell like yeast; the feeling of burning whenever urinating or having sex.
These are the most common symptoms for Candida yeast infection.
But these symptoms are also similar to other vaginal infections or sexually transmitted diseases. Therefore you should always consult a doctor or a gynaecologist whenever having these symptoms. The...
3 Most Common Questions on Candida Yeast Infection
Jeans > 3 Most Common Questions on Candida Yeast Infection
Sterling Silver Jewelry -- Classic Simplicity
Sterling silver jewelry is synonymous with class and style in the world of fashion. Its versatility and flexibility make it a welcome and useful addition to any person's wardrobe. Sterling silver jewelry epitomizes classic simplicity in itself, but as the setting for gemstones or combined with other precious metals, the aesthetic value it lends to the wearer is inestimable.Pure silver by itself is too soft and would not be practical for jewelry and other ornamental objects. Sterling silver is made when another metal, such as copper, is added to the silver to make it hardy and tough. So while it is not as sturdy as stainless steel, sterling silver jewelry is nonetheless very durable and long-lasting.
That is why a wide array of rings, necklaces, bracelets, cuff links, belt buckles, body jewelry and more are made from sterling silver.All sterling silver jewelry is marked as such, and sometimes the name of the designer or manufacturer is engraved on the piece. It is a highly reflective...
Sterling Silver Jewelry -- Classic Simplicity
Jeans > Sterling Silver Jewelry -- Classic Simplicity
Black - Always Fashionable When Done Right
Fashion is changing.
But one thing is should be constant - black.
Nothing is boring about the newest black fashions in New York and Paris. This is a great tip, and professionals know how to make models look brilliant in black.
Black is the basis for two important looks, according to Sally Singer, Vogue's fashion news director.
"The interesting thing about black this season is that it's either used as a pop art basic against white, a '60s look that shows the graphic nature of black and white. (Christian) Dior did it well. ... Or, you see a mixing of textures and tones of black. Black velvet, black gauze, black silk or viscose.
... There's varying amounts of light that goes through it to make the black sometimes look gray, blueish or brownish," she says.
Another reason black is great for fashion, is its mess with fantastic jewelry. Style.com's executive fashion director Candy Pratts Price "You could wear a black beaded necklace...
Jeans > Black - Always Fashionable When Done Right
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