Build More Than Relationships With Customers

A lot of salespeople say to us that they spend so much time building relationships with prospects, but don’t always get the order.

They ask us ‘If relationships are so important to the sales process, why aren’t we selling every time? Are we wasting our time?’

No, not really. But see it from the customer’s point of view. You’re nice to them. You spend time with them. You show them your experience. You educate them.

And what do they owe you? Nothing, except a massive big ‘thank you’.

The debt that was owed by you being nice has now been paid off.

So, you need to be more assertive than just building the relationship. You need to ascertain the pain and opportunity that your product and service can offer the customer. You need to go deeper than just relationship-building. Seriously, if you were really that good for them, you would be doing business with them, not just gaining their appreciation, acceptance and approval.

Build on the relationship niceties by being professional as well as spending time with them. Be an advisor as well as a friend. Be a consultant to their business as well as an educator. Be a partner and well as being knowledgable.

If you show how your product and service can help them be more productive or profitable, you build more than a debt of gratitude for your help; you build a catalogue of reasons for them to do business with you.

Happy Selling!

Sean

Sean McPheat
Managing Director

MTD Sales Training | Image courtesy of Big Stock Photo