Still Wondering about this Mattress Sale
This week during a sales meeting one of our Branch Managers told a
story that had most of us chuckling and scratching our heads.
A few weeks ago Jim and his wife went shopping for a mattress for their daughter. They went into a large national mattress store and were greeted by a young sales associate who showed them the mattresses available. Jim said they hadn’t done much research on mattresses but the prices seemed fair. They went ahead and picked out a mattress and were ready to make the purchase at the price the associate quoted. So far so good.
Then without Jim or his wife asking for a discount, the associate told them of the store’s policy to meet any competitor’s lower price. Next, without any encouragement the sales associate whipped out her cell phone and looked up the price on Amazon which was about half the price for the same mattress. Jim while please with the savings was stunned that the associate would make such a blunder when he was willing to pay the original quoted price.
Jim leads a very large, dynamic and successful sales team and seemed to be miffed that someone in sales could or would make such a mistake.
After the meeting, a couple of us were discussing Jim’s story and wondering if we had any Account Managers that might be making the same mistakes.
We kind of came to the conclusion that the sales associate probably didn’t make a purchase without getting online and checking prices and figured everyone else did the same or she may have thought Jim and his wife were just so nice she would just give them a break (they are really nice). Who knows, but the associate sold the mattress for half the price that Jim was willing to pay.
So I’m sitting at the airport waiting on a late night flight back home and find myself still thinking about Jim’s story and how we can prevent this from happening to our sales team.
I’m wondering how much our sales style is predetermined by the way we like to buy?
- If price is the main driver of the things you purchase are you more likely to sell on price?
- What if the features of a product are your main concern are you more inclined to lead with features and benefits?
- Maybe you analyze the products you buy to determine value of the product. Will you assume everyone does the same and sell on overall value rather than selling on price?
If the mattress store’s sales associate would have just asked a couple of questions she most likely could have determined what were Jim’s motivating factors for buying the mattress. The associate probably assumed (oops) price was the key factor which would have been her motivating factor.
Jim told us that the price of the mattress wasn’t a big deal he just wanted to get a mattress bought, get back home and continue with his weekend.
I would probably question the sale’s associates sales training or maybe lack of training in this case but without knowing more all we can do is wonder why.
I do know that without a good sales process in place, becoming solid in the sales basics and being intentional with every sale we make we probably have a tendency to sell like we like to be sold.
I would like to hear your thoughts or if you have had similar experiences as Jim and his wife.
Please leave a comment below or you can email me at feedback@wewaonthenet.com.
You can also follow me on twitter at www.twitter.com/WE_Ward where I tweet articles and quotes I come across each week that I think may be of interest.
Now let’s get out there and over-deliver!
What I Learned at the Zoo about Sales
I may be getting a little off topic with this week’s post but I would like
to share how a trip with our granddaughter to the Zoo has me thinking that a zoo may be the perfect sales and business model.
This past weekend we decided to take our granddaughter along with her mom and dad to the Zoo. She is only 18 months old so we had some reservations on how the outing would go but with grandma being a huge animal lover we figured the nut wouldn’t fall to far from the tree. Besides it’s never a bad day if you can spend it with your kids and grandkids.
So after a good breakfast and a little sunscreen we’re off to see the animals.
When we arrived we were nicely greeted with free parking. The other, much larger zoos in the area begin their fundraising in the parking lot but not here. After a short stroller ride we reached the pay window which was manned by a young man who graciously asked if I qualified for the Senior Citizen discount. I’m not sure that was the perfect question to ask while trying to make a sale but for a couple of bucks off I’ll let it slide.
Once inside the Zoo I noticed how clean and well kept the grounds seemed and without much thought the walkway led us down to where we needed to start our adventure. First up was the Pink Flamingos. As we got closer you could see our granddaughter’s eyes light up, her finger starting to point at the pink birds and that big mostly toothless smile came across her face.
That excitement and smile stayed on her and grandma’s face for the entire time we were in the Zoo. At times it was almost a dash to see the next exhibit.
While in the park I began to notice how happy and relaxed everyone seemed. There were lots of grandparents with their grandkids just like us but also many couples both young and old and of course mostly parents with their kids all having fun.
Even the workers appeared to really enjoy their job. I realize many of them may have been volunteers but they were all very friendly and helpful. I had no doubt they cared about making the Zoo experience as good as it could be for their guests.
But I guess what really got me thinking about this being a great business model to study was when we finished with the tour and had to walk through the gift shop to exit. As I’ve said in previous posts I’m no shopper but this time it was different.
The Zoo had provided so much pleasure and enjoyment (value) that in a weird kind of way I felt obligated to buy something to help pay them back. We paid to get in but they exceeded our expectations and over-delivered and seemed to deserve more.
As a business owner, manager or salesperson what more could you want than to provide your customers with an experience so good that they feel obligated or at the very least wanting to buy what you are selling because of the value you have provided them.
This Zoo (business) made it very easy to do business with them. From the very start I knew they were in the customer satisfaction business and not the selling tickets and parking space rental business. When we got to the pay window they began building trust by offering discounts without being asked.
The layout of the park was such that you didn’t have to worry about which way to go. We could just take our time follow the path and enjoy ourselves. The employees and volunteers seemed as though they enjoyed being there as much as we did.
Then after they had met and exceeded our expectations they brought us into their sales area so we could buy a little something to remember them.
I think this is the key to every business and where many business and salespeople fail. We try to make the sale before we gain the trust and show/prove the value to our customers. We fail to create a working environment where our employees and co-workers are just as happy and engaged as our customers. And many times we don’t come close to exceeding our customer’s expectations.
I would suggest if you can find the time go to a Zoo and just sit back and observe. I think you will see a very good business model that you may want to incorporate into you business.
I feel bad about waiting till the end to give this Zoo the ultimate business compliment – a referral.
I recommend the Frank Buck Zoo in Gainesville, Texas. Gainesville is about 60 miles North of Fort Worth on I-35. There are bigger and more famous Zoos in the area but the Frank Buck Zoo was outstanding.
One more thing, before you go to the Zoo get a roll of quarters. You will need them for the goat petting area.
Thank you for taking the time to read this article. If you would like, please leave a comment below or you can email me at feedback@wewaonthenet.com.
You can also follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/WE_Ward where I tweet articles I come across each week that I think may be of interest.
Now let’s get out there and over-deliver!
What Makes a Sales Rainmaker?
This week I came across a book that I had read several years ago called “How to Become a Rainmaker” by Jeffery J. Fox. I noticed that I had dog-eared and highlighted many of the pages. This book is chocked full of ideas to help new and seasoned Account Managers become top sales performers or as the author refers to them as “Rainmakers”.
One of the chapters that caught my attention was “How to recognize a Rainmaker” which is the motivation for this article and a series of articles I plan to write in the next couple of weeks called “The Rainmaker Series”.
In the chapter, Mr. Fox answers the question “What one attribute makes a Rainmaker — the “Best” salesperson?” He feels the answer is really very simple “they sell more than the others”.
Mr. Fox goes on to state:
“When the score is tallied, it doesn’t matter how hard someone worked, or how many brilliant memos someone wrote, or how perfect the monthly reports. It doesn’t matter how clever the conversation, how hip the clothes, or how smooth the style. The only score that counts is how much money is generated.”
This may sound as though it’s only the sale that matters. Which, at the end of the day or when the final score is tallied may be true but it is and has always been the Salesperson who practices and perfects the many skills needed and develops good work and sales habits that will have the best chance to become a Rainmaker.
The really successful Account Managers and Salespeople that I have worked with possess many of the same skills. Some of these are:
- Assertive
- Organized
- Good listener
- Able to communicate effectively
- Willingness to learn
- Care about their customer’s needs
- Never satisfied with just being average
These are the skills needed by all Salespeople but the really good Salespeople do most of these things much better than the others.
So, if your desire is to become a Rainmaker or Top Salesperson for your company or organization, please follow along as I discuss each of the skills in depth over the next few weeks. I will also interview some of the most successful Account Managers in our organization and find out what they think has made them so successful.
As you read the articles please ask yourself “What skills and habits do these people possess that I don’t or that I may need to improve?”
I hope you enjoy this upcoming series. If you would like me to cover a topic that I may not have mentioned above or would just like to leave a comment please do so below or you can email me a feedback@wewaonthenet.com.
You can also follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/WE_Ward where I tweet articles I come across each week that I think may be of interest.
Now let’s get out there and over-deliver!
Do Your Salespeople Look Like Quarterbacks?
Fall is one of the best times of the year. With football getting back in
full swing and being fortunate enough to live in a college town, it seems I can’t go anywhere without bumping into someone as excited as me about the upcoming football season.
This year we have a new coach who I believe has us going in a new and very exciting direction. He is trying to decide on a starting quarterback and I have been carefully trying to follow his process. (I doubt he’ll call and ask my opinion.)
So, with football heavily on my mind, I have been thinking about the similarities of a Quarterback and what a Coach looks for when choosing his Starter and what we as Sales Managers should look for when choosing our Account Managers and Salespeople.
Besides physical abilities, the skills needed to be a First String Quarterback are very close to the skills that are required to be a Top Performing Account Manager and Salesperson.
A Quarterback must:
- Be able to influence teammates to believe in him and the team
- Have the intelligence to remember and execute all the plays in the playbook
- Be willing to put in the time to prepare for the season and each game
- Have the capacity to quickly adjust to changing circumstances during the game
- Have the mental toughness to handle both wins and losses (touchdowns and interceptions)
- Desire to over-deliver each and every game (not just be average)
As a Sales or Account Manager you can see that the skills of a Quarterback look very much like the skills needed to be successful in Sales.
A Salesperson must:
- Be able to influence customers to believe in them and what they are selling
- Have the intelligence to appropriately implement all of their sales tools as needed
- Be willing to put in the time to prepare for the week and each sales call
- Have the capacity to quickly adjust to changing circumstances in the sales process
- Have the mental toughness to handle both wins and losses (making the sale and getting rejected)
- Desire to over-deliver each and every day (not just be average)
I know I have over simplified the skills needed to be both a Quarterback and a Salesperson but the similarities are remarkable.
I doubt if many Quarterbacks will be reading this article but I don’t think it would take much convincing for a Quarterback to think of himself as Salesperson. Just watch TV this Sunday and see who’s in the Shaving commercials.
What may be the bigger challenge is to get our Account Managers and Salespeople to think of themselves as Quarterbacks.
Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you would like, please leave a comment below or you can email me at feedback@wewaonthenet.com.
You can also follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/WE_Ward.
Now let’s get out there and over-deliver!
Go Tech!
Buyer’s Remorse
We’re in Las Vegas this week taking what I think is a well deserved
vacation. The casinos were getting the better of us, so what better place to go shopping than in Vegas. I had no plans to post an article this week but thought some of you may enjoy this story.
Please note this article was written as a daily journal entry while I was sitting on a bench in an Outlet Mall watching people as my wife shopped. I’m a better watcher than shopper.
We are at the Outlet Mall and I’m setting on a bench watching people while Anita shops. This is back to school week so not many kids running around but the mall still seems busy. It appears that 40% to 60% off is common in most stores today. This may be the normal discount for an outlet mall but sales seem brisk.
I don’t know what the Timberland store sells but a lot of their sacks are being carried through the mall. This reminds me of my Aunt who likes to go around with her Neiman Marcus sack so everyone knows she has shopped there. Maybe a Timberland sack has some sort of status associated with it that I don’t know about.
So, I just bought a pair of shoes that I really didn’t need but the price was right. The funny thing I wondered how the store could or would sell a pair of shoes so cheap. I bought the shoes for 75% off and feel I got a great deal.
If I had bought the shoes last week for 40% off I probably would feel the same way (what a deal). But if I come back tomorrow and the shoes are 90% off I may not think it was so great.
As I continue to wait, I’m thinking if I had really thought before buying the shoes and got more information, I might have realized the reason for the heavy discount was because no one liked these shoes. Hell, I’m not sure I like the shoes either but what a great price.
So, 75% off for a pair of shoes that nobody wants is probably not a great but a fair price for today.
Do you sense a little buyer’s remorse sneaking in?
As I still continue to wait, I think if this is only a fair price for a pair of shoes that nobody wants and I really don’t like maybe I should just take them back.
Nope, no can do! I just remembered the sign in the window said “All Sales Final” “NO RETURNS”.
What a Sale?
Maybe, I need to run down and get one of those Timberland sacks to carry my 75% off pair of shoes, which I don’t really like and nobody else wants back to the hotel in.
I wouldn’t want anyone to think I was cheap.
I would like to like to have a good moral to this story or some great insight to how they used their sales and marketing skills to get me to buy these shoes. But I think it is as simple as:
If you have something on your shelves that nobody wants just mark it down enough and someone (me) will come along and buy it. I should have known better.
You never know the thoughts that pop into your mind as you sit in a crowed outlet mall watching shoppers while on vacation!
Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you would like, please leave a comment below or you can email me at feedback@wewaonthenet.com.
You can also follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/WE_Ward.
Next week back to work!
Now let’s get out there and over-deliver!
September Tip of the Month – Google Alerts
In last month’s tip, I discussed using Google Search to help learn more about your customers.
This month, I would like to help you automate the search process once you have identified industries and customers you are interested in following.
Google Alerts
Google Alerts is an application that will email you when Google finds results that match your search terms in the future.
From the Google Alerts web page, people use alerts to:
- find out what is being said about their company or product
- monitor developing news
- keep up with a competitor or industry
- find our what’s being said about themselves
So to get started, go to Google Alerts and enter the term or phrase you want to monitor in the search query. The more specific you can be the better. You may need to experiment with the search terms to get the results you are wanting.
Once the alert or alerts are set up you will receive an email when Google finds results from your query.
I would suggest setting up queries for customers and industries you are directly involved with.
You may want to include a search with your company name.
You should also setup a search with “your” name so you will know if you are mentioned in any web articles or in the social media such as Facebook and Twitter.
There have been some discussions that Google may be discontinuing Google Alerts in the future but for now it still works.
Thank you for taking time to read this post. If you would like, please leave a comment below or you can email me at feedback@wewaonthenet.com.
You can also follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/WE_Ward.
Now let’s get out there and over-deliver!
Keep it Simple and Easy
I had planned to discuss how the sales process really didn’t need to be all that complicated. By keeping it simple and repeatable you can build a very successful sales team.
But as I began writing the article, I began to realize that while simple is exactly what we need to help ourselves as sales and account managers with the sales process, we must never forget to keep the process simple and easy for the customer.
I was talking last week with one of our managers and he told me that one of his long time customer’s had commented about us not being as easy to do business with as we used to be.
This is one of my fears that in our attempts to be efficient, accurate and striving for perfection that we may at times forget how the customer is affected. How many times do we put processes in place with little regard to the customer’s experience?
Take for instance the signature capture machines at most checkout stands. Please realize that I am not much of a shopper and I try to pay with cash when possible. So this may be more of a rant than a good example but for me I hate those machines.
First of all, when is the best time to swipe the card? I usually wait until the cashier looks at me disapprovingly and tells me to go ahead and swipe my card. Then I have to figure out which way to turn the card. I usually hear “try it again”.
Next, I have to try to read the small scratched up screen and check on the correct box. Why couldn’t they say the same thing? One place you are asked to check “yes” if everything is correct other place it’s “no” I don’t need anything else.
Maybe then I get to the signature box. I know there is no way what I scribble in the box resembles my signature. Have you ever noticed there is not an eraser on those pens?
Many times, the cashier will ask to see the card and type in a couple of numbers from the front or back of the card.
So why do I have to go through all the hassle with the little box with the scratched up screen answering questions, if the cashier is going to ask for my card anyway?
I’m sure there is a legitimate reason for the machines. Capturing my signature electronically is a reasonable expectation but if you’re going to ask to see my card don’t put me through all the other hassles. Heck, I had to sign one of those machines the other day when I paid cash. I wonder who added that process.
I know this was a silly example but please begin to review “your” processes and customer touch points and ask yourself “Is this simple and easy for the customer?”
Maybe better yet, “Is this process even needed at all?”
Thank you for taking time to read this post. If you have any examples of processes that makes buying harder for you than it needs to be, please leave a comment below or you can email me at feedback@wewaonthenet.com.
You can also follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/WE_Ward.
Now let’s get out there and over-deliver!
Who is your Ideal Customer?
Tell me “What does your ideal Customer look like?”
I’m not asking about their physical appearance but what characteristics do you think your customers should have that would make them a perfect customer. I have asked Account Managers this question many times and I usually get many of the same answers:
* Buys/needs what I have to sell
* Wants to be a partner
* Pays on time
* Respects my knowledge
I can’t disagree that these are all very important but I think as Sales and Account Manager’s we must dig much deeper to really find our ideal customers.
Our Marketing efforts will or should have identified the “Ideal Customers” by industries, segments and products that are most likely to be profitable.
Operations should be in place to provide the needed support and have the inventory and logistics to handle your sales.
The Credit Department will have analyzed the credit risk’s involved and be knowledgable with terms and conditions within each industry.
Now it is up to us to go out and make the sell. Whether you are a seasoned salesperson or just starting your career, you must be able to identify the “customers” or “customer types” that will make you most successful.
You can Google “Who’s your Ideal Customer” and find many resources and processes to help in your search. One of the most popular and logical I’ve seen and used is to make a list of all your customers. Then arrange them in some order. You can use your own benchmarks but most common are:
* Revenue (Sales or Gross Margin)
* Longevity as a customer
* Partner-ability
* Willingness to be a reference
Then you compare each customer to the criteria selected to help identify your best or ideal customers.
This will give you a good idea of customers that are most likely to be the most successful accounts. But I think if you stop here you will be missing maybe the most important aspect of “your” Ideal Customer.
When making a list like above, many times it will miss the intangibles or things that you just can’t easily benchmark.
I hope we all agree that the Account Manager’s ability to build strong and lasting relationships with customer’s is essential to everyones success.
So when I ask the question “Who’s your Ideal Customer?” what I’m really wanting to find out is who’s that customer that makes you love what you do. Which customer or customers are you most likely to go the extra mile for and always looking for ways to over-deliver. Who’s the customer that you are eager to go in early to see and don’t mind staying late to take care of. These will probably be the customers you will also consider friends and not just customers.
Let’s go through the same process as above but with a different benchmark that only you can know:
Make a list of all your customers using the criteria in the paragraph above and arrange them in order of those you’re always eager to call on first and those that you always find a reason to avoid last.
Now compare this list to the first list. I think you will see many similarities. I’m sure you will find that many of your customers will be in the same order as above. Your ideal customers from an analytical approach will be much the same as you personal list.
Here is where I tend to differ from the many articles that you may read.
I think that as Sales and Account Managers our ideal customers will be the the customers that we can most closely relate to on some personal level. I know this is too much of a general statement and does not always hold true but with the exception of possibly revenue, the analytical benchmarks used above may have as much to do with relationships with the Company and Account Managers as anything else.
If you can identify the things that are most common in “your” best customers list, you will be much more likely to be successful as you grow your business. You will be adding customers with the same characteristics that you are most passionate about and most willing to give your all.
I have struggled for several weeks with how best to write this article. I know it may lack in order and flow but I had to attempt to get my thoughts out as best as possible. I think the reason I’ve struggled the past few weeks with this topic is that these are the topics that we as Sales Managers find most difficult to teach.
How do we teach our Salespeople the importance of loving what they do?
Can we show our Account Managers that being passionate in all they do and willing to give their “all” is really the secret to being successful in anything they pursue.
And insisting that they are always trying to exceed their customer expectations.
Sales processes can easily be taught, best practices and sales tips learned but it’s the intangibles that helps us find our “Ideal Customer and Customers”.
Thank you for taking time to read this post. If you would like, please leave a comment below or you can email me at feedback@wewaonthenet.com.
You can also follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/WE_Ward.
Now let’s get out there and over-deliver!
Nothing Happens until the Customer Says
Nothing happens until you sell something!
While I believe this statement is true, it is a somewhat selfish view. As a Sales Manager I would like to believe that without sales, business as we know it would cease to exist and the epicenter of every company should revolve around the Sales Team and Salespeople. But I have learned that while sales are extremely important the truth is:
Nothing happens until the Customer says it happens.
No matter how good your products or how creative your marketing department or even how great your sales team, if your customers are not willing to buy, nothing else matters.
But you might remember from the last post that I said “Everything Matters” which I firmly believe but not without knowing what matters to your customers. They are the ones that tell you what they really care about.
So whether you are the Owner of the company, a rookie Account Manager or anyone in-between, this week you need to ask yourself “What really matters to my customers?” Then consider “What can I do to make it happen?”
If you are a Marketing, Sales or Account Manager here’s my suggestion:
Step One: Identify what matters to your customers. If you don’t know or can’t write down with certainty five to six things that really matter, you have some additional work to do. Don’t go any further until you know.
Step Two: Review your marketing and sales plans. Make sure the items identified above are included in the plans. If they are not, begin to revise the plans to include the things that matter.
Step Three: Remove things from the plans that don’t matter. This may be the hardest of part of the process. I see in many/most cases marketing and sales plans that are filled full of things that matter to the company, department or person making the plan and little to do with the customer. If it doesn’t matter to the customer and is not necessary to the company consider removing it from the plan.
Step Four: Implement the revised plan. Now you have a plan that should be focused on what matters to the customer and your business and less on what makes no difference.
How many times do you see Marketing and Sales strategies completely miss the target?
The solutions they are offering really don’t matter to the customer. I have an inbox full of these missed strategies every morning and every Tuesday my mailbox at home is full of the same. (I didn’t realize until last week that Tuesdays are the Post Office’s junk mail day in our town)
It seems companies trying to sell you something really don’t know you at all and what matters is what matters to them. (although they try to make you believe differently)
If you will start with the four steps above, you may find you are doing everything perfectly. If so congratulations and keep up the good work.
But if not, you must start by implementing the things that matter and eliminating the things that don’t. You will quickly begin to see a change with your customers and the relationships you are trying to grow.
Once they realize you and your company understands what really matters to them and that you have the products and solutions they need, you will begin to see great things start to happen.
Remember what I said at the beginning of this post:
Nothing happens until the Customer says it happens and “then” it only happens when you sell something!
Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you would like, please leave a comment below or you can email me at feedback@wewaonthenet.com.
You can also follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/WE_Ward.
Now let’s get out there and over-deliver!
What’s Your Personal Brand?
As a Sales or Account Manager (for that matter anyone who sales
anything) you are constantly asked “What Brand or Brands do you Sell?” But have you ever asked yourself “What’s my Brand?”
When a customer or client thinks of you what quickly pops into their mind?
Companies spend enormous amounts of time and money trying to create and market their brand. These efforts are an attempt to influence how customers both present and future think about their products and services. They hire marketing teams, sales teams and advertisers to influence how we think and feel when we hear their name or go to buy their product.
Let me try to give you a quick example. As I mentioned last week, I’m in the process of buying a new truck. I’m worrying everyone around me to death about which brand of truck to buy and they wish I would just buy a truck and be done with it. My Son-in-Law told me I needed to just “go ahead and pull the trigger” and I agree. But I digress.
Automobile companies spend huge amounts of money to influence which brand of car or truck we buy. Take for instance General Motors with their 3 divisions. There may be more but Cadillac, GMC and Chevrolet are the big three. They are all owned by the same company and each of their vehicles do essentially the same thing. They get you where you want to go and back again. Most of the parts are the same and in many cases they look almost alike. But through their successful attempts to brand each of these divisions differently there is a perceived difference. If I say I’m looking to buy a Cadillac you have different thoughts that if I say I’m buying a Chevrolet. Agreed?
I know there are some differences in the two and I won’t get into that but besides being a bit jealous of you guys in your nice Escalades, I feel Cadillacs and Chevrolets are basically the same. That’s just my perception. I see very little value in the brand differences but apparently others do. Cadillac still has some marketing work to do on me.
This leads us to “What’s your Brand?”
As Salespeople I think we spend all our time influencing our customers on our company’s brand and the products and brands we sell. Many times we forget to think about our personal brand. That’s a lot of brands to worry about.
Many of our customers see us as just another salesperson, grouping us as all one and the same, much as I did above with Cadillac and Chevrolet but we can help change that with our personal brand.
Being a Sales Manager, I spend much of my time making sure we are promoting and influencing the brands we sell. We take the lead from marketing and hit the streets trying to influence our customers to buy our products. When they have a need, we want them to think of us.
But just as important is how they think about our Account Managers.
If you are a Salesperson or Account Manager do you give much thought to what your customer perceives when they think of you?
Are you thought of as:
* Smart
* Trustworthy
* Helpful
* Part of their team
or:
* Never prepared
* Sloppy
* Pushy
* Just another Salesman
When you go into your customer or client’s office are you projecting the image you want your customer to see?
Have you prepared for the sales call well enough that your customer always feels they are getting a value when you see them?
But most importantly, when you leave are they thinking about you the way you want them to think about you?
This is your personal brand. It is no less important than your company’s brand or the brand of the products you are selling.
I can’t stress enough that as Sales and Account Managers we must be intentional in everything we do. To build your personal brand you must do so with intent.
In our company we have a Corporate Philosophy that “Everything Matters.” We try extremely hard to pay attention to the details and not take things for granted.
I encourage when looking at and building your “Personal Brand” that you pay attention to the details and remember to your customer “Everything Matters.”
Everyone has a personal brand whether they know it are not. Your brand is how you are perceived by others.
Do “you” want to be perceived or thought of as a Cadillac or a Chevrolet?
If you have any helpful suggestions please leave a comment below or you can email me at feedback@wewaonthenet.com.
You can also follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/WE_Ward.
Now let’s get out there and over-deliver!
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