Impress Your Customer: 7 Easy Strategies
The following basic tips aren't news for seasoned sales pros, but you'd be surprised how many novices either don't know them or aren't following them:
- Strategy #1: Tune your first impression. A bad first impression is almost impossible to overcome. Make certain you look like someone the customer will want to work with.
- Strategy #2: Develop a friendly greeting. If you're in sales, your smile, handshake and eye contact should be top quality. Rehearse these with a colleague who'll give honest feedback.
- Strategy #3: Always get the name right. Be fanatical about pronunciation with unusual names. Prospects will appreciate it and it will communicate that you care.
- Strategy #4: Focus on the customer. If you find yourself talking too much about your weekend, your golf game, your family or your job, then you're probably not listening enough.
- Strategy #5: Remember personal information. Record interesting information, like the names of family members and birthdays. Then show your customers that you remembered.
- Strategy #6: Always speak positively. Whatever the temptation, avoid criticizing anyone, even a competitor, in front of your customers. Criticizing others makes you look underhanded.
- Strategy #7: Stay appropriately upbeat. A positive attitude, fueled by honest curiosity, energy and enthusiasm, makes people WANT to work with you.
READERS: Any other quick tips to share?