Build Your Business by Building Relationships
by: Charlotte Farrior
People do business with people that they know and trust. As a solo
entrepreneur, your goals will be to make yourself known to your target market
and then elevate the relationship to the trust level. This process of building
relationships can take many forms. Take a few minutes to review what is working
for you in this area. Then consider these ideas to add to your relationship
building toolkit.
30 Second Introduction
Have you upgraded your 30 second introduction lately? If you haven’t revised
it in the past year chances are the impact may be stale. A new introduction can
spark your own energy which will show when you introduce yourself. Consider the
use of powerful action words such as create, design, compose, organize,
generate, solve, produce, and supply. Deliver it in front of a mirror and see
what others see.
What do you have to give?
We often think of what we want to get from relationships. Things like a
request for proposal, a new resource, a potential alliance, or a business
contact or sale. Flip this over and consider what you are willing to GIVE to
your network of potential customers. Do you offer sample products or trial
services? Do you have free information that your target market can use? Can you
provide a free evaluation of your client’s current service provider? Keep in
mind that building relationships is a two way flow that begins with you.
Approaching these relationships in a giving, proactive mode is a terrific
beginning.
Follow up, Follow up
The simple act of following up with individuals that you meet for the first
time will make you stand out. Very few people use a consistent follow up method
over a period of time. You must have contact information in order to implement
this step. Successful follow up actions include handwritten notes (they stand
out), e-zines, newsletters, holiday or birthday cards, an article of interest,
and invitations to an event. Choose several actions that fit your personal style
and do them consistently. Watch your network grow as you demonstrate an interest
in building the relationship.
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Tracking System
Consistency in building relationships will be difficult to maintain without a
method to capture and maintain contact information in a practical way. This
means being accessible and easily updated for changes. Contact software such as
ACT, Goldmine, and Outlook were created for this purpose. Other options include
business card files, Rolodex, Palm Pilots, and planner systems such as Day-timer
or Franklin. Choose the system that fits your work style and schedule time for
communication with your contacts and maintenance of the database. This nut and
bolts step is an important part of building relationships over time.
Plant a Seed
Think of building relationships in the same way as planting seeds. In order
for the seeds to grow, they need water, food, and sunlight over time. For
relationships to grow, you provide opportunities for your network to get to know
you, what you provide, and ultimately trust you with their business.
marketing, business development, networking, business relationships
About The Author
Charlotte Farrior is a coach who works with people willing to invest in
themselves. Her specialty is supporting those who believe in possibilities and
are willing to create an amazing future. Learn more about Charlotte at
http://www.corporatecoaching101.com
Copyright 2004, Charlotte Farrior
Assumptions – The Hidden Sales Killer
by: Kelley Robertson
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.”
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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.
About The Author
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.com
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