beyond the "hit & run" sale
Consider for a moment how your prospects & customers would describe your and your team's contact efforts with them.Would they say you're transactional or relationship-oriented?
A common sales acronym is ABC (Always Be Closing). A simple message. A very true message.
The challenge is to implement it without your prospect or customer feeling like you're "always trying to sell them something" with every contact. If this grows to be the perception, your access becomes limited and returned calls and emails become fewer.
This is not where you want to be.
This is a transactional relationship. It makes it extremely difficult to identify new or approaching needs. It's easily penetrated by competitors. And for those who sell to businesses, when the decision maker changes you'll be one of the last to know.
Over the next two weeks, invest some time outside the money hours* to evaluate how you and your team currently provide value beyond the transaction and create three new ways you can improve (or start) the effort to become more relationship-oriented.
Remember, you should never be too busy to further develop your business relationship with qualified prospects & customers. These are your most important people.
email just this thought to someone
*money hours: the hours in a sales day when one can talk with prospects and/ or customers... the most valuable hours of the day
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click here for a printable sales reminder of the money hours definition. |
relational vs. transactional
How would your prospects & customers describe your and your team's contact efforts with them? Would they feel your interests were their interests? Would you be considered "the resource" for your industry, product or service line? Would they feel like you're genuinely trying to save them money or time (or make them money, help them to look good or to feel good)?Some ideas to get started on being more relationship-oriented in your sales efforts...
- if you sell to businesses, make executive level to executive level contact between your organization and those to whom you sell (demonstrating a commitment to your business relationship at a higher level)
- provide industry information that helps address your clients' and prospects' needs (do it once a month or quarter regardless of a sales effort)
- establish mutual long-term goals with your primary contacts and work continually to help them achieve their goals where your industry expertise is a fit
- orchestrate efforts internally among various departments at your company to help each serve your prospects and new customers better – anticipate needs
- conduct educational seminars
