By Rick Fernandez
One of the most cost-effective ways to give your team a competitive edge is to collect industry-related articles that will motivate them with sales. Most salespeople enjoy reading articles about their industry to keep abreast of the latest news and trends. Have your team members save or print informative or motivational articles they find in newspapers, trade magazines, and on the Web.
Have you ever read something that you wished you had known before, something that would have helped you make a stronger point in a presentation, or overcome a prospect’s concerns? Of course you have! That’s the kind of information you want to use in your presentations—objective, third-party articles that discuss or highlight the industry’s continued growth and improvements, favorable statistics, awards that have been given, and so on. While they won’t necessarily guarantee a sale, they can certainly help move a potential sale to the next level (or even close one) by helping you to answer a prospect’s questions, concerns, or objections.
For this strategy to work, you’ll want to accumulate a collection of articles that address a variety of industry-related topics, then make them available to your salespeople when they’re needed. Sources include industry trade journals and newsletters, travel magazines, newspaper articles about travel destinations or vacations, and Internet news and travel sites.
It will be worth the effort, because when your salespeople hear a particular objection or need to emphasize a point they’ve made, they can use this library of articles to keep the sale moving in the right direction. In fact, some articles can be used over and over, and in time will account for thousands of dollars in earnings.
Are you looking for yet another “edge” that will clearly separate you from the average salesperson? This one is simple: do what others don’t do. Take a little extra time to make note of your customers’ personal details (complete names, address, phone numbers, emails, birthdates, anniversary date and number of years married, children’s names, hobbies, special interests, etc.) Utilize this information to build on the relationship you’ve just begun.
Contact your customers within a week of their return home to congratulate them on their purchase and remind them that you are there to assist them with questions they may have. Continue to maintain contact during holidays or important occasions (birthdays, anniversaries) by sending a greeting card, or even an article pertaining to something they mentioned that is of interest to them, perhaps a hobby.
With the free email greeting cards now available on th
e Internet, contact is immediate and the only expense is a little of your time in exchange for greater payback! It shows them that you listened, that you remember, that you care enough to take the time to touch them, and that they mean more to you than just a sale.
What’s important is that while your customers won’t expect this to happen, when it does, you can bet this attention to detail will resonate strongly with them, and your relationship will advance a step or two. Later, you will benefit when your customers return to upgrade their purchase, recommend their family and friends to you, or send referrals your way.
In turn, this will equate to sales over and above your typical daily average because you can set appointments for these prospects to maximize your time at work. Your company may even offer an added marketing allowance as payment for generating your own prospects. This would mean income over your normal sales commission or payment. Try it and see for yourself! Bear in mind that this is what you do today for an easier sale tomorrow. It’s a great way to make 2008 more prosperous for you. Happy Selling!
Holiday Equity LLC.
3605 Airport Way South, Seattle WA 98134
Email: Info@holidayequity.com | 1-800-567-9205 | International: (206) 331-3296
© 2008 Holiday Equity