Many amateur salespeople think every sales call must be an attempt to make a sale. Experienced professionals know that there is often a great deal of research, investigation, and diagnosis necessary before they can possibly think about closing a deal.
ACTION ITEM
Probe, look, and listen. Be patient. Find your competitive advantages before trying to make the sale.
The owner of a service company was really nice to the salesperson each time she stopped by. However, he claimed he was getting the best price, the best delivery, and the best inventory management when he bought from someone else. It took her more than six months to learn that most of what he claimed wasn't true. In fact, many of his suppliers were taking advantage of him, and he wasn't paying enough attention. He had items that should have been returned; he had merchandise left over for which he would never get his money back; he had warranties that should have been credited long ago. After six months, this savvy salesperson finally made her case. When she presented it to the owner and clearly demonstrated that her total service package was better, he immediately went from the prospect column to the customer column.
TAKEAWAY
Remember that the goal of a sales call may not be to
sell at all, but simply to gather critical information.