| Every salesperson has experienced the fallout from | | | | Too many salespeople forget what's like to be one of |
| working in a profession with a bad reputation. | | | | our own customers. When you see yourself through |
| Regardless of whether they sell cars, insurance, or | | | | the eyes of your customer, you quickly realize the |
| cute, cuddly puppies, people seem to turn their nose | | | | need to always provide value first. Otherwise, your |
| with just the thought of talking to a salesperson. I found | | | | motives may seem completely one-sided and selfish. |
| myself in a situation that showed me exactly why | | | | With the definition of value changing from industry to |
| salespeople are given such a bad name right after the | | | | industry, how do you know what is valuable? Simple. |
| death of my grandfather. During my grandfather's | | | | Providing value means giving your customers |
| wake, a conversation with a commercial real estate | | | | something they will appreciate; something they will |
| agent took a sharp turn towards a crude plug for his | | | | actually thank you for. It means giving them something |
| business. Among mourning friends and family, and no | | | | selflessly, without the guarantee of something in return. |
| more than ten feet from my grandfather's casket, the | | | | Whether you are cold calling, networking, or working |
| agent reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out a | | | | the phones, take a look at your contact with |
| business card. Smiling, he said, "I would love to talk to | | | | prospective customers. Are they thanking you for |
| you about a few commercial properties I have listed. | | | | what you are offering them? If not, you need to |
| Give me a call." The socially reprehensible gesture | | | | change your methods. Providing your customer with |
| smacked me coldly in the face. I couldn't stop staring | | | | value on your first encounter shows them your true |
| at the card, wondering how I had found myself in this | | | | intentions to do what is best for them. This is what |
| completely inappropriate sales moment. Was he really | | | | helps earn their trust and respect for you. This first |
| trying to sell me commercial real estate at my own | | | | step is the easiest way to build rapport with your |
| grandfather's wake? Yes, yes he was. The sting of | | | | customer, and to build the foundation for my next rule, |
| the situation lasted for several days. As I replayed the | | | | to make a friend at all costs. Your customers do |
| scenario in my mind, I suddenly understood why | | | | business with people that they like and trust as friends. |
| salespeople in every profession have such a bad | | | | Therefore, every conversation you have and action |
| reputation. | | | | you take should advance your friendship with your |
| Salespeople who see others as dollar signs and sales, | | | | prospective customer. |
| instead of real human beings, ruin the reputation of | | | | Focusing your efforts on making friends will liberate |
| honest, good-hearted salespeople. Sadly, it's only a | | | | you from the mechanical sales tricks and stiff verbiage |
| small fraction of those in the profession who make us | | | | you have learned over the years. Boil things down to |
| all look bad. The moment I realized this, I made a | | | | their core, and find simple ways to build real and |
| promise to take the moral highroad in my sales career, | | | | meaningful relationships with customers. Using these |
| and I drafted my personal sales philosophy. While the | | | | two rules helps you create a sales method that is |
| sales profession as a whole may have a bad | | | | simple and unique. When you know your customer |
| reputation, I realized I could take control of my own | | | | personally, you can shape your method to their specific |
| actions to build the solid personal reputation of a great | | | | needs. When your customer knows you personally, |
| salesman. My philosophy has two simple rules for | | | | you can dispel the bad reputation of salespeople, and |
| treating my customer the best I can: provide value first | | | | make a great name for yourself. |
| and make a friend at all costs. | | | | |