original text is in this tread.
1) Never discuss their oppositions business. If they see you being indiscreet about someone else, they will expect you to be the same behind their back. It takes years to build a reputation and trust and seconds to blow it all.
2) Be very careful criticising previous or current work. If you say who was the idiot that did that (or even subtly imply it) the idiot may be the one facing you.
3) Keep in depth contacts at the major existing accounts. As David found out, your contacts do move on and you need second and third or more contacts to maintain the business long term.
4) Knock on doors and use the phone. Both forms are required, but show respect for their time and don't waste it.
5) Prospects who don't see reps will see you if you can tweak their interest. They need confidence that you won't be wasting their time and you will likely impart knowledge to them or have a deal to suit their needs. Start of brief and very to the point about your companies capabilities and their needs and where they might overlap.
6) If your product or service does not fit their needs, say so. Maybe then explore a bit deeper if they are happy to continue, but don't flog a dead horse. It wastes everyone's time.
7) If you can't offer a really suitable product, walk away gracefully. That way you are much more likely to get another chance when you do have something they can use. Overselling an unsuitable product usually ends up in a failed project down the line and lots of burned bridges and even law suits.
8) If it is going to be a difficult or experimental project and nobody has a suitable product, go in on a VERY clear understanding that you will work with them, but you are both going where no man has been before and the risks are high for both. Even then they may use you as a scape goat.
9) If you get business easy or only on price, you can lose it just as easy.
10) For any really good customers, you really don't win their business, there current supplier loses it. You just need to be there or in the front of their mind when the current supplier stuffs up bad. This takes patience and serenity.
11) Sometimes a customer won't deal with you if they think you might also be working with a competitor. It can be done at times, but you need to be very careful about it and don't even try if an existing loyal customer is likely to react badly. For that to work, the existing customer needs to trust you implicitly.
12) Never sell purely on price. Sell on value. That is quite often the lowest price, but on occasion can be the highest price if your product has a major advantage. Higher price, higher benefit is often a harder sell as the price is a concrete principle and the benefit might be abstract.
13) Never promise more than you can deliver, and always follow up and deliver what you promise.
14) Never go into an introductory or first visit with everything. No one does a real deal on the first visit. Show them enough to tweak interest, but also search for their needs. You will very likely find they are different to your original thoughts. When you come back, you have had time to think and prepare and are then much better prepared to really meet their needs.
15) Listen more than you talk. You do not need to talk them into something, you need to identify their needs and align your offer to match. That takes carefully though out questions, product knowledge and a willingness to listen and learn.
16) Never be shy to ask for the order. They only agreed to spend their valuable time with you because they expect to get something they need from you. Once you identify a match between your wares and their needs, always ask for the order, but never push.
17) Always have a clear objective in mind whenever you call. Saying things like I was in the area, so I thought I would just drop in really shows disrespect and disregard for their time. Saying things like "I have reason to think we might have something of interest to you and I would like to investigate that" or "we are a supplier to your industry and I would like to investigate to see if we have something that will meet your needs" are much better lines to request an interview or to start of a cold call.
18) Your objectives should never be carved in stone. If the customer has done a 180 for whatever reason, think about your objective and change to plan B post haste if apropriate. I can recite a real good real world example of this if you wish to be bored with a long detailed story."
No comments:
Post a Comment