December 2007

Sales  for  the  Non-Salesperson Everyone who earns a paycheck "sells" their employer to the public in a variety of settings.  Are they representing you well? As a business owner or manager, you cannot afford less-than-the-best public image.  Want to know how to improve these "sales" of your organization?  Try these strategies. Key Strategies 1. Help Your People to Feel Pride Ask  your staff, "what are we most proud of about our organization?"  They will have a variety of answers.  All of them are correct.  Write them and post them on large signs everywhere.  Keep your employees focused on what they are and should be proud of. 2. Understand  Your  Customers Three questions: Who are your real customers? What is it they really want? Why do they want those things? The answer to these questions will tell you the benefits the customer gets when they buy your product or use your services.  Make your staff aware of what those benefits are. 3. Teach Your Staff to Ask Questions Your potential customers will give you information if you ask for it.  So teach your staff a short script that will help them to understand the customers.  Questions beginning with "who, when, or where" are short answer.   Questions beginning with "what, why, or how" are long answer.  Avoid "yes - no" questions. 4. Listen Carefully Use this rule:  "You have two ears, and one mouth.  Use them in those proportions."  Listen twice as much as you talk.  When you talk, it should be to ask more questions, gather more details, or to suggest a benefit your organization offers that might fill a need that you've identified. 5. Connect Your Solution to Their Problem If your whole staff knows what problems you solve, and what benefits you offer, then they can suggest a possible path for solving a dilemma for a potential customer.  Then they should ask for the name of the person who your real salesperson ought to contact to discuss the possibilities further. 6. Reward for Leads Give generous rewards to all employees who bring in leads to potential customers.  Get them tangibly excited about helping the sales force.

For information concerning SMBC Incorporated contact: Lou Carloni lou@smbcinc.com

Web Page Updated by: Shannon Hansen shannon@smbcinc.com

© SMBC Incorporated  2007