Sell, Don't Just Service
The core competency of sales is the ability to develop new business. -Mike Stewart, CSP
"I can't believe you fired my rep!" the irate customer exclaimed to my Client, a sales manager for a well-known manufacturing company. "He just called to tell me about what happened, and he is really upset. I don't blame him a bit, and, to tell you the truth, I'm probably as upset about it as he is!
"He did a great job for us. We never had a problem and I knew I could always count on him. Just so you know, (he) told me that we were his biggest customer, but, frankly, I'm not too sure I want to keep doing business with a company like yours that doesn't recognize dedication and ability in a person like (him)."
My Client made an appointment with this important customer, the company's biggest contributor in the Northeast, and flew up to meet with him that week. After letting the customer blow off steam and tell him for the hundredth time what a "great job" the sales rep had done, my Client asked his customer a few questions, including:
"How important are new sales in your business?" (Very important.)
"What would happen to your business if you didn't have any new sales?" (We would be in trouble, and maybe even go out of business. Or, they would probably replace me before that happened.)
"Since we're a sales organization, too, we're pretty much in the same boat. I know (our rep) did a good job of servicing you on your regular business, but let me ask you this. How much new business did you give us over the last several years?" (None)
"Why not?" (He never asked me!)
My Client's customer understood the simple business proposition represented in this exchange. He then learned that he had missed several growth opportunities because the rep had actually not done a good job, after all, because he failed to prospect for new business when he should have. The relationship between my Client and this important customer was restored and the customer contributed considerably more new sales for my Client after that.
Actually, this case is representative of several more instances exactly like it that I've heard of in the last few weeks.
Dear reader, here are some tips to help you Break-Away, break free of the past, take control in the present, and head toward your goals for the future, and get vital new sales from your existing customers:
1. Review your Current Customers and identify those who offer the greatest potential for new business.
2. Identify exactly what kind of business opportunities you suspect they may offer, and your best guess as to the potential volume of such business to your company.
3. When you are scheduling your calls, be sure to give your highest priority to the customers offering the greatest potential for future sales.
4. During your pre-call planning for each of these calls, think of potential questions you can ask to gather needed information and qualify each of these customers to be sure they do, in fact, represent the kind of new sales opportunities you think they may offer. Write these questions down and take them with you when you make each call.
5. During your calls, be sure to pursue your prospecting goals and actually ask these questions, and probe your customer's responses.
6. Make additional follow up calls with qualified prospects and close more new business with current customers who need more of what they are already buying, plus the new products and services you can offer them, that they are not getting from you now.
Sales is the Lifeblood; Prospecting is the Heartbeat -Mike Stewart, CSP
IMPORTANT BREAK-AWAY IDEA FOR MANAGERS:
To implement these business building ideas in your business and close more
new sales, you may want to forward it to your salespeople and have them
conduct the exercises outlined, step-by-step, and report back to you on
their progress.
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Mike Stewart, CSP Stewart & Stewart, Inc. Sales Development Resources
Break-Away is a proprietary trademark of Stewart & Stewart, Inc. when used in conjunction with a business skills or personal improvement topic description.
