Some quick thoughts on being better at selling. Remember, we are selling with every interaction we have with anyone outside the company. Every interaction is a sales opportunity because at that moment, you are the face of WJW.
- Selling is more about listening than talking…It is imperative to have the ability to have a conversation with someone when selling, but what is the point of the conversation? THE POINT IS TO FIGURE OUT HOW YOU CAN HELP THE CUSTOMER! This involves being prepared for the conversation by having an idea of what the customer does. Use that knowledge to find out how WJW is going to help them. You have to ask questions to find out what is hurting them, but YOU MUST LISTEN to the answers. Know what is being said, but also what is being left unsaid
- Your elevator speech better say two things!
- Why do customers use us
- Why we are better than anyone else
When you speak to a person and they want to know what we do, you need to have your short, 30 second pitch down and it better speak to these two pieces of information. This goes for selling to trucks, selling to customers and selling to potential employees. If you cannot articulate why a carrier should use us and why we are better, how are you going to cover loads? If you cannot express to a new customer the simple ways we are the best and why people use us, you are not going to sell. Make sure you have an elevator speech for selling according to your role in the company.
- Remember that customers care about their business, not about you or WJW. We should always have a conversation with their business as the perspective. They want to know:
- How will using WJW make me better in my job
- How will WJW improve my company
- Why should I change what I am doing
The last part is the hardest when dealing with new customers. With current customers, the last one means getting more of their work! We are always looking for ways to make their life better by giving us more responsibility. It is your job to make them understand the value we bring to THEM!
- Your reputation will precede you! If you are jerk to people on the phone when covering loads you can believe they will talk. If you make promises to a carrier or customer and do not deliver…they are going to talk! Make sure you are true to your word and that you are honest with everyone! Problems will occur in life, but it is how you deal with them that makes WJW different. I read a study once where customers are 10x more likely to share a negative experience with a vendor than a positive one. That means for every one poor experience you provide your customer, you have to make 10 great ones to help make up for it in your reputation. The easiest thing to do is simply not create a poor experience. You do that by being honest.
- Selling is about RELATONSHIP BUILDING…Customers will buy from you if they trust you, like you and respect you.