The Product We Sell
Appeared in Lubricants World, April 1999
If someone asked you what you sell, what would you
say? Oil, chemicals, whatever product you sell, right? We
really sell something so much bigger than the products and services our
customers pay us for. In small dollar sales the customer is less
conscious of value. With larger sales, the product and the resulting
relationship with the buyer are harder to separate...so you are selling
yourself.
What makes up a
relationship that adds value to your products? Our credibility,
reliability, and anticipation of customer needs are the keys to a
successful sales relationship. Our credibility comes from every
action a customer sees. We have the opportunity of gaining or losing
credibility with each promise we make to a customer.
One promise we make
is for delivery. Customers sometimes need us to accommodate their
schedule. If we tell them that their bulk delivery will arrive
within a particular window of time, we are obligated to keep this
promise. You may need to do additional work to ensure the schedule
is honored. It is time well spent. Check with the person handling
the order before the truck is scheduled. Verify there are complete
delivery instructions. It takes far less energy to attend to details
before a delivery than to reestablish credibility after a mishandled
order.
Our integrity is the
most unique and valuable product we can offer. If you are in sales
for the long haul (and why wouldn’t you be?), this is the product that ALL
customers WANT to buy. We all know examples of salespeople who over
promise and under deliver. It’s especially damaging when a salesman
makes promises for other departments. If your traffic department
commits to product delivery in five days, you’re out of line promising
three. If you want to try for three days, do it after you’ve spoken
with traffic and they’ve agreed.
The ones who over
promise and under deliver make it harder for us to do our jobs. It’s
sad when a salesperson fails to say “I don’t know” if that’s the case,
rather than pull a fast one on the customer. It’s perfectly
acceptable to say “I don’t know.” Then you follow up with “but, I
will find out.” When you do, you have enhanced your
credibility.
Every customer values
reliability. Nothing is worse to a customer than dealing with the
unexpected. When you say you will find out, you earn more
relationship value points. It’s all right to tell your customer that
you think a metalworking fluid can be successfully used at a faster
speed. Tell your customer when you will get back with him, but do it
faster than you promised! Know what’s important to each one of your
customers. Treat everything you say as a sacred promise to your
customer. Returning phone calls, sending information, following up
on details are all part of the promises you are obligated to
keep.
Needs are different
for each type of account. What is important to an end user might be
different for a distributor. An end users concern could be that a product
you recommend meets warranty requirements. A distributor could be
concerned that management is making changes in branding requirements that
will make him vulnerable to competition.
Do you know what is
important to your customers? Have you asked them? You should
understand the critical issues for each type of your
customers. You must anticipate the needs of your customers and
provide what they value. When you know what is important to them,
you can help them meet their business needs. On time deliveries are
especially critical for manufacturing facilities where downtime is
expensive. However, a jobber might have more inventory on hand and can be
more flexible. If the jobber’s inventory is low, on time delivery
becomes his critical issue very quickly!
If you believe your
product is all you sell, then you’re making it harder for yourself to get
business. Your prospects can buy your product from many other
suppliers. With specs being tougher to meet, more and more products
are becoming harder for customers to distinguish. Understanding what
you really sell will help you increase your sales while you create
stronger business relationships. So what are you selling?
The Product We
Sell first appeared in Lubricants World magazine in the April 1999
issue.
.......................................................................................................
Maura
Schreier-Fleming is President of Best@Selling (www. BestatSelling.com).
She works with technical sales professionals and business professionals on
skills and strategies so they can sell more and be more productive at
work. Her column 'Selling Strategies' appears in The
Insurance
Record.
(c) Copyright 2004
Maura Schreier-Fleming. All rights
reserved. |
