Develop profitable, win/win
relationships
No question about
it; you provide one of the most valuable services imaginable.
However, without an ongoing and ever-increasing number
of new, quality prospects, you'll eventually run out
of people with whom to share the benefits. You might
even end up asking yourself that most dreaded of questions
in the world of sales, which is, "Who do I talk to
next, now that my original list of names has run out?" That
thought can be downright discouraging, can't it? Then
again, it need not happen.
Develop profitable,
win/win relationships with practically every new
person you meet - whether one on one or in a social
setting.
How? Ask questions. Specifically, "feel-good" questions.
These are questions designed to put your conversation
partner at ease, and begin the rapport-building process.
These are not intrusive,
invasive, or in anyway resembling those of the stereotypical
salesperson. Feel-good questions are simply questions that
make your new prospect/potential referral-source feel good;
about themselves, about the conversation, and about you.
Vital, because "all things being equal, people will do
business with, and refer business to, those people they
know, like and trust." Asking feel-good questions is the
first step to accomplishing that goal.
So what are some
of these "Feel-good" type questions?
- "How did you get started in
the 'widget' business?" I call this the "Movie-of-the-Week" question
because most people love the opportunity to "tell
their story" to someone. This, in a world where
most people don't care enough to want to know their
story.
- "What do you enjoy most about what
you do?" Again, you are giving them something
very positive to associate with you and your conversation.
You are making them feel special, important.
You've begun to establish a nice rapport
with your new prospect. You are focusing on him or her,
as opposed to you and your awesome product, as most salespeople
do. He or she is starting to feel good about you and has
enjoyed answering your first two "Feel-good" questions.
Now it's time for the "One key question," and here it is:
"Pat, how can I know if someone I
speaking with would be a good prospect for you?"
Here, you've continued to establish
yourself as being different from all others they meet
who are in business, who only seem to want to know, "How
can you help me." Also, since you are asking for help
in identifying their prospects, she will gladly supply
you with an answer. And the fact is, nothing builds
trust and credibility with a prospect than actually
referring business to them whenever possible.
Your conversation has
ended and you never even mentioned your products or services.
Good, since your relationship with this new prospect may
not be far enough along for him or her to be receptive
to this. (At other times it's very advisable to bring up.)
That's fine. Hopefully, you've gotten your prospect's business
card. Now you are in the position to follow up correctly
and systematically in order to nurture this new relationship.
Whenever meeting new
people, the above questions will help you to very quickly
build your prospect list with high-quality people. And,
in a manner that is fun and without stress. You'll never
again feel the "discomfort" in the pit of your stomach,
knowing that you have to nervously and clumsily approach
someone you don't want to approach, and whom you can
just sense, does not want to be approached.
Know this: the typical person
knows about 250 people. Thus, every time you meet one new
person, and develop a relationship based on the fact that
he or she now feels as though they "know you, like you and
trust you" you've actually just increased your personal prospect
list a potential 250 people, every single time. Do this often
enough and before long, you'll cultivate a network of endless
referrals
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