Tool Box
Issue No. 28 - April/May 2006
The common denominator of success
by Craig Stubing
The common denominator of success — the secret of success of every person who has been successful — lies in the fact that they formed the habit of doing things that failures don’t like to do.
While many salespeople will have heard these words, or variations of them, during their career, research indicates that they were first spoken by American sales executive, Albert EN Grey, to a conference audience in 1940.
The statement is as true today as it was 66 years ago. Its wisdom can be applied to most forms of endeavour.
If successful people succeed by doing the things that failures don’t like to do, don’t we in sales owe it to ourselves to work out what those things are so we can make sure that we do them?
If we can then turn these ‘sales success behaviours’ into habits wouldn’t that almost guarantee our prosperity?
Although sales success behaviours vary from industry to industry here are some that may apply to yours:
Treating customers as people (not things)
This is where the subtle skills that come from good manners count.
Acknowledge customers when they enter your premises. Be friendly but not familiar. If you know their name, use it. If you don’t know their name find it out (and be very careful about calling them ‘Mate’ in the meantime; sometimes it’s appropriate, other times it’s not).
Be sure to introduce yourself.
Pay attention when they’re speaking and tune in to what they’re saying. Don’t interrupt.
Remember also the magic words, ‘Please’ and ‘Thank you’.
The point is that our customers are people first and customers second; they deserve to be treated accordingly.
Making the calls on a consistent basis
Many sales-based businesses have a requirement to make out-going sales calls by phone. Others need to do this in conjunction with face-to-face visits.
If a...
