Does your approach to getting a new customer start and end with making a sale? I certainly hope not. If you take that hard sell approach to anyone who can pass the mirror test — fogging up a mirror because they are still breathing — you are in for a lot of disappointment. Before you push for a sale, you need to develop strong customer relationships. That relationship needs to build on getting the customer to know, like and trust you.
Think about the last half dozen telemarketing calls you’ve received. They were all trying to sell you something weren’t they? Their typical introduction is something like: ‘Hello, my name is Peggy, how are you?‘ Next thing out of their mouth is likely to be: ‘Are you satisfied with your (fill in the blank) service provider?‘ Admit it, even if you are totally fed up with that service, you’re inclined to say you are thrilled with them, just before you hang up. Clearly, there was no customer relationship on which to base their sales pitch.
Some companies totally lack customer relationships
I actually managed to annoy a telemarketer enough recently to hang up on me! I was so proud. This was a day I actually picked up the phone and said ‘Hello’ instead of picking up the handset and slamming it back down immediately. In a weak moment, I decided to let the guy at the other end of the line talk. I gave him time enough to figure out in ten seconds or less that he represented my phone and Internet service provider. His mission was to get me to move my cable TV service to them as part of a bundled package.
A caller representing a company providing services I already subscribe to expected me to have my ‘average’ telephone bill and cable TV bill amounts on the tip of my tongue. His assignment was to ‘analyze’ my needs and convince me he could save me money. He should have already had that information at hand. If he truly had a ‘deal’ to offer, he should already know they are overcharging us and can save me money.
Instead, these companies call every customer in their database, drag them from something important to go through a scripted sales pitch. By this point in the call, my kindness factor was gone. I admit I got a bit irritated. While I struggled to hold the phone, stretch the cord across the room to dig my checkbook out of my purse, he hung up. Yes, there is a God. No customer relationships, no responsibility on my side to take the call or be polite.
Who wouldn’t be in a rush to end these intrusions into your home or office? First of all, they interrupt you doing something more far important than being grilled by some stranger. You could have been picking lint out of your belly button, for instance. Of course, this stranger knows absolutely nothing about you other than you have a phone and they have your number. Nope, there is no warm customer relationship in the mix. Sometimes, you are lucky enough to get a living, breathing person and not just an annoying recording. These callers are not interested in you, your problems or anything but selling you something. He or she is on page one of some horrible sales script and hell-bent on reaching the final page before you hang up on them. Customer relationships are of no interest to them at all.
Developing those all important customer relationships that will help result in a sale begins with baby steps. It requires you to invest the time to find out more about a prospect than their phone number. Why waste your time and theirs trying to sell something they don’t need or want?
Take time to plan a series of goals to move you forward — step by step — building a relationship with the prospect. Make an effort to develop customer relationships that will make them welcome a call from you. Let them know you understand them and their situation. Show them how your product or service can meet their needs by solving their particular problem. Become more than just a voice at the end of the phone, calling at their convenience, not yours. Make prospects more likely to listen to and buy from someone they know and can trust.
What is your process for developing customer relationships with prospects and clients?
