Sales Tip of the Week from Mike Leeds – Pro Sales Coaching
What Salespeople Can Learn From 1st Responders
1st Responders (Police, Fire, and EMTs) spend countless hours training and preparing, so they can calmly and professionally handle situations as they arise. Sales professionals can utilize a similar approach to improve sales situations. Consider the steps below to assist your efforts:
- Always be prepared – Have your “sales tools” accessible with you in the field. Consider using a checklist to make sure you have extra business cards, sales collateral pads of paper & pens, laptop/tablet (+ associated connection cables), and any product samples with you (or in your car).
- Always assess the situation before you react – Gather information and avoid knee-jerk reactions. Understand the emotional climate of the customer and realize that timing is everything.
- Always rely on your training, react accordingly, and follow protocol – Most situations have some common denominator that you have either seen, or prepared for in the past. Concentrate on listening first, ask good, targeted questions and then follow your plan or process. This will help eliminate operating on emotion or adrenaline.
- Always stabilize the situation first and escalate or call for back-up as appropriate - Escalate to a Subject Matter Expert or member of your management team for additional support (don’t wing it). An alternative would be to let the customer know you will find the answer for them and will contact them within a specific timeframe.
Have a great Sales Day!