| My selling experience began with Christmas Cards in the fifth grade at St. Thomas the Apostle Grade School in Minneapolis, MN. I knew I was competitive when I played hockey with my older brothers on the local lake and I was the goalie. I thought that was just grand when the pucks came flying at me!
I wanted to be recognized and so came the opportunity to sell the most Christmas Cards during the heart of the Minnesota winter. Delivery of the cards was the big day and I ordered 50 boxes to sell. More than anyone else, of course. When I got them home, I realized that this was serious and it was going to go on my permanent record if all the boxes were not sold. Even at that age I devised a plan. I decided to go door to door to my neighbors, into town and ask for the sale.
First and foremost, I always dressed the part so after school, I put on my holiday party dress, red coat, brim hat and black galoshes and I visited all the people I knew. You see, I did not know it but so began my relationship selling. I had relationships everywhere as my parents had their own company and I had a lot of free time, so I visited the neighbors - especially the older ones as they had the time for me. Long story short...75 boxes where sold!
Relationship selling is all about building a friendship or relationship with your prospects. Once you've built that relationship, shown you care and earned their trust, you are on your way to closing sales. Listening to their needs and showing an interest in more than the travel business has produced for me the best results.
I
have always kept my eye on the prize of closing
sales. Once I determined which prospect could
give me the business, I devised my plan to get
to know something personal about them. I would
go on a fact-finding mission to learn as much
as I could about them BEFORE the tour business
was ever mentioned. Did they have children...pets?
Did they have a hobby and enjoy cooking or gardening.
I always loved to see their office and knew when
there was a picture of a tiger or lion what I
was dealing with on relationship selling.
As I began my relationship selling to a new prospect, I would bond with them on what I had learned about them personally. If they liked to cook and had a sweet tooth, I would bring them my Mint Chocolate Brownies and the recipe. Eventually, the tour business came into play and the rest is history. Mayflower Tours history.
Most people react negatively to high pressure sales. In relationship selling, high pressure is not typically part of the equation, simply because it's hard to have a friendly relationship with a prospect who feels pressured by you. In relationship selling, you become a form of support for them. Your services and products become something they depend on, and the more you meet their needs and make their job easier, the better they respond to additional sales offers. |
