Put Yourself in Your Prospect’s Shoes: Part 1 | Travel Research Online

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Put Yourself in Your Prospect’s Shoes: Part 1

This is part one of a two-day message. The balance of the article can be read in tomorrow’s missives.

Making the sale will be so much easier once you take the prospect’s point of view. The following points will give you an idea of the deeds and actions prospects want, need and expect from a sales person.

  1. Don’t waste my time. I’m busy. I’ve got 1 million things to do that are more important than listening to you, unless I perceive a need.
  2. Be organized and prepared. When you call me, write to me, give me a proposal or visit my office, be ready with facts, demonstrations and direct answers.
  3. Be interested in me. What I do may not be important to you, but it is everything to me. Take a tour of the company. Ask how we serve others. Ask what’s important to us. Ask what our aspirations are. Google my company relentlessly.
  4. Know my needs. Don’t try to sell me on what you think I need. Know exactly what I need. Question me before you propose your solutions.
  5. Take notes; You can’t remember everything. I want you to recall every detail of our conversation. I want our communication to be absolutely error free.
  6. Know who I am. The better you understand me, the easier it is to get me to make a decision. I’m not going to buy until I understand you. I suggest you understand me as well.
  7. Listen to me. I’m trying to tell you what I need, but you’re too busy trying to sell me what you offer. You may think you have all the answers, but you can’t use them to your best advantage if you don’t know exactly what I want to be handled.
  8. Just give me the facts. I don’t want a long drawn out spiel. Get to know me a little, and then get to the point. I endorse the professional salesperson’s six-word mantra: Be Bright; Be Brief; Be Gone.
  9. Tell me the truth– and don’t use the word “honestly.” It makes me nervous. If you say something that I know to be untrue, you’re out. I want to trust you, but I will remain skeptical until you prove otherwise. If I sense the truth, I will be more willing to buy.
  10. Be an ethical salesperson. Sales people get a bum wrap by default because of a few unethical ones. Your actions and not your words will prove your ethics.

I will conclude this article tomorrow with 10 more traits that will draw you closer to your prospects.


Mike MarchevMike presents a business-building webinar on the third Thursday of every month sponsored by AmaWaterways. To receive a complimentary invitation send Mike an email with the phrase “AmaWaterways” in the Subject Box. You will also receive a link to the recorded version.

For information on Mike’s 6-Week Online Selling Course, email Mike at mike@mikemarchev.com with the words “sales course” in the subject box.

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