Your 2017 Selling Mantra: Become the Solution to the Chosen Few | Travel Research Online

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Your 2017 Selling Mantra: Become the Solution to the Chosen Few

Everyone says they are the best at this extraordinary business skill. This, sadly, is not the case. The good news is that the competitive window is “open” for you to become truly exceptional at what you do in the coming year. And it all starts with the way you commit to service your customers.

This article will simply remind you of the importance of “treating your customers like dogs.” I am sure you will agree that we treat our pets with love and respect, and if you stop to think about it, our customers deserve the same treatment.

  1. Your customer is your competitor’s prospect.

In most instances, more energy is expended towards acquiring new accounts than for maintaining current relationships. We all seem to want more these days. One TV is not enough. One car is not enough. One yearly vacation is not enough. There seems to always be something else we have in mind.

What we currently have never seems to satisfy us. More… more… more. And so it is in business. We want “more” customers and we are willing to fight for them. And this happens more often than not at the expense of what we already have.

My next customer (my current prospect) is your customer. And I am willing to fight for them. I will fight harder than you will to keep them.

Don’t make this mistake. Don’t allow this to happen to you. Cement meaningful relationships… now… today.

  1. Contact the people who are meaningful to you and your business regularly.

When you are out of sight, you are out of mind. At this moment, you are out of sight. What are you planning to do about it? Visibility is your responsibility.

A mistake many people make is to think that if I keep popping up in your life I will become annoying. This is true if in fact, you are annoying me. So don’t annoy me. When you appear with a gift in hand… some meaningful and interesting information… a word or two of appreciation… a couple of words of encouragement…  or a future client recommendation, you will be welcomed with open arms.

We all enjoy knowing that we are appreciated and valued by others. So don’t wait for the eulogy to tell people what is on your mind. Tell them today, and again next month, and again the month after that.

  1. Focus on the little things.

You don’t need theatrics to impress me. What grabs my attention are the small courtesies that clearly indicate that I am important to you. Perform small courtesies daily. Let me know that you care.

You can begin by calling me back when I leave a voice message. You can start your emails by using my first name and clearly indicating that you are talking to me. You can thank me for contributing to the success of your business (If that is indeed the case.) You can look me in the eye when you are speaking with me and ask me more questions about what I think.

It is the little things that people will notice. Little things ARE the big things.

  1. Do what you say you will do.

“Talk is cheap” is an old reminder that is as true today as ever. Politicians are famous for saying what they think their audiences want to hear, and then forgetting what they said. Sales people in general are pretty good at this, too. Say it. Sell it. Forget it.

If you want to rise to the top of the professional sales hill, simply do what you say you will do. It is that simple.

This should not be hard as long as you speak the truth and keep things real. Customers do not expect the impossible. They expect the truth. More than ever before, customers are looking for people they can trust and believe. People are looking for people who do what they say they will do.

  1. Realize with your entire intelligent being that you can’t be all things to all people.

Just like one size can’t fit all, one service provider can’t be the best solution for the masses. And yet the majority of people in the travel industry seem to try to be this “super person.”

After you clearly identify what your personal strengths are, and exactly what you enjoy doing the most, define the characteristics of your ideal prospect and customer. Build a profile for each.

Then make “profiling” a good thing. Focus all of your energy on finding more people who fit this mold. Make a game of it. Have fun looking. You simply can’t waste time on prospects and customers who are not qualified to contribute to your eating habits. This is not a “bad” thing. This is the key to your survival.

If you need a 7-word slogan for 2017 to keep you on track, here it is. Become the solution to the chosen few.


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

For information on Mike’s Fourth Annual Training Cruise, email Mike at mike@mikemarchev.com with the word “cruise” in the subject box.

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