A mistake that many sales professionals make is that they are shortsighted when it comes to evaluating the potential future of both prospects and customers.
With the blame pointing toward a tight economy, too many salespeople try to rush the sale to fatten their wallets… prematurely, I might add. I guess the familiar term here is “Instant Gratification.”
Try becoming the exception by seeing budding relationships as the potential annuity they truly represent.
Anybody can sell anything once to anybody. It takes skill and a good product to make a second sale to the same person. It takes a “relationship” to pull off the third sale.
But, as I have mentioned to you before, relationships take time to develop. Therefore, it is important to treat that first sale like it is the only one you will ever get. In other words, focus on delivering a top-notch experience from first elbow-bump to hearing” thanks for such a great job.” Then, and you guessed it, focus the exact same way on sale #2. Only in this way will you arrive at sale #3 with a smile behind your mask.
If you want your future to begin brightening up, start looking at first-time buyers as potential third-time customers. This simple exercise in “positioning” in and of itself will make a marked difference in the way you run your business.
Treating first-time customers like they are “third-timers” will result in many more third-timers and a significant amount of profit heading toward your bottom line.
Think value. Think lifetime. Think lifetime value.
Mike Marchev is always looking for a few more proactive travel professionals to join his Sales and Marketing Club. Send for details.
