SHORTSIGHTED LONG SHOTS
Nate B., a telephone systems consultant, says that one way a sales pro-
fessional can convince clients of their genuine desire to help (and not ex-
ploit) is by declining to sell that which you know will be counterproductive
to your client. He told me:
“I had a client who had a growing business, and he wanted
state-of-the-art everything in it. After I installed his first phone sys-
tem, he told me he was ready to move up to something better. He
told me about a friend who had recently purchased a high-end sys-
tem for his business and mentioned some of the bells and whistles
he found attractive. Although I stood to make more money by sell-
ing him what he thought he wanted, I informed him that I thought
that the system he was looking at was a poor match for his type of
business—and in the long run might prove problematic. I proposed
a less expensive system that had the capabilities to handle the
growth he expected in the next three years.
“Some time later, he called to tell me how happy he was that I
put his interests ahead of mine. His friend who had once called
bragging about his system now was complaining about the mess
this system had caused in his business. I get more referral business
from this client than anybody else. He tells every business owner
he knows about how I treated him.”In interviews with successful sales professionals, I have heard commen-
tary over and over again on keeping the long-term relationship with the
client at the forefront of the thought processes. Shortsighted opportunism
has closed many a door and aborted many a career. Gavin, a sales manager
for a large appliance firm, told me:
“I’m constantly reminding our people that ‘It’s not about
today—it’s about tomorrow.’ Spend more time trying to find out
what they really need instead of just trying to get a deal done. When
the buzz of a new purchase wears off, people must feel that they
bought the right thing for the right reason and at the right price.
If they don’t feel this way, they’ll blame the person and firm
that sold it—they won’t blame themselves for not being informed.
It’s hard to convince some people of this fact, but after 26 years, I
know it’s not about making a sale, it’s about building trust. That
principle must go beyond lip service. It must be gospel.”It’s Not about You 199