My answer to How do you become a better salesperson?
Answer by Desmond Last:
You may sell one of your products to the first customer who walks in the door but will you sell him or her another of your products in 12 months time?
Sales people cannot survive on the hype. To be a successful salesperson you have to be trusted. Unless you can provide a relationship based on trust you will never be a mega buck earner.
I have employed sales people in catering, engineering and boats . My sales philosophy both for myself and my staff has always been based on honesty and trust.
You can possess buckets of charm and personalty. You may have all the one-liners and be wearing all the necessary gold rings and necklaces. But unless you are able to be trusted your reputation will be zero.
In sales your word is your bond and a handshake seals the deal. Yes there is paperwork and it must be signed, but your customer or client must know that the product you are selling them is fit for them and fit for purpose.
Most sales people will have in their chosen industry x number of people they can sell to. X will be determined by sales catchment area, demographic, product suitability and product life or model range. The repeat sale probability will be reduced if you have a ‘bad reputation’.
Take boats. I knew that if somebody bought a boat from my brokerage Sydney Boat sales he would probably buy the next boat . So I had in his ‘sales life’ a chance to sell him a boat maybe a maximum of 3 times.He or she might buy the first boat from me without full trust. But they would never buy the second from me unless my first sale was to their ‘trust’ expectations.
The same with Matilda's the Food Truck company I managed. No matter what marketing hype we had if we did not deliver good food on time then we would lose the business.
To become the best ‘Be a Trusted Salesperson’
If the product is not right for the client or customer say so. If you do not know the answer to a question then say so.
To gain trust you must have product knowledge and be honest.
How do you become a better salesperson?
