Be a sales standout

by Paul Hanlon

Since so few sales are made on the initial contact, you need to be unique so your prospects will remember you for future business. But in today’s competitive business world, how can you stand out from the crowd and get your prospects to not only remember you, but also to seek you out? 

The answer lies in the added value you demonstrate to every prospect you meet.

One of the greatest human desires is to feel appreciated. Your prospects are no different. They want to know that you care about them as more than just a potential sale. In order to help your prospects feel appreciated and connected to you and your company, implement the following ideas to your selling strategy so you can be the salesperson your prospects always remember.

Acknowledge special events
If you send potential clients Christmas or Thanksgiving cards once a year, that’s a great start; however, you need to go beyond that in order to grab their attention. During your sales visit, find out as much about the prospect’s upcoming events as possible. Does she have a birthday on the horizon? Is he opening a new location next month? Is the prospect’s company holding its annual trade show soon? Make note of these special events and acknowledge them at the appropriate time. This could include making a quick phone call to congratulate the prospect on the new location, sending a birthday card, or inquiring about how the trade show went. The more you show an interest in your prospect’s activities, the more he or she will remember and do business with you.

Build emotional rapport
Before diving into your sales presentation, take a few moments to talk about common interests, even if they’re not related to business. To open the channel for this kind of communication, look for clues in the prospect’s office that could indicate potential conversation topics. 

For example, if you’re visiting a prospect and notice golf photos in his office, strike up a conversation about your favorite golf courses and best scores. If you’re calling on the phone, do some quick research about the prospect’s geographic location and use that as your lead in. Ask about the weather or some regional event taking place there, like a concert or conference. 

A quick search on the Internet can turn up plenty of local information to make a personal conversation easier. Make it a point to remember this information for future follow-up calls so you can always lead with your shared personal interests. When you build this kind of emotional rapport, your prospects will feel appreciated and connected to you.

Be an information source
In today’s marketplace, information is power. The more you can keep your prospects updated on industry trends, the more valuable and memorable you’ll be. Whenever you come across a newspaper or magazine article that would interest your prospects, cut it out and send it to them. 

Likewise, if you hear a news or radio report about a particular industry event, write a short note to your prospect that highlights the details. You don’t need to elaborate on why you’re sending the material. A short “thought you’d be interested in this” is sufficient. This small step could easily set you apart from the crowd.

Demonstrate common courtesy
As the business world evolves and becomes more computerized, the more it seems like good manners are disappearing. After visiting with a prospect, send a handwritten note that thanking your prospect for his or her time. You can also use this occasion to reiterate some of the points from your sales presentation. Mention that you’ll follow-up in a few days to answer any questions, and then actually do it. This simple step will prove that you’ll stay true to your word and will add tremendous value to the prospect’s perception of you and your company.

While simply being remembered can’t guarantee a sale, it can certainly raise your overall closing ratio, because the more you can stand out in your prospect’s mind, the more business and referrals you’ll gain. The end result will be not only higher profits, but also a better image for you and your company.

Paul Hanlon is an entrepreneur, author, and professional speaker. His book, Strategies of an Ordinary Multimillionaire: Simple Ideas for Achieving Magical Success, highlights how he took a small unprofitable company to become an industry giant. For more information or to order his book, visit www.paulhanlon.com or call .

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