Client Contact System
As I mentioned earlier, people like to be remembered. If you can recall their names and some personal details it will be appreciated. So you should look for techniques that will help you improve your memory.
One simple way to do this is to keep a contact system. There are many simple or sophisticated CRM programs around that you can use. Or another very simple way is just to keep a card system. The purpose is the same whichever "system" you use.
When you meet someone new make a special effort to remember the details of most importance. Listen, carefully, then when you get a chance, record name, spouse's name, number of children and interests on a card file. Other details such as address and telephone numbers can be added later. If the person concerned does become a customer you can use the card to remind you of the details which will personalise your contact with them. And you should also use the system to record what is said on each occasion you speak to them.
The contact system has a number of purposes. It helps you to improve your memory and to maintain cordial contacts with the people in your personal network. Most of all, however, it puts you in command of information which will make you more efficient. A quick glance at the information will remind you of your previous contact with this person so that you know what was said and what happened as a result.
Remembering details creates confidence and trust, and a contact management system, conscientiously maintained, will ensure that you do remember them.
Visibility
One of the greatest assets you can have is visibility; visibility in the market place.
Even if you had the greatest products, the greatest service, in the field it won't do you any good if your prospective customers don't think of you when they set out to make a purchase. So you have to think of ways of making yourselves visible in the market within which you work.
The most obvious way to do this is to advertise. Use local newspapers and radio stations, and the yellow pages - but if these options are not open to you, which they may not be depending on the size and nature of your business, what other ways are available to promote yourself?
Today, as you will have heard many times, sellers need to be pro-active rather than re-active. You have to go out and make calls. If customers don't know what you are selling then they won't think of you when they are looking for the type of product or service you are selling. You have to be visible and so does your product/service.
Continued in Part Five
Part Four - Prospecting for More Sales - To learn more about this author, visit Lawrence Atkinson's Website.
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Lawrence Atkinson
(Visit Lawrence's Website)
Lawrence specialises in sales training and
sales coaching, with over 20 years
experience as both a trainer and a coach.
He has lived and worked in the UK, Europe,
the Middle East and more recently the
Pacific Islands. He is a Fellow and
former Director of the Australian
Institute of Training and Development and
holds Fellowships with the Australian
Institute of Company Directors, the
Australian Institute of Management, and
the Financial Services Institute of
Australasia. He is also a Justice of the
Peace.
His many experiences in a variety of sales
situations present an interesting
background for his training and coaching
interventions and provide Lawrence with an
ability to relate to and train people at
all levels, across a variety of cultural
and industry settings. This includes, for
example, training and coaching business
owners and managers, senior relationship
managers, business banking managers,
financial advisers, retail sales people,
electrical sales engineers, accountants in
PNG, new Australian exporters, importers
and exporters in Fiji, and a video
production company in Bahrain!
A Rotarian and Paul Harris Fellow, he
loves to work with people to see them
succeed.
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