For the third time since Christmas we went out to buy a new washer and dryer.  The first two times we were so disgusted by the lack of knowledge or interest shown by the salesperson that we just walked out of the stores.  One time we even brought cash, ready to plunk it down for the new appliances, but we couldn’t bring ourselves to make an expensive purchase from someone who didn’t seem to care about the sale — or us for that matter.

Then something unusual happened last Sunday when we tried again — within five minutes of arriving in front of the washer and dryer we had an interest in, we were greeted by a young salesperson by the name of Juana.  She actually knew the products we were interested in purchasing (the LG, top-rated two years in a row by Consumer Reports, in case you’re interested) and could answer questions about them.  She went the extra mile by going on-line to see if anyone was selling it for less so that we could get the difference plus 10% off the total purchase — and found a place, thereby saving us $200.   And Juana was familiar with all the delivery options, rebates, and warranties that wound up saving another few hundred dollars.  To top it off, she was friendly and had a great sense of humor.  We were delighted to give her the sale — she deserved it.  As I stood watching her efficiently ring up the sale and gather all the necessary forms and information, I thought to myself, “this is the kind of person I would hire if I had a vacancy.”

You are a salesperson.  Whether you sell a product, a service, or ideas, you most likely have something you want other people to buy — and often these are things other people want from you.  Don’t lose out on the opportunity to make the sale by exhibiting indifference, not knowing your product inside and out, and failing to take the steps necessary to ensure your customers or clients are not only satisfied, but delighted.  You’ve heard me say it before (and will probably hear it again) - with so much mediocrity in the world it’s not that hard to distinguish yourself.  Treat every interaction as a potential “sale” - you are always selling you.

TAGS: influence, LG, salespeople