Selling something very often needs some additional help...

Just because you're in the business of selling a product or service, doesn't mean that you're necessarily in it by yourself. There are lots of times where you just might be able to (or should) utilise some extra help.And perhaps, not from whom you might think.

Even the Prime Minister or the CEO of a major corporation can't or don't do a selling job by themselves.They have other people to do the core work even if they themselves just sit to sign the final contract for the image and publicity.

Assistance can come from so many particular sources.A salesperson can escalate up the management ladder or get a colleague to help.There is no shame in seeking the assistance required to meet the end goal i.e make a sale.One is not Robinson Caruso.Your obstacle/s may very well have been experienced by a colleague who just might have a workable solution to solve your immediate problem.Just ask for help, there's nothing to be ashamed about.

I remember working with an industrial company years ago and devised a sales strategy which I thought might work.It involved having the whole National sales force based in Sydney to blitz the local market in a working week. Instead of six sales reps we had twenty eight. We held a motivational breakfast each morning, blitzed the key customers during the day then reviewed the results at the end of each day.

However what was innovative was that the fact that the sales force were accompanied on their visits with a second person.That second person (he or she) was drawn for the week from the various other departments of the company.They were of all levels ranging from from supervisor to director level.They came from Admin, Finance, Marketing, Production, Customer Service, Engineering, Laboratory, and Warehouse.In fact every department was represented.

At the end of the week of blitzing and the following weeks of follow-up, the results were an outstanding success.Well worth the cost of the blitz.The customers talked more to the non-sales person and said things to them that might not have been said to the sales person.In other words, the customers let their guard down somewhat and the astute sales person gathered more information which ultimately helped their sale process.You see, the non-sales person asked questions that were perhaps different to those of the sales person and wasn't seen as a threat by the customer.

This was a classic case of enlisting someone else to help with the sale process.Sometimes absolute product ignorance or just having a simple conversation can be a far better way of extracting pertinent information from a customer .

Therefore the moral here is don't be afraid to ask for assistance.A professional sales person is one who knows when to ask for help.A change of face can always help a difficult sale too.The reverse is equally true - if someone helps you, then you will be willing help them.

Both parties win.It's a simple case of a win-win scenario. Remember, a successful sale pays your salary.Not your company.

I've said it before and will continue to say it - I am the customer. I am the one who pays the salary and if there’s no me, there’s no company and there's no job for you!!!

Cheers

John Blair