Selling By The Golden Rule

To be a successful salesperson, you need to learn the golden rule of selling. What is this rule, you ask? The rule goes like this, “Sell to others as you would like to be sold”. What does this mean to you? Real sales are about real people. Don’t simplify your customers by assuming you know exactly what they want. You need to discover how you like to be sold to and why. If you know what you want from a seller than you’ll know how to become that seller. Here are some thoughts that may be helpful:

Trust: Trust is built by not giving people a reason to disbelieve you. Building trust begins by acting in a trustworthy manner. Your customer gives you personal information and expects you not to abuse it. They trust you not to take advantage of them. A customer wants to do business with someone they can relate to and has a true desire to help them. Making sales is all about connecting with the person you are talking to.

Honesty: Honesty is sticking to the facts. It’s knowing as much as possible about the product or service and not making promises you can’t keep. If you would expect a salesperson to give you honest information and help you make an intelligent buying decision, do the same with your customers.

Helpful Attitude: You need to care about your customers. If you aren’t helpful, don’t expect your customers to come back. Help them to decide what facts they needs to make a decision. Maybe a demonstration? Maybe an example? Some buyers don’t need a lot of help making a decision and some do. You need to be there for the ones that need the product as well as the ones who need the help.

Listening: Actually listening to what the customer is saying they want not what you think they should buy. A lot of salespeople try to talk the customer into buying what they’re selling. If you talk too much, the sale falls apart because you’re not listening to the needs expressed by the customer. If a customer isn’t talking much, then ask questions. Ask questions that can be answered that tell more about the buyer’s needs and thoughts. Ask both open-ended questions and close-ended ones. One of the best skills a salesperson can have is knowing how to ask questions.

Clear Options: When your customer buys merchandise, there are usually options that come along with it. How many options are too many? Your job is to make sure your buyer is offered appropriate choices. You need to ask the right questions then present the products or services that will fit your buyers needs.

Most buyers cringe at high pressure sale tactics and don’t want to feel intimidated by others. If you sell to customers with the honesty and understanding that you would like to be sold to, then you will have return customers. It all boils down to “treat others as you would like to be treated.”

Comments, as always, are welcome!

By Linda Lee Ruzicka

Linda Lee Ruzicka lives in the mountains of Western PA , happily married and with her 8 cats and three dogs. She has been published in Twilight Times, Dark Krypt, Fables, Writing Village, June Cotner anthology, The Grit, Reminisce , the book, Haunted Encounters: Friends and Family. She also does freelances work for Beyond and for Salesheads. More of her blogs can be found at Salesheads blog.