Developing a winning sales process involves several important steps: integrity and professionalism and creating a perception of excellence.

First, never use “slimy sales tricks” to gain an edge with your clients. My neighbor is that type of salesman. He often prides himself on manipulating people’s emotions to get their money.

In the last few years he has been selling document enlargers that expand written documents on a large TV screen to help elderly or visually impaired people read. One trick he uses is to set appointments and purposely show up an hour or two late. He feels that this technique “builds anticipation” and makes people think he is “extremely busy.” I think it proves he is a jerk.

Sales tricks may occasionally help fool someone into buying, but most people see right through them. Instead of building anticipation, his late arrival usually sets up a negative emotion in his prospect prior to his visit. Most people know that he could simply call on his cell phone if he is going to be late and give them the obvious courtesy of rescheduling.

This “trick” works in exactly the opposite way when calling on wholesale accounts. Buyers have many meetings scheduled in the day and consistently being late or rude will close the door to future appointments.

When dealing in slime, some of it always rubs off on you. I hope that there is a special place in the next life for the lowlifes that prey on visually impaired or elderly people.

When creating your sales program, base it on your company, products and unique strength. Find the people that see the same value in your offering as you do and work for long-term relationships with those folks. You will make not only customers, but friends.

Sell Your Company as a Winner
The second step in creating a winning sales process is to create a perception of excellence in the eyes of your clients. People not only love winners but they want to be around winners. For example, Major League Baseball’s Milwaukee Brewers are in first place for their division. As a result of their success this season, tickets are hard to find. Why, because people love to celebrate excellence – on and off the field.

That same philosophy works in the business world. Customers flock to companies they perceive as “winners.” One way to present your woodworking company as a winning, successful team is to set high expectations early in your meetings with clients. When making sales presentation or design discussions add a time constraint at the start of every meeting. This will give the impression that not only is your time valuable but you respect theirs as well.

Every other salesperson will waste time and hang around until literally forced out the door. They mistakenly think they are building relationships by involving the customer in their daily lives.

Often they are so busy chatting about themselves; they fail to recognize the signs of boredom and frustration on their customers’ face.

For example, as you first meet with the clients, say something like, “I have a lot on my plate today, but I want to make sure our time together is focused. We can work through this in about 20 minutes and then we can talk about it for a little while before I have to leave at 2 o’clock.”
This method shows your client a few important things. One, you are a successful business with other clients (a winner). Two, you are not going to waste their time with idle chit-chat. And three, you are different from every other salesperson that comes in their door.

People want to work with people that will get the job done. Show you are a professional and a winner by setting high expectations early. tional association of independent woodworking industry reps. Reach him at WoodReps.com