My neighbor is a slimy 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 in to 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.

Lastly, 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.

Good hunting,

Rick

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Rick Hill is a consultant specializing in woodworking companies that need to find new markets and more sales. He is also an independent sales rep and founder of WoodReps.Com, a national association of independent reps in the woodworking industry. He can be reached at [email protected]

Read more of Rick Hill's blogs>>

Guest Blogs Welcome
Got a viewpoint you would like to share with our online woodworking community? Woodworking Network welcomes guest blogs from wood products professionals. Submit your opinions to Rich Christianson, Editor at Large, at [email protected].