With Valentines Day still fresh in the air, I was thinking about finding Mr. Right. No, I have not had a lifestyle shift, not that there is anything wrong with that. The Mr. Right I am looking for is the man, or woman, who is going to say yes to me.
In sales one of the biggest mistakes many sales people make is they spend much of their time with individuals who cannot say yes to them. It is either by design or happenstance. Much like in life we all want to be told yes. Can I have a raise? Yes. Will you go out with me? Yes. In sales we also want to be told yes.
Usually in the selling process once the initial appointment has been set, I always make sure that the person I am presenting my product or service to is the decision-maker. If I am not sure, I just ask. “Is this your department?” “Is there anyone else that needs to be involved in this decision?” I have come to believe, through my own experience, that many salespeople are afraid to ask this type of question to their contact for fear of alienating and upsetting this person. Believe me, it is better to mend some minor feelings of the non-decision-maker then spend weeks trying to get to Mr. or Mrs. Right because you were afraid to ask.
In many cases when I ask if I can have a quick meeting with the real decision-maker I am often confronted with “He or She doesn’t have time for you.” or “This is why I am here.” At this point one has to make a crucial decision in the sales process. Do you continue to trust and rely on your initial contact to carry the torch for you to close the deal? Or do you circumvent the contact and try and get in front of Mr. Right yourself? It has also been my experience that if you can solidify a solid relationship with the non-decision-maker and demonstrate that it is in their best interest to bring you to Mr. Right, they will.
So when you are out with that special somebody, ask yourself is this Mr. or Ms. Right?
Good Luck and Good Selling!
