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Making Contacts with Others

Definition, Explanation

Definition, Explanation

Selling is not easy to you? There, you might be mistaken: All your life, you have succeeded in it in many ways. Or have you never had a partner, never friends, never a job, have you never helped somebody, and never got a Thank you for a little something or a little favour you did someone? If you can answer these questions with an angry “Of course I have!” then you meet all requirements to be a good seller. For a selling process that aims at a long-term partnership rather than the single, short-run selling success is nothing else but building a relationship.

Flirting

This phase in which contact is made is the most important step. It sets the foundations of success. That is why high effort should be spent on preparation. The following questions must be answered: What should your customer look like - target group orientation? What are good means and places to meet such people in a relaxed environment? How do you present yourself, what are your attractions and strengths? This means for you, to think well about yourself and your products, on the one hand. Be aware of your capacities and recognize it as y value yourself. On the other hand, it means to inform yourself about the potential customer in advance as comprehensively as possible. Sources of information are the internet and other contacts.

By analyzing these two aspects, determination of the so-called USP, unique selling proposition, is made. Depending on the customer, this can quite possibly vary, given one and the same product or service. While one customer might most value reliability, for another it might be quick availability, contacts or certain knowledge and abilities that are most important.

In the factual making of the contact, gained information should be verified, completed and it should be checked what you can really give the other one. The goal of the talk is that you quicken the other party’s interests in you. Active listening and asking your questions helps you understand the customer. Do not expect getting a job in the first talk.

Falling in love

Now you endeavour to extend the first contact made. Stay “on the ball”. Ensnare your customer with tips, little presents, invitations and remind them of you every now and then. Your message is “I think of You, You mean something to me”. However you should be careful not to annoy the other one but have your approaches be perceived nice and helpful. You have won when you have become indispensable as a person or by your abilities.

Becoming engaged

When trust is established, you can ask for an actual job, and also for what you have to do to get it. The price should be treated as a regular feature of the service. That is why the unique selling proposition is so important to be determined and services should be offered customer-related. Your performing of the first job is a test, in how far customer and seller really match and whether the mutual expectations are satisfied. Frequent communicating and the demanding of feedback helps you detect misunderstandings and false ideas in time. As a seller, you have to sort out whether you will be are able to attend upon this customer for longer.

Marriage

A productive relationship is an optimal basis for further jobs, not only from this customer but also from others, on his recommendations. As long as customers are satisfied with the performance - including the price – and feel understood by their provider and get the impression to be “in good hands”, they will not look for another partner. For them as for you, a new search costs some time and effort. Thus they will be ready to not pay the lowest of all prices.

The seller, nevertheless, should always keep working on his performance and his understanding of the customer. Like in a marriage, partners change, and so do their environment, their ideas and their goals. Acceptance, appreciation and permanent communicating help to alleviate problems and overcome crises. And this holds for partnerships, customer relations, team work as well as in marriage and family.

Last update: 09/18/2009