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Asking for Referrals
I must admit, as a salesperson this is one of my weaker areas. I GET a lot of referral business but it’s not because I ask for it. I can only imagine what would happen if I intentionally asked a happy client to refer me to someone they know who might use my assistance. So, don’t follow my lead on this.
However, I do work with people who are good at this and are generous to share what they do that works, which is what I will share with you.
ALWAYS give two business cards and say: “Here is…
Thank you notes
Call me old fashioned…no, don’t. Call me gracious and grateful…yes, do.
I have personalized thank you notes (gracias, www.crane.com) that I love to send… and I LOVE to receive thank you notes. And by thank you notes, I mean a handwritten note and envelope. Yes, that kind of thank you note.
A young woman at a seminar recently told me that she doesn’t think thank you notes are genuine…and when I asked her to explain, she said she never received a handwritten one, but rather a thank you email w…
Structures and Support
“I don’t write goals, but I have them in my head.” What??
If you’ve heard yourself say that, challenge its efficacy: DID you really achieve the goal? Did you even have one? Or is that something you say to avoid the responsibility of making a commitment and then taking the actions to achieve the goal?
Some facts about goals:
- You need to write them down. The action of thinking it through and articulating what you want is powerful and part of the process.
- Put your goals somewhere that yo…
Actions Matter
Actions repeated create habits.
Actions are the only things that create results (not feelings or intentions or circumstances).
I often review goals that have action plans that are ‘insufficient for goal achievement.” What I mean by that is that the actions might have a value of $750K when repeated…which is GREAT…except that the goal is $1.1m. That’s not great. Make sure that the QUANTITY and the QUALITY of your actions are sufficient for the desired results. If you are not on track with your …
Guardrails #2
To continue with the guardrail conversation… setting boundaries.
A boundary that helps guide the conversation is the ability to say “No.”
Say NO when the client/customer asks for things that cannot be done – either within the current budget or timeframe.
Say NO when the client/customer asks for additions without adding to what they are paying for it.
Say NO when the client/customer asks you to ‘take it out of your commission’.
Say NO when the client/customer asks you to do something that you know is…
GRATEFUL GREETING
This is where gratitude matters most…when we welcome clients, customers, and prospects into the showroom and collectively and individually create an environment that is warm and inviting.
Our thinking and conversations internally impact the experience that we create for our ‘guests’ and when we understand the impact that we have, we can be responsible for it and be
intentional with it.
What do you do to prepare yourself to be welcoming and grateful to incoming guests?
What do you do to rem…
Practice – the resistance
There are times when I am writing or teaching or coaching that I need to check my “Imposter Syndrome.” Maybe it’s the syndrome or maybe it’s that I really don’t do what I am preaching at the level that my communication would indicate.
That’s how it is for me with practice. I must recognize my resistance and manage it, which includes accepting it as part of MY process of practice. Even when I want something, my ego will resist the actions needed to achieve what I want. And it’s sneaky.
I s…
It’s not my job….Resist being resistant
In the showroom world, it’s understandable that sales associates will rely on incoming traffic for their business. After all, if they wanted to do outreach, they would be outside salespeople, right?!
Maybe.
Whether inside or outside, the role of a salesperson is to generate sales for the showroom and for themselves. The more flexible and innovative the salesperson is with HOW that achievement is executed, the more consistently their goal will be achieved. This is because they are not tethered t…
Everything Old is New Again
I am often asked by showroom owners to ‘focus on fundamentals of selling’….as if there was anything else. ☺
Selling home furnishings has been a consultative selling approach for as long as I have been involved in it. The archaic ‘borax’ sales approach died out with short-sleeved salesmen with even shorter neckties… and was replaced, with people (often women) who are interested in learning about the problem or the vision and helping solve those with engagement, understanding, and knowledge. Ap…
April Showers Bring May Flowers
As lead times remain long and product pricing and freight continue to rise, we are faced with the question of timing. It’s likely that home furnishings (and I speak to fine quality products here) will never be more affordable than they are right now. And right now is all we have. Now is the time to take action and make decisions.
That thinking needs to start with the sales professional. Waiting favors no one. A client/customer who believes that waiting until supply chain challenges lessen or…
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