1. Do the right thing. While some may believe slogans such as “Winning is everything,” I don’t. Business relationships need to be nurtured.
When questionable situations arise, winning at the cost of your customer losing isn’t worth it. Instead, develop long-term “win-win” solutions to business problems.
2. See the long view, not just an immediate sale. Business is not simply exchanging a service or commodity for money. Businesses that prosper are about listening, meeting customer needs and developing long term, successful relationships with clients.
3. Give customers a little more than they bargained for. It’s easy to make promises to close a deal. The problem comes when we overpromise on things we really can’t deliver.
Some sales people will make vague and intentionally misleading statements to close a deal. When customers realize what happened and get upset, they defend themselves and tell the customer he or she must have misunderstood. Some people call these little white lies, or to sound even better, sales puffing or exaggerating, as if this is innocent behavior, but it isn’t.
If sales people have to lie in any way to make sales, they either need to take sales training classes or find another job selling something they need not lie about.
The one thing that is critical in business is creditability, that you are a man or woman of your word. You can quickly build that creditability by always making sure your customers get everything you promised and maybe a little more.
Taking care of customers after the sale is the mark of a super businessperson, the ones who earn the big bucks and drive the big cars.
4. Spend time with successful people. Time can be cruel; ask anyone over the age of 50. We stay so busy in our business and personal lives we fail find time for personal growth, and thus our success becomes limited.
Avoid negative people whenever possible. Make time to join organizations where successful people are, where people value creativity and innovation, where new ideas are appreciated and you can grow.
5. Reach out to those who are not successful. At the same time, reach out to the less fortunate, beyond throwing a few dollars in the Christmas Salvation Army kettle.
I’m speaking of finding a meaningful way on a consistent basis to not just give money, but a part of yourself. Just a few hours a week can make a huge difference to someone. Volunteer every week as a Big Brother or Big Sister; read to the ill who can no longer read; mentor someone coming up the ladder as you once did. In some way, give something of yourself on a regular basis with no repayment, no reward and don’t tell anyone other than close family members.
I know successful people who do just that. Many say, as they reflect back on their lives, that some of their greatest joys were not making money, but rather knowing they made a positive difference in someone’s life.
It’s a wonderful secret that can keep your heart warm on the coldest winter night.
Ted Tate is author of “Just Sell It,” John Wiley Publishing, New York (1-800-CALL-WILEY). He presents in-house sales training programs for companies and can be reached at Tate & Associates, (440) 257-7520.