All too often there is a defense wall about six feet thick between consumers and salespeople when it comes to making purchases, including a new remodeling project. Typically this is a result of past experiences where salespeople with their slick presentations have ended up disappointing us with the actual product or service we have purchased. Knowing whether we have a professional sales consultant or a “slick” salesperson can mean the difference between companies we can be satisfied with for the long term versus companies that might not be there to help us if we have problems.
There are a few key points to look for from the professional remodeling sales consultant. First, does the salesperson explain the expectations for the meeting (i.e. time, purpose of the meeting, next steps)? When I talk to consumers, one of their biggest fears is that the salesperson has not respected their time nor have they told them what to expect in their meeting. Second, does the salesperson have your needs, wants, desires in mind and do they ask about them prior to giving you a product presentation? What is important to you is what should be important and presented on by the salesperson. Third, does the salesperson understand your budget and stick to it when the proposal is delivered? There is no way to upset someone more than to have them share how much they want to spend and the proposal comes back higher than what was discussed. Fourth, does the salesperson understand your decision making process including time frame of when you would like to get started, who is involved in the decision, and what types of things you need to see or hear to feel comfortable. It is typical for an amateur salesperson to try and sell on their own time frame with a template proposal/presentation to the person they are in front of at that time. What the salesperson did not understand is that everybody decides to move forward on their own time and for their own reasons and sometimes needs to bounce the idea off another person to feel comfortable with the purchase.
To sum up, does the salesperson seem to be more self-serving or genuinely concerned about your issues, fears, budgets, and anxieties? Professional sales consultants tend to do what we have discussed in an effort to truly understand the customer, what their true needs are and see if the consultants or their company can help. If you have to really think about whether the salesperson is out for their interests or yours you might want to look in a different direction, bigger problems could be coming.
Troy Elmore is a managing partner for the local office of the Sandler Sales Institute in Houston, TX. |
