The relationship with the first time buyer is tenuous in nature and needs to be nurtured and developed carefully. The fact that a client is buying your service or product is a clear indication of his or her need for it, but the actual level of that need from very slight to very great is much more difficult to gauge. One thing, however, is certain if you do not deliver high quality service to the client on a timely basis, that first time buyer will never become a repeat customer. You must therefore work conscientiously to develop a clear understanding of the buyer's expectations and be absolutely certain that you can fulfill them. The first assignment you undertake for a client sets the standard for the quality and price of future assignments. It is important that you do not compromise quality or price in your eagerness to make that first sale, as doing so either can jeopardize repeat business or attract business you do not want. Remember that the repeat customer will come back for more of what you offered in your initial dealings with him or her, and you need to be careful not to under price your product or service and create an expectation that that price will hold throughout the relationship.
The Repeat Customer
A portable executive should always allot sufficient time in his business plans to attend to current clients and ensure that their needs are being fully met. Repeat customers form the backbone of every business, and should never fail to recognize the need to continue to both market and sell to repeat customers. They say the best source of new business is a satisfied customer, and that should serve to remind you that your existing customers deserve more attention than anyone else.
Making Sales
In making sales that is, persuading a particular target to actually buy your service you must not agree to handle something just because it is remotely related to your core skills and you must not be too ready to adjust your pricing. You must have the courage to accept only those assignments that involve what you do best and maintain fair market value for your offering. Portable human resources executive Richard Achilles agrees:
I don't want anybody to have me in a job where I have to work from my deficiencies. I'd rather have a job where I'm playing to my aces. That gives the client a better product and gives me greater satisfaction. It also means I will probably get invited back for another opportunity.
Here are some basic rules that will help you make the sale:
- Never forget that you're trying to satisfy your customer's needs and not simply trying to sell your service. Orient your inquiries and discussions to encourage clients to tell you what their needs are. As they do so, you can begin to tailor your offering to fit those needs.
- Each product or service has what is known as a "sales cycle," which simply means the time it takes to sell the offering from the first expression of interest to the time the sale is made. As you gain experience in sales, this cycle be comes very predictable. Sometimes you will make the sale on the first call, while other times a series of meetings and other contacts may be involved before the sale is made.
- People buy from people they trust. The best way for to develop a trusting relationship with the client is to consistently deliver quality service on a timely basis at a fair price.
- You must develop good negotiating skills. Selling personal service often takes time, patience, and clear explanations to help the client understand the benefits of your offering and to convert him into a first time buyer.
- Many salespeople fail to close the sale because they assume that if the client hesitates the interest isn't really there. You must be aware that many of the variables that impede sales have nothing to do with the offering itself and everything to do with forces at work within the company or individual one is selling to.
Last, but not least, one should always ask for the client's order. If you sense that it is truly not the right time to ask for the order, you should always walk away from a sales call with something: another meeting, an agreement to talk on the phone, or some other reason to continue the dialogue. This is, in effect, asking for the order by moving the process forward. You must also realize that while every client is somewhat resistant to being sold, they are aware that they have to buy that service from someone and that the selling processes itself offers them a means of gathering information. By asking for the order, you indicate that you are interested in being a supplier or vendor, even if you are rejected on the first pass. Being rejected may not mean the customer doesn't want to buy; it may only mean the customer doesn't want to buy now.
Beware of the client who says he or she wants to buy but is in fact just shopping around or looking for bargains. For portable executives just starting out, these types of opportunities often appear attractive but usually end up going nowhere. To avoid this scenario, you should firmly fix in your mind the minimum level of commitment you expect from a client to avoid wasting valuable time. As portable executive Ed Burrell put it:
I get pulled into many potential business situations-and one of the challenges is sorting out which opportunities you can afford to spend your time on from the wild goose chases.
Requesting a retainer fee will often separate those who aren't serious from the real buyers of your services.
A Final Word on Selling
Remember that your potential client is also in the business of selling a product or service and the idea of selling is certainly not foreign to him. Though it can be hard the first few times around, you should not be bashful about your offering or about reaching out to those who could benefit from it.
The sales orientation of is based on an honest exchange of value. Any portable executive who thoroughly understands the value of his or her core skills and their possible applications should therefore go out into the market and sell them with pride.
