Ask yourself, how many times someone you do not know connects with you through LinkedIn or social media and immediately attempts to sell you a service or product?  It is a common occurrence today in the easy to reach out world of online interactions.  

Then ask yourself, when someone you know, trust, has built a business relationship with you attempts to sell you a product or service. Are you more willing to listen and possibly work with them?

Building a foundation with your potential client is the key to a successful long-term business relationship which will increase sales. This can be done with the following three methods that can be incorporated into your business easily.

  1. Listen – In sales often the person selling is not listening to what the client wants.  I observe this often.  Someone will make a post about struggling with their weight and immediately people will start commenting with product after product, or opinion after opinion about what the person posting should purchase or do.  This happens in place of completely understanding what the underlying goal of the customer is.  Ask your customer what “BENEFIT” them in their business in the area of expertise would that you provide or in the area of the product you sell.  Stop assuming and start listening and if you don’t understand ask questions until you do.  When you listen, you will understand what the client is looking for vs what you think they are looking for.
  2. Ask before making an offer – Once you listen and are clear on what in your area of expertise will benefit the client, ask if they are interested in having you make them an offer.  There are many benefits to asking.  First, the door has been opened and this shows interest on their part to learn more about what you can offer them.  Second, you have listened and have the opportunity to offer something that would be of interest to purchase.
  3. Stay Connected – If your potential client is not interested in working with you today, that does not mean you might not work with the client in the future.  Ask how you can support them, offer connections and stay connected through social media by showing up and supporting their mission. Time and time again this method has brought me clients I spoke to years ago that work with me.

Never underestimate the value of building relationships to maximize profits.  It is a proven formula that works and can be implemented into your business strategies immediately.

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Galit Ventura-Rozen, M.A. is a Sales Success Expert, Author of The Successful Woman’s Mindset and 25+ year commercial real estate broker/owner with $1 billion in sales and professional speaker. She works with women to get them to 7 figures in their business. She is most recently the recipient of the Entrepreneur of the Year Award by Silver State Awards and was featured recently on the cover of the Top 100 real estate agent’s international magazine!!