Setting Yourself Apart BY MARK NEELY
Delivering ultra-high performance S-Board ™ liner and medium grades and world-class technical service. Bonus: those boxes make really awesome places to play
I have written several articles on this topic. Here I would like to summarize the approach I believe can help sales
people develop stronger and more lasting relationships with existing customers, as well as establish new relationships quickly and deeply. Trustworthiness In Selling Because of anxieties relating to the global, U.S. and regional econo- mies, you are probably worried about
Mark Neely
your plant’s and your own personal future. Your customers are also feeling this anxiety. The way the brain works, it is natural, under pressure, for an individual to think of his/ her own pressures and to forget that the customer is also feeling pressure. At the point of contact, salesperson-to-customer, the relationship is being tested more strenuously than ever. While there is unquestionably risk in this, there is oppor- tunity as well. If a salesperson can manage his/her pressures and demonstrate clarity, resourcefulness, and creativity while committing him/herself to the fulfillment of customer goals, the customer will be grateful as it is likely that he/she is not getting this kind of attention from very many people right now, whether from suppliers or from others within his/her own company. Trust is the most valued resource. In other words, if the customer can expect you to be there for him, he will trust No matter what price you or your competitors are of- fering, never forget that your customers crave a supplier who they can count on to consistently demonstrate a will- ingness to stay focused on their needs rather than one who slips into a defensive posture and only appears to be “selling.” Think of it as a bet you want the customer to make on you. How much they are willing to bet equates to the amount they trust you. Differentiation = Understanding Differentiated selling, now more than ever, requires a broad and comprehensive perspective. To capture the in- formation needed to demonstrate, as a company and in- dividual, that you can bring greater value to the customer than they can get elsewhere, you must not only be dedi- cated to understanding the customer, the customer must feel understood. To achieve this, it is helpful to have a team working together to deepen your company’s connection to your customers. An effective and dynamic sales team, working effec- tively together, will be able to learn more about a customer than any single individual can by him/herself. Work collab- oratively with each of your team members as well as with you. If not, he won’t. Trust = Predictability
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Robyn Smith at 910-553-4055 /rsmith@nvpublications.com Len Prazych at 518-366-9017 / lprazych@nvpublications.com
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March 30, 2020
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