Personal Power

A 30-year retail veteran, and author of the achievers guide to selling success Join the Profit Club,  Bob Janet shares his simple solutions on how to use your personal power to promote yourself.

1. The Three Foot Rule. Anyone who comes within three feet of you is informed of who you are and how you can solve their problems.

2. Smile When You’re On The Telephone. When speaking on the telephone, your voice is 84% of your effectiveness, use it wisely.

3. Never ask a question that can be answered with a “NO.” There is not a single word in the entire English language that stops a sale quicker than the word “NO.” To be successful in sales you must consistently avoid the word “NO.” Instead of asking yes or no questions, give them a choice.

4. Make it easy for your customer to buy from you. Thousands of years of commerce and documented human behavior show that: People take the path of least resistance, People buy when they feel they are in control People buy from those who make it easiest for them to buy.

5. Treat every customer as if they were a millionaire. You don’t know who they are or what their potential is, treat customers like a millionaire, someday they may be.

6. Keep it simple. Today’s world is complex and complicated.  Everywhere we turn change is taking place. Change, which we have very little, if any, control over affects us socially and economically. So, to gain an edge over your competition keep your offer simple.

7. Promise “PM,” Deliver “AM”. Nothing destroys trust and damages relationships more than a salesperson promising to do something at a particular time and then not delivering on the promise.100% Customer-Centered sales people can capitalize on these costly mistakes of other salespeople, by always delivering on time. Or, better yet, ahead of time. Promising PM and deliver AM is a great relationship building technique. Whether your promise is a phone call, a physical delivery, an appointment – whatever – always be early. Sure you may have to wait a few minutes, but being 100% customer centered means that you make every possible effort to delight your customer.  

8. Dare to be different. Doing things differently than your competitors, will create memorability and get you remembered.

9. You can't say thank you too many times. You cannot say thank you enough.  Every time someone does the slightest thing for you, say “thank you.”  Not just at that particular moment, everyone does that, but when they are not expecting it.  Thank you’s can be in the form of a card, a note, a special gift or moral support. Everybody needs more thanks.