“Now don’t go getting all salesy on me,” sounds like something Tina Fey’s character on 30 Rock might say. “Salesy-ness” could be a term Stephen Colbert makes popular. This is, essentially, the ugly stereotype of sales people that has plagued us for ages. We have all encountered smarmy types and affectations from time to time, although in a different way. No doubt you’ve experienced the pushy sales clerk who has you running out the door to avoid the assault of being “over-helped.” Or, the eager beaver waiter who fakes endearment and keeps asking how’s your dinner when your mouth is full of food. Really? Is this customer service?
We rely heavily upon our digital presence on Facebook, blogs and our web sites since we know that most buyers begin their search on the internet. However, let’s not forget the key to building relationships (and business) is ultimately that personal touch. How we carry ourselves in public is just as important as how we present ourselves on the web. We’ve all been around the sales guy who swings his imaginary golf club, as he brags about his latest and greatest deal. Seriously? Who cares? Or how about the saleswoman who wears super short skirts and throws a lot of surgically enhanced cleavage around. Okay, maybe that works occasionally, but come on, what is she selling? If these people make you feel uncomfortable, imagine how your clients might feel if they encountered that behavior. It’s fair to ask - are there “salesy” things we can learn from others that we don’t want to repeat ourselves?
Here’s an opportunity- sit at Starbucks for an hour during a busy weekday and watch and listen. Chances are you'll spot and overhear a few sales people as they come and go. Take some notes and impressions, who would you trust with your business? Exactly. Don’t forget that each and every time you walk out the door and into the public, you are in part, prospecting. Don’t blow your opportunities by being rude, crude or obnoxious. My husband and I were at dinner one night, seated next to a successful realtor in the area. He was apparently recruiting a young woman who turned out to be a title officer in a major company. Alcohol no doubt played a role in his banter as he kept telling her how lucky she would be if he decided to work with her. He said he was, “Gonna rock your world”, presumably with all the business he was going to give her. Frankly, we didn’t care if that was how he talked in private – it was his public display of his inane “salesy-ness” that was made us cringe.
The manner in which you present yourself and the attitude you convey to others is not only your personal image, but your business image. And if “salesy” works for you, well good for you. But chances are, you will always be more effective if you’re genuinely yourself. Just being a good person, a solid human being and above all, a genuine one, should be something we all practice on a daily basis.
Debb Dodges Raindrops, Tries NOT to be Salesy, and Sells Real Estate in Clark County Washington
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