12 Step Program

A friend in the Title Business sent this article to me the other day.  Good rules to increase your sales karma. 

"I was cleaning out my Word fi les on my computer and I ran across this document. I have no idea who wrote it or where it came from, but below are 12 great reminders....

1. Keep things in perspective.  Negative attitudes result when you focus only on frustrating details versus the overall picture of what you and your prospect are trying to accomplish.

2. Concentrate on thankfulness versus entitlement.  

Avoid coming across to others as if they owe they owe you something. Let them know you appreciate their time and their business.

3. Surround yourself with motivated people.  

Eliminate from your social circle people who are always dwelling on the negative. 

4. Be the giver and receiver of at least one motivational or inspirational message every day.  Positive reinforcement can help you project a positive feeling about yourself in the marketplace.

5. Read books by successful people.  What you put in your mind eventually comes out of your mouth.   Reading books that inspire you will help you to inspire others to think of you in a positive light.

6. Face challenges with a sense of opportunity and humor.  Look for the good in all ideas, situations, andcircumstances.

7. Look past your prospect's faults to see their needs.  Nobody's perfect. You may not like the way some of your customers behave, but if you focus on what they are trying to accomplish, you can work on helping them help themselves.

8. Under-promise and over-deliver.  This conveys a sense of greater value to the customer. It is refreshing and earns repeat business.

9. Be willing to walk away.  Trustworthiness cannot be built on making sales to people when your product or service does not meet their needs. Instead of hurting your reputation, it's better to just walk away,but be sure to leave the door open for the next time.

10. Keep all your personal and professional conversations private.  If people find out that you've talked about their personal lives or revealed confidential information about their business to other people, they will decide you can't be trusted, and they'll slam the door on you forever.

11. Avoid stretching the truth even a little.  A small lie creates skepticism because, from that point on, people will never feel sure that you are telling them the truth.

12. Keep your word.  This simple rule is practiced so infrequently that those who stand behind what they say really stand out from their competitors.

Remember, thousands of people are eagerly waiting to buy from you if you can show them you can be trusted and are a worthy investment. Invest a little of your time to show that you're not just a good salesperson, but a good person willing to provide them with what they need and when they need it.