Communicating respect, patience and a willingness to build relationships will be to your benefit on many levels, whether applying for a new job, selling, or meeting new people. And it will differentiate you from most everyone else, thereby building your brand.
Genuine willingness
In the corporate world, most salespeople were very impatient to get a sale and actually browbeat their prospect into becoming a client. Needless to say, most often they were kicked out of the account. If they did land the client, there was no loyalty shown afterward.
The other circumstance they failed to realize was that by a genuine willingness to first sell a small product or service, to demonstrate excellence in customer care, would lead to a larger sale afterward, plus many more.
In the same vein of showing respect and patience, I have learned over the years, people, older than me most often have much to share. Unfortunately, younger people choose to avoid older people at gatherings due to their being less mobile. The host at a barbecue must have recognized me as being different, because she specifically introduced me to a very nice, older woman.
“Eva” immediately let me know her husband had recently passed away and that she was terribly lonely. We sat down to talk and get to know one another. It was surprising how quickly the hour passed. Eva began to relay how they came from Italy to the U.S. By the middle of her story, I was taken in by the devotion she and her husband showed to their community.
One tiny segment of the story centered on shoe repair. Eva’s husband collected outgrown children’s shoes and mended them in his spare time. Gradually, he grew an incredible collection of all sized shoes that were returned to good repair. As children in his community outgrew their shoes, and were unable to purchase new ones in the stores, they would visit this man’s garage. Upon viewing what was to their liking, they would swap their old shoes for a newer pair in better condition. This was all done almost entirely free of charge. It was truly a labor of love. Needless to say, this couple set a fabulous example for their family. Their own children grew up to become hugely successful themselves.
Respect and listening go hand in hand
I enjoyed what came to be a most inspiring hour spent and the better part of the afternoon. When you treat everyone with respect, listen to what they have to say and build relationships, you are bound to learn something new and make wonderful new friends.
As an entrepreneur, I welcome conversation with everyone I encounter. Most often there is something to be learned. This holds true for those seeking career or job change too. You never know who the new person and their connections might be.
Online the experience goes deeper. Using Twitter as an example, when you enjoy tweets of one particular person, take the time to see who they follow and who follows them. You have a stronger chance of finding synergy with those people.
When the rare moments come to meet someone new and have a leisurely conversation, take the opportunity to see what may transpire. You may well be headed toward you next Smooth Sale!
Author:
Elinor Stutz, CEO of Smooth Sale, LLC authored the International Best-Selling book, “Nice Girls DO Get the Sale: Relationship Building That Gets Results” and “HIRED! How to Use Sales Techniques to Sell Yourself On Interviews”. She provides team sales training, private coaching and business retreats to grow you business. She is available upon request for consultation.
