ConnectWM.com



It's hard enough getting sales - let alone moving outside your comfort zone by going out and knocking on peoples doors.

I would not necessarily call myself a sales person, in fact like a lot of people, I openly admit to shying away from doing it...I go one further than that and actually say that I hate it.

It's not being told “no” or “not interested” that's the problem - it's the way that assumptions it would appear are constantly made by people who clearly do not know or having any interest in engaging in conversation as to what it is I might wish to talk about.

If I ask “who's in charge of Marketing” or “is the Manager in” they immediately assume ‘eye up' he's trying to sell something or he's going to complain and immediately play dumb or go really defensive by saying “what's it about” then closing followed by “they're not in” or “ you need to talk to someone at head office” .

I generalise the above but the point I am making is what gives them the right to ASSUME, are they doing it off their own bat or have they in fact been give the directive to assume.

Now if they have been given the directive then that's fine, as research (calculating the impact) should have been carried out to enable such a negative approach to be taken. But if not, what opportunities are being lost without the Manager or person in charge actually knowing about it.

For instance, today I personally called in and spoke to number receptionists at some independent hotels, once they had established that I was not there to book in, and I mentioned the immortal words “who's in charge of Marketing” or “is the Manager in” that was it the shutters came straight down.

How did they know I was not going to book a meeting room after talking to the Manager? Or that I was going to explain what I could do to promote their hotel? Or that I have 10 relatives coming over from abroad and they needed somewhere in Birmingham to stay for the week.

They didn't know as they never asked...just like, how they would know that perhaps Head Office had only that day given the Manager a directive to improve the marketing and awareness of the Hotel – they wouldn't know, as it would not concern them.

Companies need front line staff, customer facing folk who should be representing their company in the best light possible - to anyone that comes through their door.

One day they may be a sales person but the next day that very same person could be looking to just be a customer.

It may pay you to check how members of your staff currently deal with such situations.... If you ASSUME today - it could make an ASS out of U and ME tomorrow.