IMPOSE ON THEM OR HELP THEM?
People want to help people that they know. Put away any reservations that you have and contact them. Get rid of that silly idea that you’ll be imposing on the relationship. That’s ridiculous. What are friends and family for if you can’t impose on them so you can help them? Someone is going to sell them—why not you? The reality is, they want to help you as well. If you love your product and fully believe in it, then love your power base enough to let them know what you’ve got. Rely on the earlier rule about taking massive action and use it on your powerbase. Contact enough people in your powerbase, and someone will tell you that they need your product or service. If you have a problem about imposing, you’re really having a problem on being sold and you need to get back your commitment.
From there you can expand your list.
Let’s say I sell clothes and I have ten friends, each of whom has a use for the kind of clothing I’m selling. Each of those people has an average of 2.2 more people in their household. That’s twenty-two people, expanded from ten.
Let those first twenty-two people know what you do, what you sell, where you are, and how they can contact you. Get their addresses and put them on a mailing list. Collect their birthdays, or if you want, just send out random birthday cards. No birthday card is better responded to than one that’s been sent out on the wrong day. Everyone will call you informing you that you have the wrong date for their birthday, at which point you’ll say, “I know that, but I didn’t know what your actual birthday was, and I thought I’d just take a chance at being right!” I guarantee you they’ll call. You have to get creative about contacting people. A little imagination combined with massive action goes a long way. Don’t ever worry about making a mistake. The only mistake you can make is failing to make contact.
Get these twenty-two people to help you meet the people they know so you can start working that list. Work the power base from the inside out and watch how big it gets.
When you’re making your power base list, you’re going to be shocked at all the people you’ve forgotten. Don’t worry about it; just go on and make contact! They’ll be glad to hear from you and want to help you.
I once contacted a guy from high school that I used to get into fights with when we were teenagers. I called him up and told him that even though twenty years had passed, I still thought about him often and had laughed at how we’d been enemies. Not long after that, he came into my office and bought my product from me. Speaking from experience, I can tell you that it’s easier to sell a past enemy than it is to sell someone you’ve never met. Don’t deny your power base. Work it!
If you don’t help your power base, a guy like me will. All of us have had the experience of running into an old friend who owns a product that we represent but who bought it from a competitor. The competition had worked the prospect, and you lost a sale because you simply failed to contact your power base.
The worst part about making a sale is that you just lost your best prospect and now need to replace him! The new customer now becomes part of your power base. Ask any salesperson anywhere, “Would you rather sell someone that you’ve never met or someone that you’ve sold to before?” If you were to poll a million salespeople with that question, all would agree that they’d rather sell to someone to whom they’ve already sold. Why? Because they have the experience of winning with that customer, and that makes it easier to sell the person again. The relationship is there, trust is there, and an experience is there. This is your power base now getting bigger. Add this to the enlarging circle that is emanating from you, and stay in contact with these people.
CAPITALIZE ON THE EASY SALE
Existing customers are the easiest sale to make, and I always prefer them over a brand-new prospect. I know what turns them on; I have a relationship; I have their trust; and they know me, the company, and the products I represent! Even when an existing customer has a complaint or a problem, that’s just a great opportunity to turn the complaint or problem into another sale.
I have a policy in my office that all complaints are to be immediately brought to me. Why would I want to deal with complaints? Because I know that complaints are one of the most overlooked opportunities for additional sales. Problems are opportunities! Solve the problem and you gain an even better customer.
Another reason that former customers are easier to sell is because it’s easier for them to make a decision with someone they’ve done business with before. People are creatures of habit. When I do a sales seminar, 99 percent of the people who attend choose to sit next to someone they know. Why? People find comfort in familiarity.