Sales Speaker Suggests Asking How Can I Do More Business With You

Writen by Dr. Gary S. Goodman

Peter F. Drucker, renowned management guru, advisor to nations and to huge multi-national corporations, used to admonish those of us in his classes to take pains to avoid being "too clever."

Drucker appreciated innovation and new thinking, but for him, cleverness was trying to find a sharp angle in a deal, or an oblique way of getting and serving customers.

A law professor of mine echoed this sentiment. His topic was Franchising, and having contributed some of the brains behind Subway's success, he said: "You'll never make it in the restaurant business unless you're comfortable walking up to a table and asking, 'How's your meal?'"

That's easy, isn't it?

Directness and simplicity can do wonders for your business.

They need to be applied to selling, as well.

We all know that it is generally easier to get an existing customer to buy more than to cultivate and to sell to an entirely new customer.

But sellers waste a lot of time trying to figure out pricing strategies and discounts and other lures to get their clients to buy more, when the clients, themselves could easily give us direction, if we weren't so busy being clever.

Why not ask: "How can I do more business with you?"

You might expect to hear something like, "Cut your prices," but it isn't a likely response.

You'll probably hear, as a reflex, "That's a good question."

Then, your client will put on his or her thinking cap. If they like what you've done so far, they might ask you what else you can do. That's a nice opening, and because they've asked, you can calmly and confidently tell them.

Or, they'll disclose their plans to purchase something at least tangentially related to what you have provided.

For instance, a client of mine that has invested in customer service training may mention she is interested in sales training, which of course, I do, as well. But she may not have put the two together, until I broached the matter.

Try this question, and tell me how you do!

Best-selling author of 12 books and more than 900 articles, Dr. Gary S. Goodman is considered "The Gold Standard"--the foremost expert in sales development, customer service, and telephone effectiveness. Top-rated as a speaker, seminar leader, and consultant, his clients extend across the globe and the organizational spectrum, from the Fortune 1000 to small businesses. He can be reached at: gary@customersatisfaction.com.