Jeffrey Gitomer says, “All things being equal, people want to do business with their friends.” The key to winning friends and building relationships is extremely basic: become a friendlier person! The ways that you can become a friendlier person are equally as easy to understand, but it takes a concerted effort to actually practice these principles. Here are some tips for becoming a friendlier person and increasing your sales success from your friends at Dale Carnegie Training of Edmonton:
No Complainers Allowed — Do you know a person who complains all the time? Is he or she a person you want to be around? It is human nature to vent and complain from time to time; however, if you complain all the time, it can be poisonous to your relationships at work, at home, and in your daily life. Try to go one day without criticizing, condemning, or complaining. By forgoing these common habits, you can project a more positive attitude. You will find that it will make you more approachable, allow you to quickly brush off daily irritations, and easily deal with conflict or difficult situations at work.
Smile — How many times do you smile throughout the day? Think about it; most people do not smile nearly enough. A smile is the international sign of friendliness. Smiling is probably the easiest way to project a positive attitude. A smile sets the tone for an interaction. Make sure you double the time that you spend smiling, and you will notice a difference in the way people engage with you.
Using Names — Dale Carnegie said, “A person’s name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language.” Using a person’s name is another simple way to build rapport with your clients and become memorable. When using a client’s name, remember to do it naturally and sincerely. Overuse can seem fake and superficial.
Listen — Listening to your client is important on two counts. The first is that if you are listening, you can uncover challenges, issues, and other situations that will help you better serve your client. The second is that when listening, you are not talking. One of the cardinal sins of sales is to talk too much about yourself. You should make sure that you let your client do a great deal of the talking.
By developing an attitude that invites interaction, engagement, and information exchange, you build richer relationships with your clients. You begin to foster mutual trust, and clients will rely on you to provide solutions, not just as a vendor, but as a partner, to reach mutual success.
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