The biggest sales rule, most companies are ignoring!

When I first entered the world of sales in 1985, there where two-main philosophies (axioms) I was taught that guided how I sold, a third rule, I learnt much later. This third rule I learned, is more powerful than any other, but is still being largely ignored by Australian businesses.

In 1985, sales was an competitive and aggressive business, where only the fittest survived, were you were thrown into the deep end, a 'sink or swim mentality was the order of the day. At least this is how it was for me. I was given a script and a phone and was told, " Smile when you dial, sing when you ring. Oh, and if you want to keep your job, you need to make at least one or two appointments on the first day." I survived the first day as a telephone canvasser (thats what it was called back then, now tele-marketer) and if I survived a month, then I got given the privilege of receiving sales training, I had no idea what I was in for, I was 17.

The mechanics of the daily and intensive sales training from 7.30am - 8.50am, 5 days a week, were cruel and abusive by todays standards, it was not for the feint hearted, but this is where I toughened up. We were indoctrinated into the world of Zig Ziglar and Brian Tracy, all day, every day and the business seemed to be guided by two key sales philosophies, KISS and WIIFM.

KISS is self explanatory - Keep It Simple Stupid.

WIIFM - the worlds #1 radio station was the joke, but it meant, What's In It For Me. A guiding motivation that people have that one needs to appeal too in a presentation, to give yourself the best chance in getting the sale. There are many other axioms of course, not to mention techniques, but these two philosophies shaped my entire career, and seemed to also shape my employers methodology in their approach to marketing, sales, service delivery , everything they did. All basic tenants that was well executed, which laid the foundations for a very successful company which led to a period of incredible growth over the following 20 years.

It wasn't until I changed industries where I learnt the third rule when I was 36, and in the ensuing years not only has it become my guiding sales principle but I saw it become the single most powerful thought (philosophy - ideology) to shape a business quickly and efficiently for the long term. In real world scenarios, I saw this become the difference between success and failure, between profitability and bankruptcy, between surviving or dying.

The Third Rule: is so simple, yet so powerful that you can over think how to implement it in not only sales, but in sales delivery, customer re-marketing and ongoing management. However, all you have to do is to embrace the philosophy and implement it across the business. In order to do that you have to realise what your priority is, and thats the customer. The rule is this; "You have to make it easy for your customers to buy from you." that's it. Sounds simple right, but what does it mean? The answer is simple, in everything you do, you have to make the enquiry, sales process, finalisation (including payment) delivery and installation as simple and as pain free as you can. Let me break it down.

Enquiry - Always have someone for a prospect to reach, so that you can capture them, 7 days a week.

Sale process - Do more than you can, to see customers at a time and a place that works for them, to deliver on what you promise but most importantly do whatever it takes to accommodate the sale - if that is invoicing a finance company quickly, etc. Not dragging your feet or having a shit attitude towards extra efforts to get it over the line.

Finalisation: Have as many payment / finance options and platforms as you can in order remove barriers to obtain the sale. This could be cash obstacles, which in turn impedes opportunity, which has a cost attached to it. This of course depends if you are in corporate, commercial or consumer sales, retail or other sales formats. What I am talking goes far above just taking credit cards and eftpos, but also payment gateways, working with funders and brokers. In the consumer space, retailers are littered with buy now pay later funders, and a few are failing. Be careful, but at least having the avenues available is critical. I just saw a mower shop in Tamworth loose a $8500 sale to a competitor because they couldn't be bothered to send an invoice to a finance company they hadn't dealt with before, telling the customer, "we dont do that." So what, but their competitor jumped on it and got the deal. Good luck staying in business.

Delivery and Installation: self explanatory. the old saying that, a deal isn't done until it's delivered and paid for is true, until they take possession, a customer can still back out, so get it done quickly and easily, whatever it takes.

The bottom line is that thousands of businesses, sales organisations and of course, sales people, still haven't grasped this concept, which, I am sure, many of you know off, but I have seen it at work, and, if executed properly, can transform a business from a struggling also-ran to competitive organisation that has a future.

Business is competitive and hard enough, any business is, especially small business but for many businesses, sales people and sales management to have arrogant and dismissive attitudes towards customers is offensive to me. So too is the laziness that's associated with many sales people.

The simplest rule still applies, but your customers and only your customers first, ahead of your ego and you will build a good business.