Relationships Are The KEY To Sales...

Most salespeople want to know how can they close more sales.

Do you want to know the secret?

It's understanding that you don't close a sale UNTIL you open a relationship.

I heard this on an amazing video on LinkedIn this week.

It was a brilliant interview being hosted by VanillaSoft's Darryl Praill and he was talking to one of the UK's leading sales experts, Karen Dunne-Squire. (You can watch the whole 5-minute video right here). ((I'd also highly recommend following them both!)).

During the interview, Karen explained how most sales leaders and salespeople ask her how can they close more sales. Her response was truly on point:

Many of us understand that people buy from people and they buy from people they know, like and trust. However, there are still quite a few out there who don't fully understand or appreciate the importance and value of relationships in sales.

Think of it this way...

Would you buy from someone you didn't like? NO!

Would you buy from someone you didn't trust? NO!

The ONLY scenario where someone would buy something from someone they didn't like and didn't trust, was if it was the ONLY solution or if it was THAT good a solution, that it was the best option they had.

In that rare scenario, then, of course, it doesn't matter whether they like you or not.

But does any business out there REALLY want to win customers that way?

Of course not, and whilst selling like that may help you win short term deals, it will never create long term customers which are crucial to sales and business success.

Our customers want OUTCOMES, not relationships...

Steve Burton wrote a very fair comment to the interview video highlighting that most customers aren't looking for friends, they're looking for solutions. They want outcomes, not relationships.

This is where the debate starts to go down the whole cold calling versus social selling route, the argument becomes a little pointless. Why would you ever have to choose between having a relationship and providing a solution??!

You don't have to choose one or the other!

Successful selling comes from achieving both, building strong long-lasting relationships with your customers and providing them with solutions and outcomes.

If you want someone to buy from you, to spend money with you, then you need to make them trust you. They will give you their money when they trust that you will provide something of value in return.

Here's something most salespeople need to remember...

It's a VERY competitive world out there. Most of your prospects and customers have A LOT of choices, there will be plenty of other alternative options other than buying from you. This is why it is SO important that you realize YOU are an equally important part of the sale.

You need to sell yourself as well as the product. They need to feel confident and comfortable buying the product from you.

You don't need to make them your best friend though!

The key with this is balance, if you focus too much on relationship building and making them your best friend, you run the risk of ending up in the friend-zone. They'll end up liking you, but not in a way that they want to buy from you.

In sales your job isn't to make friends, it's to win customers.

That doesn't mean you can ignore building relationships, it's just that you need to build the RIGHT relationship.

You want them to like you, trust you and to have confidence in you.

Here are my TOP TIPS for building strong and effective sales relationships with your customers:

1) Always deliver on what you promise.

If you say you'll call them at 10:00, call them at 10:00. If you arrange a meeting for 10:00, arrive 5 minutes early. If you say you'll send an email with confirmation straight away, send it straight away. Always deliver on what you promise.

2) Always try to go above and beyond.

Try to find any opportunity that you can to do extra for your prospects and customers. Send them a small gift, give them something extra with their product, send them a birthday card, little things that make a big impact.

3) Make them feel important to you.

Don't make them feel like just another customer, make them feel like they are important to you, not just for their money but because you want to help them. Listen to them more, find out more about them, show real interest in them, it all makes a difference.

4) Don't be embarrassed to be a salesperson.

A lot of salespeople end up getting friend-zoned because they are embarrassed to be a salesperson, so they avoid doing any selling. Be proud that you work in sales, be proud that you help people and make sure they know that.

5) Always make an effort for them.

Show them that you value them by working hard for them. Do your research, take notes or keep your CRM updated to make sure you remember all of the details, go and get answers for questions that you can't answer, get information for them, show them that you're willing to work harder than any other salesperson for them.

One final tip is don't stop doing any of the above tips once you close the sale, unless you only want one sale from them. If you want to sell to them again, or gain referrals from them, then the effort needs to continue.

Most of the top salespeople out there play the long game.

They build super strong long-lasting relationships that provide repeat and referral business year on year.

Now I'd love to know what YOU think...

Do you focus on relationships in sales? Or do you think it's not important?

Let me know in the comments!

Thank you for reading this blog! If you enjoyed it please do click LIKE and click SHARE to share it with your network.

If you enjoyed this post please take time to read some of my other recent posts.

LinkedIn Sales Navigator Is Like Going To The The Gym...

Just Pick Up The Phone and Call!

The ABC Of Social Selling

The Modern-Day Sales Prospecting Stack

The 10 Things That Will NEVER Change In Sales

About the author: 

Daniel Disney is one of the world's leading Sales, Social Selling and LinkedIn experts and is the author of the #1 Amazon Best Selling book, "The Million-Pound LinkedIn Message".

Daniel is also a highly in-demand international keynote sales speaker, is the UK's leading sales blogger and is also the Founder and Owner of LinkedIn's most popular sales publication, The Daily Sales. With a global audience of over 500,000+ followers and growing by thousands each week, his content reaches millions of salespeople far and wide.

To inquire about Daniel keynoting or speaking at your company or event, or to find out more about his 1-day and online LinkedIn/Social Selling Masterclass please email [email protected].