Relationships over Transactions

I was at an event today helping my wife who is an independent consultant for Scentsy.  Since it was a Saturday I had "free" time to go and give her a hand.  I'm always curious to observe other sales reps, especially in other industries, to see what I can glean from them, to improve my own skill.  My wife is very talented at what she does, so helping and observing her was both fun and enlightening.

One thing that I noticed at this event which was set up like a mini trade show, was that many of the sales in this environment were of a transactional nature.  The prospects were not there specifically to see or buy the Scentsy products.  They were strangers as we didn't know anyone prior the show.  It's amazing how much business can be generated at a table in this environment, as people use discretionary funds to indulge on impulse buying.  My wife has been booking more events like this for that very reason.  The single day sales can add up.  Her goal however is not just to capture as much of these transactional sales as possible, rather to convert as many of them as she can into long term clients.  

Because she's still developing her strategy on how to do this she and I were discussing methods that I use and things she's heard work from others in her field.  Brainstorming is fun and again since it's a bit different from my world of print, it challenged me to think in new and innovative ways to address a different vertical market and a different type of client.  In my world of print I have long focused on relationships with the businesses I sell to.  I've learned to focus on value over single sales earned solely on low prices.  You can read my previous post for more on that.  In this case it is neat to see how other industries are trying to create and build the relationship from a transactional sale.  There are lessons I can apply to my world and lessons from my world I think will help my wife.

My friends whatever business you find yourself in, I bet you too can benefit from long term relationships.  If you find yourself wondering how to create transactional clients with the public at large into repeat customers and form relationships, send me a message.  I'd be happy to work with you on it. Perhaps you have ideas that will help me and together our collaboration will make each of us better at what we do.