I’m fairly certain all readers have had the experience of hearing a breathless, excited announcer explaining that this is the last possible chance to get a great deal on a car or truck from XYZ dealership.  In fact, even paying close attention is not enough to decipher the disclaimer that precedes this announcement.  This disclaimer is forced by law, due to the lack of transparency in these ads, and is of course sped up to get it in while still providing enough time for the bloviating afterward – “you will never see prices like these again!”

If you are not falling for these kinds of advertising, neither are your customers.  We need to train our associates and keep them from using absolutes and hyperbole; it comes off as insincere.  This kind of pitch – “Final Days”, etc., has been a part of the sales process for too long.  Many of our potential customers have their guard up as they enter our location, much the same as they do when they pull up to a used car dealership.

How can we expect our clients and customers to purchase more product and services from us when their initial contact was handled in this way?  Simply pointing out our product, followed by a curious “discount” that ends when they leave, is a great way to lose credibility in your market.  Instead, your sales personnel need to learn how to properly interview each potential customer and determine what their needs are.  A professional presentation allows us to look our customers in the eyes and tell them why they can trust us.  This takes training, but virtually anyone can learn to do this if they believe in the product exhibit the lifestyle.

Often our advertising can be a big part of the problem.  While price-point ads can be effective in some instances, they demean your value when used too often.  We would do well to remember that we are asking people to spend a relatively small amount of their discretionary income on our product, and there is no good reason for them to refrain from coming to us for their needs. If we present ourselves in an unprofessional manner, we will lose them right from the start.

Simply put, when it comes to “Final Days”, they’re just not buying.

Contact us for a complimentary one-hour consultation on this or any other facet of the industry, and watch for our webinars and training sessions throughout the year.

I’m certain everyone reading this has learned something through repetition. Maybe it was a musical instrument, or a particular skill. Perhaps it was a sport you were interested in, and had to go to practice until you became a valued member of the team. Children are taught new things all the time, and are told they must evaluate what they learn through homework, testing, etc.

Imagine what would have happened if you had given up immediately on learning to read, or riding a bike – where would you be? Repetitive behaviors encourage proficiency and hone skills; however, we see the reverse of this in the business world all the time.

New practices and techniques are discarded almost immediately when immediate success is not achieved. “That won’t work in this market”, or “I tried it but it wasn’t effective” is proclaimed after a few casual attempts. Where did that kid who practiced his/her soccer skills for hours in the park go?

Overnight success usually takes about 10 years – rarely does anything of value come immediately. If it did, everyone else could also do it and your skills would be worthless. You are not going to go to a convention or seminar and immediately be adept at the things you learned there. Practice, repetition, and supervision combined with critical thinking is vital for success. You are responsible for the success of a team or a business, and it is incumbent upon you to be the coach – do not let them give up simply because they are not succeeding right away.

Doggedly pursuing an activity or procedure that has proven ineffective isn’t smart either, but how will you know if your staff has taken a few cursory stabs at it and reported that it doesn’t work? We have gone into many businesses and seen exactly this scenario – a staff that is threatened by change and therefore torpedoes any new initiative that might result in more work. As a leader, you must drive change through effort. Training, practice, and honest evaluation of results – none of this happens overnight.

For information on staff training, new techniques, and what to measure for success, please contact us for a free one-hour business consultation.