Be #2

When it comes time to confirm, you will certainly encounter customers who say no, and mean no. Don't despair. An excellent alternative plan is to have your customers place a small order with you. Tell them you are not expecting them to make a wholesale change in suppliers, but ask them to place a small order to test you out. The proof is in the pudding. It's okay to be #2, just ask the people at AVIS Rent-a-Car. If you are successful at getting and delivering a few small orders, it won't be long before you build up to getting the lion's share of their business. Chances are your unsuspecting competitor won't know what happened until it's too late. I have personally converted several accounts from a no to a know to a yes by using this strategy. Customers can be creatures of habit and usually go with what's been tested and proven. Your #2 strategy provides an opportunity to showcase your stuff while building confidence and trust in you. Remember, the fifth pillar of success is Patient yet Persistent (Chapter 2). Quiet persistence, coupled with patience, ultimately pay off handsomely with the reward of becoming their #1 supplier.

Always act like a professional. Don't take the customer's rejection personally. Recognize it as a business decision based on circumstances you may be unaware of. Be grateful for the opportunity to meet and discuss the possibility of doing business. The professional handling of a no sale situation actually helps build a sound relationship by developing a spirit of professionalism and persistence. The customer will be much more receptive to a #2 strategy if you handle the no sale situation professionally. Remember, if you can't make a sale, make a friend.

One of the greatest pleasures of selling is the adrenaline rush and elation when the customer says, "Yes, let's do business." This is the moment of yes. There have been many private dances in customer's parking lots, clenched fists pumping through the air accompanied by triumphant shouts of, "Yesss!" and smiles that make dentists proud. Confirming the sale is the pinnacle of achievement—all your efforts have paid a handsome return. Unquestionably, the greatest thrill for a sales entrepreneur is the moment of yes when the customer agrees to buy from you in the interest of a honest, mutually beneficial solution.

Become comfortable with using the five magic words and make them part of your professional equity. Confirming with these five words communicates confidence and offers a refreshing change for the customer. Another tremendous advantage is that this approach is universal—the same five words can be used regardless of what you are selling. Big-ticket items, long sales cycles, short sales cycles, a product or service, it doesn't matter—the five words must be applied to every possible sales scenario. Sales entrepreneurs understand that the power of asking is what ultimately separates a professional salesperson from a professional conversationalist.