Your Second-Best Friend

“Winning has always meant much to me, but winning friends has meant the most.” Babe Didrikson Zaharias, American Golf Champion

In sales, it can be hard to get your foot in the door with new customers. Too often, we hear “I’m happy with my current supplier,” as the door slowly starts to close on us.

My colleague Mary Mullenhoff has an excellent strategy for keeping your foot in that door long enough to get some business. Mary coaches people to be the “second-best friend”, the alternate supplier who can fill the gaps that the lead supplier leaves open.

When a prospect raves about the current provider, simply say, “That’s great! I’ve heard of XYZ Company, and I’m glad they’re doing a good job for you. Are there any items that XYZ doesn’t provide you that I could offer? I’d like the opportunity to be your second source for some products. That way, you’re protected in case XYZ has a shortage.”

There’s nothing wrong with being a second source. In fact it’s a great position to be in. It’s a way to show good customer service, and grow relationships within companies that are in your target market. Chances are there’s something your competition can’t provide that your prospect wants. Do your research and be ready to offer some options that might complete your prospect’s inventory. Maybe you have some shipping or service options on certain things that your client might need in specific situations.

Whatever you can do to be a supplier, do it! Then build on that relationship with good service and a quality product. If you are a service provider, offer to be a second opinion on their current service. Offer to update them on current trends through your newsletter. Be clear that you’re not trying to upset the apple cart if they are happy with their primary supplier, you are giving them additional options.

One can never have too many friends. When you make inroads as a second-best friend, you’re putting yourself in a position to win more sales and more clients for the long term.

Are you ready to win?

Your Relationship to Sales

“Nobody is a natural. You work hard to get good and then work hard to get better.” – George Halas, Legendary Chicago bears Football Coach

I just got off the phone with someone who wanted tips on how to raise money for a non-profit organization through…telemarketing. The mere thought of someone calling me during dinner makes me cringe, and I admit, I am not the most receptive or pleasant person when I get those calls. Why? It’s an intrusion. It’s someone I don’t know who got my number and is trying to sell me something I never expressed a need for. It’s everything we hate about sales.

At Possibilities Unlimited, we train people to examine their relationship to sales. Sales should be a process of problem solving. We sell our product to people who need to solve a particular concern. There will always be someone who needs your product, the key is to find that person and focus your sales efforts where you fill a need. Don’t try to sell handbags to people who need paper supplies. I’m not saying you won’t ever sell a handbag, but your chances of success are much greater if you sell to people who want handbags. And your relationship to this concept of helping people solve problems will strengthen your confidence to sell.

Back to my telemarketing friend. When she first spoke to me she had no specifics about what she needed or what her organization was about. She was calling people in desperation, trying to get them to donate. Her relationship to the situation was one of begging, and she understood her calls were an intrusion.

First, I advised her to seek other ways to raise money that might have more bang for the buck. But as for her phone pitch, I explained that she needed to change her relationship to the situation and be ready to tell the benefits. She needed to be specific about how much money she needed to raise and by when. And she needed to tell people why they were being called. She was calling people in a group of neighborhoods raise money for programs for at-risk teens. The goal is to keep kids occupied after school and teach them work ethics skills. The benefit for her “customers” is a safer, more productive community with less crime. She defined a specific fundraising goal, and is now able to tell people what their donation will buy in the way of putting kids through the program.

By changing her relationship to the sales process, she is now equipped to confidently speak to people who can support her. She can solve a problem for the community. She understands her relationship to sales and is ready to win the game.

Are you ready to win?