Is Technology Hurting your Sales?

Meeting or exceeding sales goals is a perpetual challenge. With the advent of so many technological advances, it would seem that everyone now works faster and smarter. But do we really? Many salespeople fail to realize that successful selling is the result of a number of factors coming together at once. If they focus too much time on gadgets and technology, they mistakenly forget to concentrate on the needs of the most Important factor—the customer.

Focus is Key

We’re all guilty of checking e-mail while talking on the phone. For most people, it‘s difficult to totally concentrate on the conversation. But for the person who wants to complete more sales, making conversations a priority by eliminating other forms of multi-tasking is the answer.

Effective selling requires thought and cell phones and computers can’t replace the thought process. Successful salespeople know how critical it is to quickly relate to prospects and customers. Distractions such as cell phones and email limit the information gathering process.

How many of us take cell phone calls while in the company of others, particularly customers? Do we really think that doing so might affect our relationship with our customer? Or are we so accustomed to believing that we need to “stay connected,” that we’re willing to undermine that moment. Most customers get the feeling that they’ve been bumped for someone “better” and don’t appreciate the slight—even if they say your taking the call doesn’t bother them. It does!

Here’s how one distributor reacted to a supplier’s action at a trade show:

During last year’s PPAI Expo in Las Vegas, I wanted to find

a new wearables supplier that we could really count on. I

approached a new supplier to the industry and asked the person

staffing the booth to tell me about his line. Things started out well

because I really liked his products; but three minutes into our conversation, the loud ringer on his phone went off. Instead of

ignoring the call and continuing to talk to me, he held up his index

finger and said, “Just give me a minute.” After waiting three minutes,

I turned and walked away. I certainly hope that call was

important to him. Our wearables volume was more than $100K

last year and I would never think about buying from someone

who ignored me for that amount of time.

Are you doing that to your customers?

Stay in the Moment

It’s hard to do today with so many distractions—Ipods, cell phones, PDAs complete with email, etc. In fact, most people brag about their ability to multi-task. But when doing so affects sales, those technological advancements become a hindrance. Here are some strategies to help salespeople “stay in the moment:”

• Leave your cell phone in your vehicle when making sales calls.

Nothing should be more important than the call at hand

• Avoid looking at your computer while talking to a customer.

Most e-mails can wait until you finish your conversation

• Refrain from mutli-tasking while talking to anyone.

Stay focused on the conversation by not doing multiple things

• Never ask customers to use their computer to check your e-mail.

There is no one more important at that moment than the customer at hand

Technology can be a Good Sales Tool

Obviously, technology is here to stay, so it makes good sense to use it to your best advantage. Here are some ways to do so most effectively:

1. Create deadlines for customers.

Use email messages as a closing tool by letting customers

know that they need to place orders because lead time is

growing short. Send them a message like this, “Customer,

I just talked to the cap supplier and they need three weeks

lead time. Can I come by tomorrow to finalize your order?”

2. Work at any hour.

Send product suggestions and quotes to people at any hour

of any day. Many successful salespeople use Saturdays and

Sundays to e-mail customers so they can have information

available as soon as they arrive in the office on Monday

morning.

3. Send orders and invoices electronically.

There are various service providers that offer programs

that handle order placement and invoicing. Most of them

charge a fee, but one such provider is free—

www.distributorcentral.com. Orders can be placed and

sent directly to suppliers, as well as being stored in account

files for future use. All programs offer invoicing capability,

as well as ways for customers to pay distributors electronically.

When they do so, the payment is deposited directly into the

distributor’s bank account—a big help with cash flow.

A Final Word of Warning

Communicating via the Internet is a wonderful thing because it’s instantaneous—no voice mail and no gatekeepers to contend with. The only catch is that once a message is written and sent, there’s no turning back. Mistakes cannot be corrected, so the smart salesperson makes sure to triple check messages and quotes before sending them out. Misspelled words, bad grammar, and offensive language and/or gossip have no place in an effective salesperson’s email messages!

There are many things that technology can do to improve selling techniques, but make sure to use it in moderation. The one thing that electronic gadgets cannot do is show you the “oh so” subtle signs a customer sends when he is ready to buy. If you’re too busy checking email or answering another call, you’ll miss them. A little discipline and more focus on your customer of the moment will make the difference in your sales. It’s up to you!