Among the most valuable business tips I ever received from motivational speaker Jim Rohn was the counter-intuitive “Tip in advance.” When we hear the word “tip,” we think of the money we leave on the table at after a meal when the waitstaff has served us well or gone beyond ordinary efficiency.
But tip in advance?
Here’s Jim Rohn’s definition:
T: To
I: Insure
P: Prompt
S: Service
He explained that to insure prompt service, tip in advance: when you’re at a restaurant and the waitstaff is handing out menus, go ahead and tip. You’ll have that wait person’s immediate attention and you’ll be provided with superior service—you won’t be just another table turn.
Distinctions are an integral part of sales.
When you first meet a client, whether face-to-face, by phone, over the internet using video conferencing, or just plain email, what type of first impression do you make? Are you a version of a waitstaff’s “just another table turn” patron? Is it “one and done” for your client? How many of your clients really remember you after a month? A year? How do you create your own personal and professional distinction over your competitors? Or is your lack of assertiveness or mental complacency put you in the “table turn” category?
What should your opening “TIP” look like?
There is one trusted sales technique that I have used to gain a positive first impression from clients. All it takes is discipline along with a small inventory of special books that provides me a distinctive follow up process over my competitors, combined with a thank you card and mailed to their business address or home.
The book is The Treasury Of Quotes by Jim Rohn. This content-rich book contains powerful quotes on subjects that will benefit every client: Goals, Success, Motivation, Results, and other topics. At 5¼ inches by 3¾ inches, the book fits inside most thank you cards. Its total weight equates to a .71 cent stamp. Many of my clients have found multiple uses for the quotes; some even include them in company newsletters.
As in the pre-meal tip at a restaurant, the method of delivery is just as important as the content.
That method is called immediacy. This is where the most absolute of discipline comes in. As soon as your meeting ends, you must immediately follow through. Not tomorrow, not next week, but right then. Clients want to see immediate action, so when sending thank you cards and a Treasury Of Quotes book, do it IMMEDIATELY. I take time to handwrite my response inside the thank you card, personalize the book to my client, then drive over to the nearest post office and walk the mail inside to the closest point of delivery. Content plus immediate implementation equals distinction!
Salespeople who wait a few days or even weeks to make the follow up contact will lose out to their competitors. The salesperson who immediately follows up will gain the attention and respect of their client and win. By utilizing this TIP, you might receive this type of response: “This salesperson is on the ball. I am impressed by their skills. I have no reservations giving them my business.” Score a win!
This type of attention, efficiency, and distinction will make clients and prospects want to do business with you. You will be chased instead of having to chase!
Start out by investing in some of these books, which cost about a buck apiece. Have a personal goal to send all of them out over the next 60 days with thank you cards and watch the responses! You can order the books from www.jimrohn.com.
To succeed in sales, you must understand what a true distinction is personally, professionally, and with your own company. What truly sets you apart from your competing salespeople? Will it work as a potentially revenue-producing activity? To Insure Prompt Sales and gain a competitive advantage, consider making this sales TIP a part of your daily sales method of operation.
Being at the top of your sales game is not complicated. It is an art of daily disciplines, doing little things your clients won’t forget—including making that first impression a memorable one. Remember that you have only one chance at your first impression! Do what your competitors are not willing to do, and do it NOW to give you the distinction that gives you the competitive edge! Let your clients and prospects know that you are thinking about them, so they will think about you—before they think about any of your competition!