Sales contact

The aim of making contact is to create a positive atmosphere, a climate conducive to sales.

Some salespeople even go so far as to say that they want to make a friend of the customer by finding a common ground, called an anchor, with the person they’re talking to.

Before making contact, if you are in a company, you don’t waste time waiting, you observe everything that can facilitate your contact:

• Pictures on the wall in which you may see your interviewer
• Prizes won, their type, and in what year, recently or ….20 years ago. This will let you know whether your prospect is at the cutting edge of his field or living on his achievements.
• Trade magazines by sector and the presence of your contact person, if any
• The receptionist you can talk to is the one who knows the company best, since it’s her job to know where the employees are.
• Passers-by and their communication style

So you don’t have to sit in the chair you’ve been introduced to, you can more dynamically stroll around the reception hall. If you’re sitting down, avoid deep leather armchairs from which you’ll find it hard to get up when your interviewer arrives, or you’ll miss your chance to make contact!

In any case, keep your briefcase within reach of your left hand, avoid crossing your legs and be ready to stand up easily when it arrives.

Let’s take a look at the steps involved in making contact to increase your sales:

1. A look is worth a thousand words. You can say more with a look than with several sentences. It’s often the first look that counts.
2. A smile relaxes the face and encourages positive communication. The smile also shows that the salesperson is enjoying what he or she is doing.
3. Identify yourself and the person you’re talking to, and exchange business cards.
4. Find an anchor to break the ice, but also strengthen the relationship and your credibility with the customer. It could be a place to live, a school, a hobby or a shared sport.
5. Only then, once we’ve created the right atmosphere, can we get to the heart of the matter, i.e. present the objective of the meeting if we’re going to meet a customer, or ask them for their objective if they’re coming to meet us.

You can then start asking questions, but here we’re getting back to discovering needs.