Yesterday I was having a conversation with a young woman who
is working as an outside sales rep for a car rental company that relies on local insurance companies to refer business to them. It is her first time in a sales role, and
being a little green, her confidence is not yet where it needs to be. She asked me for a few pieces of advice to help
her be the most effective in closing a sale. This is simple I thought, “Always
ask for the business!”
The young lady was clearly uncomfortable with this
advice. She had her pitch down. She could explain her products in glowing
detail. But she never once asked a
customer for their referral business. I asked her why this made her uneasy. Her answer: “What if they say no!” Ah yes –
what if they DO say no? And some will –
that is a guarantee. If they say no, it
is a prime opportunity to find out why. This information will be some of the best you can gather on how to improve
upon your product or service, or upon your own personal selling skills. Better
yet, it gives you a chance to address their concerns on the spot, potentially persuading
them to change their mind about what you are selling. All of these things will help you sell more in
the moment, and in the future. So in the
end, a “no” really can be a “yes”. Always
ask – or you will never know.
Beth Anne Whalen
Director of Business Development
Beth Anne Whalen has 13 years of sales, sales management, and marketing experience. She has worked for Enterprise Rent-A-Car, First Advantage Corporation, and Raymond James.
