Coffee’s For Closers!

I received a lead from the company that I work for to a lot of see two sisters,

each sister lives in a different house.  Both sisters are married, and all four people are retired.  On my lead slip it said that if I was to give a good price to one sister that I would be able to do work for the other sister at her house.  When I arrived at the house to see the two sisters both sisters were very leery of me and what I was going to do, I am a salesman don’t  you know.  I explained my products and services answered all their questions, and did not put too much buying pressure on them.  When asked about my competitors, I answered honestly, however I said nothing demeaning or negative about any of them.

Today I had a follow-up meeting with each sister at their individual homes.  The first sister that I met with Eleanor has a small project that she would like to do to her house.  There is also another project at her sister’s house that she would like to have done and pay for.  When I arrive to see Eleanor and her husband she immediately confronted me with the information she found out from the Better Business Bureau.  She found that in the last 36 months the company I work for has had three complaints.  One of the complaints that she mentioned was about a salesperson, she inquired if that salesperson was me, honestly I answered no.  The other complaint that concern her was about quality of material.  I told her that I was unaware of the complaint and did not have all of the information about it.  I could not tell her why the complaint was made or what was done to resolve it but I knew it had been resolved.

As I sat and spoke with Eleanor and her husband about their project I found out much information from them about the research they had already done.  They had numerous other companies out to their home to talk to them about this project.  She had one other price that was lower than mine, however when asked the same question as she asked me in regards to the salesperson’s competitors he responded with many negative comments and lies.  Today as I sat filling out the contract and receiving a down payment for half of the contract amount for Eleanor’s project she told me the story.  Eleanor informed me that no matter what the other guy’s price would have been because of the way he handled the question about his competitors there would be no way that she would ever do business with him or the company he worked for. Eleanor felt comfortable with me and the things that I had said not only about my company but about other companies.

I take that experience with me and know that I have not learned the lesson but I have only reinforced an old lesson.  Most of us have heard the saying if you don’t have anything nice to say say nothing at all.  I believe that when people run out of nice things to say about themselves or have no nice things to say about themselves they start to say bad things, negative things, or lies about other people.  In a sales presentation most of us would like to keep a positive atmosphere, saying negative, demeaning, or lies only kills that positive atmosphere.  Once that is gone is near impossible to get it to come back.

By saying nothing at all or focusing on myself rather than my competitor I was able to close the deal today and write three contracts.  These three contracts in the big scheme of things are puddles.  However they are puddles I am grateful to jump in because although these three puddles will not soak me from head to toe they will keep my feet wet in my mind sharp.

I expected to a good job on both Eleanor and her sisters home.  Once done with the quality of work that we offer I believe that I should be able to write at least two maybe three more contracts for more work on Eleanor sisters home and Eleanor owns three rental properties that also need work.  My little puddles when it’s all said and done will add up to a pond.

I hope this story helps to reinforce something that I believe most of us know.  Keep in mind as someone asked you about a competitor or about yourself keep a positive atmosphere and if you have nothing nice to say say nothing at all.

T. K.

One Response to “Coffee For Closer’s: Say Nothing At All”

• Amy Frank 13January2008

  Anytime you’re dealing with two sisters you have to watch your back…..

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