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Home Insider Blogs Lori Snider's Blog Sales Guy Extraordinaire Strikes Again
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Apr 13
2010

Sales Guy Extraordinaire Strikes Again

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Posted by: Lori Snider on Apr 13, 2010 03:07

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For the masses that regularly read my posts, you’ll remember that I have dubbed my dad Sales Guy Extraordinaire, and once again, he has lived up to the expectation.

During a recent visit, Dad took a phone call from a woman he later explained was a former customer who had purchased carpet some years back, when he worked for a company that was no longer in business. Seems the woman had a problem with her carpet, didn’t know who to talk to about it, so tracked Dad down and called him. He told her he would stop by and take a look.

Wha-wha-what? Really? Dad didn’t own the former company, and he most likely couldn’t provide much more than a little guidance and direction. Likely, the carpet would not need to be replaced. so his visit wouldn’t generate a sale. He could easily have referred her to another specialist, or explained that he couldn’t really help her. But that’s not what a sales guy extraordinaire would do, and that’s not what Dad did. When I asked him why, he looked a little sheepish and tried to play it down, saying, “She’s an older woman, and it will only take a few minutes to take a look. If I can help her out, that will be enough.”

When is the last time you simply helped somebody out, no strings attached? If you have a client and have nothing to lease, do you simply wave them off with a, “You might want to try down the street”, or do you make the call yourself, and get involved in the solution, rather than dismissing the problem? You know what Sales Guy Extraordinaire would do. He would get busy and actively find an answer.

The best salespeople are in it, not just for the money, but for the people they can help. By assisting in finding the solution, they build trust and referrals, and go home every day confident they have made a difference. Zig Ziglar used to say, “Help enough people get what they want, and you’ll get everything you want.”

That’s being extraordinary.

Lori Snider is a national educator, marketing consultant and author who regularly provides guest commentary to Multifamily Insiders and other industry publications.  Visit her blog, www.rentplicity.com, or website, www.lorisnider.com to learn more.


Comments (6)Add Comment
4013
written by David Vining, April 15, 2010
Hey Lori.
There are so many lessons in that story...great customer service, ownership of the issue, caring, etc, etc. Easy to see why he's Sales Guy Extraordinaire. And, I know from personal experience that the apple didn't fall far from that tree.

dv
154
written by Lori Snider, April 15, 2010
Thanks, David!
211
written by Jen Piccotti, April 15, 2010
What a great example of servant leadership! There's so many stories out there that focus on "What's in it for me?" that it's refreshing to hear the stories of how one person made a significant impact on another person's day. We may not be able to change the world, but sometimes we can change one person's world for an hour, a day, or for their lifetime. And that's pretty cool.
62
written by Brent Williams, April 19, 2010
Great example on the difference between getting a sale and getting a customer! I run into a similar situation in that some people see my email as the multifamily help desk, but it usually doesn't take but a few moments to see if I can help. And those few extra moments mean that that person will hopefully be a loyal Insider for a long time to come. I'd say it's worth it! smilies/smiley.gif Thanks for sharing!
129
written by Heather Campbell, April 22, 2010
Wow - what a terrific story. The fact that a former customer contacted your dad YEARS AFTER they first worked together speaks volumes of the value of that initial positive interaction. And, the fact that your dad helped her - without monetary incentive - shows that the most effective salespeople have customer service in their DNA.
154
written by Lori Snider, April 22, 2010
Thanks for all the insightful commentary! The thing is, Dad just "gets it", and doesn't have it in his heart to do otherwise. Those are the kind of people we need at the front of the store.
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