There have been lots of sales books written over the years extolling a multitude of ideas regarding how to overcome objections, plan strategies, and close a deal. All well and good — the greatest product or service in the world won’t make money if it doesn’t get sold to a customer. While businesses range from one-person operations to vast multi-billion dollar corporations, there are a few aspects of customer interaction that are simple, universal and worth remembering. Whether it’s a product or a service, it’s always be important to keep the following factors in mind:

Listen to your customer.
Seems obvious, doesn’t it? Occasionally, though, we’re so eager to sell our business to a prospective client that we sometimes neglect to listen to what the customer is telling us. What are they really asking for? What problem can you solve for them? How are they used to doing business? Listen for their fears, then agree with them – “Yes, I can understand that concern. One way we can look at that is…”

Be honest.
Again, this seems obvious, but the temptation to make a business look a bit shinier is powerful, and a bit of fudging to land a sale can feel justified in the heat of the moment. The truth is, however, that in the long run, reputation is the most valuable commodity any company has, and the repeat business gleaned from customers who feel respected, fairly treated, and honestly dealt with is the bread-and-butter that keeps businesses going.

Don’t denigrate the competition.
Instead, find ways to cast your products or services in a better light. “Yes, their widget costs less and has a 5 year warranty, and while ours is a bit more, our warranty is a full 10 years and also covers labor.” Staying positive and professional in tone enhances the perception of your business, your product, and your work, and also becomes part of your reputation. (Don’t know where to start? Let EAS analyze your business and do a full assessment of advantages, marketing opportunities, and tax consequences.)

This isn’t rocket science, of course, and most businesses treat the above as Sales 101 from the beginning. Reminders have their place, however, especially as we’ve all been pummeled by the pandemic, rocked by inflation, and challenged by fewer employees demanding larger paychecks. In a tumultuous business environment, the basics remain the same, and are worth repeating.