Always Say 3 Things When You Walk Into a Business

In this episode I’ll teach you three things you always say when you walk into a business.  Please refer to the episode from last week if you missed it.

https://www.ccsalespro.com/door-to-door-mindset-for-prospecting-during-the-covid-19-crisis/

Last week I established the fact that you should walk in looking confident and positive.  Have a big smile and a big greeting.  Make sure you get into the right mindset before walking in! 

The three things you always say are not related to credit card processing.  But they are vital to any sales interaction.

Number 1: 

Walk right up to the person who seems to be in charge and say with gusto, “Hey!  How are you doing today?”  Be overly positive. Sound like you’re having a great day.

Number 2: 

Engage in some small talk for about thirty seconds.  My usual small talk is weather.  For instance:

“Hey!  How are you doing today?  Man, is it ever going to stop raining out there?” or “Can you believe it’s still snowing?” 

Number 3:

ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS have an excuse for your visit.  If you just walked into the business to make a sale, the prospect won’t like that.  I usually say,

“I was just in a meeting with Joe at XYZ hardware, one of my clients.  I realized as I was driving by that I’ve never been in here before.  How long have you guys been at this location?”

The Goal

The first goal of the excuse is to establish that I’m not there as a customer.  I have some service to offer.  The longer you wait to tell the owner, the more awkward you will be. 

By saying you’re meeting with a client, you’re making clear that you’re a sales professional.  I do that right off the bat.  If I have a client nearby, I make mention that Joe is just down the street.

Don’t Pause

Don’t stop after mentioning your client.  The prospect might ask what you’re selling or go in a negative direction.  Pivot quickly with a simple question about the business that the owner will love to answer, such as, “How long have you been at this location?”

Transition Statement

The next phase is a transition statement.  This will vary greatly depending on what you’re selling.  This statement is very important; plan ahead and memorize it.  Carefully pivot the conversation.

Non-decision Makers

Most salespeople worry too much about non-decision makers.  At a small business, there will be very few employees.  The person to whom you’re speaking is probably a family member or trusted employee of the owner.  You can certainly spare two minutes with a non-decision maker!

Make a good impression, no matter to whom you’re speaking.  Assume the contact is the decision maker.  I promise the person will let you know if you should speak to someone else.

You don’t want an employee or family member complaining that a pushy, rude salesperson came in the store.  You won’t get the sale!

I hope these tips are helpful to you!