For a brief time in my twenties I was a salesman for a home improvement company. Part of my training was an extensive course in what I considered to be high pressure selling. Now as it turned out I was a good salesman. Using the tactics I was taught in my training I quickly became the top salesman, a ranking I held until I left the company.
During my sales training a friend gave me some cassette tapes (yes I’m that old) by a guy named Zig Ziggler whom I later learned was a world renowned salesman. I would listen to these tapes as I drove to my sales calls. Although Mr. Ziggler talked about sales It was really a philosophy of life he was teaching. Almost every concept he put forth was simple enough for a child to understand and unlike the stereotypical sleazy used car salesman, his approach advocated honesty and a sincere desire to help prospective customers.
The concept that struck a chord with me the most was epitomized in this quote by Mr. Ziggler.
“You can have every thing in life you want If you will just help enough other people get what they want.”
To me that was very profound. It made me view my role as a salesman from a completely different perspective. Possibly I interpreted his sentiment too literally because I sometimes found that the services offered by our company were not the best way to help my clients get what they wanted. This was much appreciated by the clients but unfortunately not so much by my employers who insisted that our company was always the best solution no matter what. Our inability to agree on this point is what led to my decision to leave the company.
Later when I started my own company this concept of, how can I best help each customer get what they want, was the corner stone of my sales approach. Now many years later I still use this same approach that has served me so well. I am an enthusiastic salesman and craftsman with the knowledge and experience to provide a wide range of building, maintenance and repair solutions. If however, I feel that my company does not offer the best solutions for your particular needs I will tell you that also. Several times over the years, after telling a customer that my company was not their best solution, they have called me back to do work on a different project because they felt I would treat them fairly.
A quick note about the above quote. ~ Years ago, when I first heard the quote, I thought it just reflected an honest attitude about how to make money in sales. I now believe that the real payoff, for all the years of always trying to help other people get what they wanted, has been to allow me to have many of the things in life I wanted . . . that money can’t buy.
Wood’s Home Maintenance Service offers solutions for a wide range of building, maintenance and repair needs. Contact us today for a free estimate.
