Sales Tip: Be Interested

As a rule, people aren't coming to you for your product or service because they find you interesting. There is nothing wrong with being interesting, or having a wonderful personality or fascinating life experiences. But customers aren't primarily concerned with doing business with interesting people. They want to do business with people who are interested in them. They want someone concerned with their needs, desires, fears and expectations.

If you want to remind yourself and others on your team of this important concept, just remember the lesson of young Johnny. Johnny was 10 years old when he came home from school and shared with his mom that he had a new girlfriend. "Wow, a girlfriend," his mom exclaimed, "What does she like about you?"

"She thinks I'm cute, that I'm funny and I'm a great dancer," Johnny answered.

"And what do you like about her?" mom continued.

Johnny's insightful response was, "That she thinks I'm cute, that I'm funny and that I'm a great dancer."

That's the essence of being interested. We respond positively to people who are interested in us and want to help. They make us feel good, and that's what draws us to them.

Start CARING about customers. Superior service begins with a genuine interest in and commitment to customers. It is about caring about them as individuals, and being obsessively concerned with the experience they have when they do business with you. And if you don't fundamentally care about the people you serve, I assure you that they won't care about doing business with you.

The best product at the best price isn't the best deal if you don't care about customers.