I often ask people to tell me what they think of when I say the word “salesperson.” The response is often “car salesman.” “And what do you associate with a car salesman?” I ask. "Dishonest," and "self-serving" are the two most popular answers.
Imagine you are on a car lot and you see a salesman approaching. You brace yourself for an introduction along the lines of “Which one of these beauties are we sending you home in today?” But instead, you get this:
“Hi. I’m Joe. Would you like a copy of the Consumer Reports Auto Guide? You’ll find the cars on our lot are reviewed really well in there. My card is stapled to the cover and my office is inside. Come in or call my cell if I can answer any questions for you. We’ve got complementary drinks in the fridge. Come in a grab one whenever you’d like.”
As he hands you the magazine, he asks for your name and email address. If the first thing Joe had done was ask for this, you might have been reluctant to give it. But he began the relationship by giving you something of value and he’s not being pushy. He’s giving you space to think, so you don’t see the harm in giving him your email.
Let’s assume you are serious about buying a car and a soda sounds good, so you go into the office and get a can out of the fully stocked refrigerator. There’s Joe at his desk. He waves to you and you walk over. You ask him about a particular make and model.
“Great car,” he says. “I’ve got a review Car and Driver magazine did on that model . I’ve got a hard copy or I can email it to you.” You opt for the hard copy because you figure you’ll read it right now. He hands you the photocopied article, then, he asks for your phone number. Again, this guy is giving you valuable things, what’s the harm? He’s already demonstrated that he asked for your email so he could help you with your research.
Even so, you may ask him why he wants your number. “In case we don’t have exactly what you are looking for in stock,” he says. “I want to be able to reach you quickly if I come across exactly what you want.” So you decide that the things you are giving him are to help him help you. Sounds like a pretty good deal.
Now Joe has your name, email, phone and he knows what kind of car you want. You have two documents that educate and validate your decision on make and model. You didn’t have to spend money for the magazine or time doing research. Joe took care of that for you. He’s more than a salesperson, he’s a resource.
Think about what Joe has spent on you as a prospect; just a few dollars. But what did that small investment buy? You will probably go out of your way to do business with him now. You are less likely to haggle on price because he has already proven that he gives you a lot in exchange for a little. And since it was such an unusual and stress-less car buying experience, you are likely to tell a lot of your friends about it.
Joe just got a lot for the price of a magazine and a soda. He is a practitioner of Demand Management.
