How to Increase Sales – Part One

Posted: Aug 04, 2010 |Comments: 0 |

When it comes to how to increase sales, there are many important factors to implement. In fact there are too many to adequately deliver them in one article. Therefore, this series of articles on how to increase sales is comprised of five parts.

The first lesson on how to increase sales discusses how to deliver exceptional customer service. Exceptional customer service is mandatory, no matter what kind of business you own, and there's no excuse for poor customer service. If you concentrate on customer service, you can increase sales dramatically.

It goes without saying that if your customer has a good experience, they might tell a friend. But if they have a bad experience, they may go on to tell ten friends. People get very passionate about bad customer services stories.

Here's how to increase sales through exceptional customer service:

Tip #1
Remember your customers' names whenever possible. I was recently in Las Vegas and I went to the Fashion Show mall Starbucks and I had excellent service. I ordered an iced latte and she said, OK, Great, what's your name hon?" (very friendly) and I told her. She wrote my name on the cup and gave the cup to the barista. And when my drink was ready, "She called out, "Suzanne, your drink is ready". I love this because not only do they get an excuse to ask their customers for their names, but they can work on remembering their customer's names too.

Whenever one of my clients calls me, and they say, this is so-and-so calling, I always enthusiastically say, "Hello Nancy Smith!!!! How are you? I am so GLAD you called!!" And I smile as I say it because people can always hear you smiling.


[For the record, I am a sales coach, but also own a direct marketing list brokerage firm].

Be grateful for your customers and let them know how much you appreciate them. Start by calling them by their names.


Tip #2
Answer your phone. There is nothing worse than a company that does not have a live operator taking calls. It drives me crazy! I have a subscription to a very wonderful independent newsletter and I have it set up on automatic renewal so I never miss an issue. But my credit card expired and I had to get my new number to them and do you think I could get through on the phone? Not a chance. I tried calling at least 10 times and their recording just went on and on and on…. Finally they sent me a letter saying that my subscription was at risk of being cut off because my credit card expired and all I needed to do was… Yes, call this number. UGH, the same number that no one answers. How frustrating. They don't answer emails either!


Tip #3 – Listen.
Listen to what your client is saying. There is a reason that God gave us two ears and only one mouth. So we could listen more and talk less. The most fascinating thing about listening to your client is what you will learn about them. You will also learn where their pain is. They might be saying, "I want your XYZ product" but during the conversation you might find they could really benefit from two of your other products as well. Listen more, and you'll be surprised what you hear.


Tip #4
Deal with complaints fairly and promptly. Even if you have to refund all their money. There have been times when I have had a client extremely unsatisfied with what they purchased, and actually made them feel so much better that they continued to do business with us at a later date. Just because someone complains does not mean they don't want to do business with you. It's how you handle it that matters.
If my firm's clients aren't happy, I make it right - even if that means we lose money on the deal (this sounds simple but actually you'd be surprised how many of my competitors don't give refunds). I had one client that ordered a list of human resource executives and for some reason the list was pulled incorrectly and he got a terrible list that was completely different industries. We apologized and gave him a full refund. A month or two later he emailed me:  "Suzanne, I personally would like to thank you for your amazing help and I really apologize I'm not able to send more business your way. You were an amazing help and by far the most reliable and sincere person I dealt with."


Tip #5
Overdeliver. Always give your customers more than they expect. After they order, you can send a little bonus e-book, or CD. Even before they order, you can send bonuses their way. I couldn't believe it when my phone company sent me one of those blue tooth hands-free phones one day. Free! With a note saying, Thanks for being our customer. We appreciate you very much.

Now that is excellent customer service.

Delivering Exceptional Customer Service is one of the many ways you can increase sales revenues. Stay tuned for my next 4 parts in this series.

Questions and Answers

Ask
200 Characters left
Rate this Article
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 0 vote(s)
    Feedback
    Print
    Re-Publish
    Source:  http://www.articlesbase.com/business-articles/how-to-increase-sales-part-one-2955615.html

    Article Tags:

    increase sales

    ,

    customer service

    ,

    sales coach

    ,

    direct marketing

    Marketing Team

    The good organizations are also changing their strategy to fulfill the customer’s expectations and to prove their organization as a customer oriented.

    By: Marketing Teaml Automotive> Trucksl Nov 22, 2007

    how to increase sales revenues by selling to your current customers more often. In other words, increasing the frequency of sales.

    By: Doyle Ingraml Business> Business Ideasl Aug 04, 2010

    how to upsell and the importance of teaching your employees to upsell.

    By: Doyle Ingraml Business> Business Ideasl Aug 04, 2010

    how to increase sales is about how to increase sales revenues by implementing a Referral Program.

    By: Doyle Ingraml Businessl Aug 04, 2010

    How do you get your sales team to generate the greatest amount of revenue, consistently, year after year? Most sales managers think the answer lies in being aggressive, doing more sales activity, proactive business development, keeping the pipeline full and increasing the abilities of your salespeople so that they are more effective on the ground.

    By: Ian Segaill Business> Salesl Apr 15, 2009 lViews: 370

    If you're like most managers who arrange sales training for your Sales Team, you're unlikely to report being "completely satisfied" with its worth.

    By: Ian Segaill Business> Trainingl Apr 20, 2009 lViews: 423

    In USA, one of the leading brands that offer diverse and high quality products promoting proper hygiene is Difresh USA. If you are looking for the best opportunity to grow and have the opportunity for a new business Difresh USA can help you for they are looking for Exclusive Local Distributors

    By: danieltorrisl Businessl May 31, 2012

    Getting clean and refresh doesn't sacrifice the place where you are for it should be a habit. Having a healthy body will allow you to do things right and good. And no matter where you are you should practice a healthy and proper hygiene even in little things you do.

    By: danieltorrisl Businessl May 31, 2012

    Maintaining a healthy and proper hygiene badly needs products that are truly effective and could truly answer our need for this. No matter where we are and at anytime we want to get clean we basically need these products right away and only Difresh USA can supply these in a very easy way

    By: danieltorrisl Businessl May 31, 2012

    The key reason why some firms thrive while some implode during an financial recession is still a puzzle to many people business-owning business owners. Some wrongly assume that all businesses should suffer via recessionary cycles. But the truth is that some companies are usually essentially recession-proof, and it is not necessarily because they are much larger, better known, or a lot more generously capitalized.

    By: danhoh75rel Businessl May 31, 2012

    Companies like Arch Coal (ACI) and Massey Energy (MEE) watched his or her stock climbed.

    By: pennystockegghead49l Businessl May 30, 2012

    how to increase sales is about how to increase sales revenues by implementing a Referral Program.

    By: Doyle Ingraml Businessl Aug 04, 2010

    how to increase sales revenues by selling to your current customers more often. In other words, increasing the frequency of sales.

    By: Doyle Ingraml Business> Business Ideasl Aug 04, 2010

    how to increase sales discusses adding value. How can you add value for your customer? What can you give them for free that would add value?

    By: Doyle Ingraml Business> Business Ideasl Aug 04, 2010

    how to upsell and the importance of teaching your employees to upsell.

    By: Doyle Ingraml Business> Business Ideasl Aug 04, 2010

    Discuss this Article

    Author Box
    Articles Categories
    All Categories
    Quantcast