Page 162 - 100 Great Business Ideas: From Leading Companies Around the World (100 Great Ideas)

Quick Ideas 131 to 132

132

Don’t Be a Bungling Bob

Dale Carnegie taught that selling is about relationships, and

15 percent is about what you know, and 85 percent is about

who you know. While that principle is simple, it is also problem-

atic. If you don’t know the 15 percent about your products and

services, it will ruin your

credibility with prospects.

Assignment Each month, Bob’s

Make it a rule each warehouse produced a Top

month to read your primary 10 list of their specials for the

sales materials, bulletins, and month, and each month,

promotions so you know in Bob’s customers would ask

advance how to answer a him about those specials, and

prospect’s questions. Also, Bob would have to go out to

be sure to provide the mate- the car and search through

rials to your prospects di- piles of paper to find the spe-

rectly. Don’t be a Bungling cial flyers for the month. He

Bob and indirectly sabotage would bring them in, rumpled

your customer service. and covered with coffee

stains, and sit down and read

them to his prospects. Fi-

nally, one of his prospects said, “Bob, I’ve given you a nick-

name, Bungling Bob, because you don’t seem to care enough

to even learn about your own products and services. You also

insult me, because I can read those materials by myself.” Bob

got a huge dose of the truth that day, and has since tried to treat

his customers with dignity and respect. He makes sure that his

materials are neat and organized, and he’s arranged to have his

special flyers mailed directly to his customers.

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