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by Bryan Celli and Jeff Singer

This is not some lofty, feel good self-improvement blog, nor a dry business operations lecture about process. It’s not even about system configuration, programming, or installation. These are simple, actionable things that you can do right now regardless of your business model or clientele. These ten habits are simple, but not always easy to adopt.

Most people focus on increasing market share or finding new customers to grow their businesses. That is the most time consuming and expensive method of increasing sales. It costs seven times more to find a new customer than it does to retain or sell to an existing customer. Focus on expanding customer share. Get more dollars out of each of the customers you already have. If customers are happy, they will buy more and tell their friends too. Seventy-seven percent of customers will refer their friends to a vendor or service provider they like. Turn your customers into advocates – let them do the lion’s share of your marketing for you.

All else being equal, people buy from friends. All else not being equal, people still buy from friends. Go make friends. Eighty-five percent of people said they would spend more money for better service. Don’t compete on price. You’re giving away revenue.

I’m sure you know how to make friends and you know what a friend is, but here are the ten behaviors you should turn into habits to align with your business:

1.  Listen

This is the most important thing you can do, but often is the most difficult. Most sales representatives can’t wait to get past the pleasantries and get to the product demo or start reeling off the many features and benefits they’ve memorized. No one likes to be sold to or talked at. Don’t assume you know what their pain or passion is without asking them. The first rule in making friends is to get to know them. Take a personal interest. Ask lots of questions about them, their family, their hobbies, etc.

2.  Communicate

This goes hand-in-hand with listening. You need to echo what they are telling you, so they know you are listening and you “get them.” Understanding your clients’ needs, pain points, and passions is critical to your profitability and success. If the client recognizes the value you offer, they will not haggle over price, shop around, or complain when you’re done (more about this in #6).
Communication upfront is important, but you should keep the lines of communication open throughout the process. Ask the client directly how often they would like to hear from you and how they would like to receive information. Do they prefer a call, email, text, or in-person visit?

3.  Be authentic

People generally have well developed “BS” detectors. Keep it real. Be honest. Think about why you do what you do (making money should be the outcome, not the reason). You probably want to help people. You want to make their lives easier or better. Focus on the person in front of you. Make a personal connection. What do you have in common? Seventy percent of buying experiences are based on how the customer feels they are treated by the service provider, not on the feature set of the products. You will sell more, faster if the customer believes you have their best interest in mind and not just trying to sell them.

4.  Earn trust

Everyone inherently knows how important trust is in any relationship. Trust takes time to earn, and a mere instant to erase. You earn trust through your words and actions. From the first introduction, everything you say and do is judged. Is this someone I can trust? You must always be transparent and honest. You may be the technology expert, but as the client they are your partner and collaborator on their project. Be a good partner and teammate. Take the time to explain what you are doing and why you are doing it. Help them to feel included in the process. Make them feel knowledgeable and empowered. Most clients feel very vulnerable and fear getting scammed. They are more likely to agree to add-ons if they trust you and feel empowered.
If you make a mistake or if something doesn’t go according to plan, address the issue directly and immediately. Don’t try to sweep it under the rug and hope they don’t notice. Let them know what’s going on and propose a thoughtful solution. If the client knows you are honest and diligent, they tend to be much more forgiving.

5.  Be confident, not arrogant

Check your ego at the door. There’s no doubt you are the technology expert; you have nothing to prove regarding your product or technical knowledge. We have all had the client who thinks they know more than we do. Don’t take the bait. Stay positive and deferential. You’re a guest in their home, so be gracious. They are also paying you for your insight and opinion. Don’t just agree with every silly suggestion or tell them what you think they want to hear. That will certainly back-fire in the end.
Finally, it is the height of arrogance to walk into their home and tell them you know exactly what they need because you’ve done dozens of projects just like this before. They are unique. You have never done a project like this before, don’t act like you have.
 
6.  Prove value

Prove your value to them. You cannot do that unless you already know what they value. Do not lead by selling the benefits of the products or technology. First, understand what is most important to them, and then demonstrate how you can deliver that. There are always several product features and benefits, but often only one that really matters. Cut through all the nonsense and get to the point – the one point that will seal the deal.
Once you identify the one benefit that resonates with that client, then you can provide rational proof points to confirm that they are making a smart decision by hiring you. Talk about your internal processes, testing, and quality control. Mention your certifications and awards. Share reviews, testimonials, and customer references. Show examples of previous work you’ve done.
 
7.  Exceed expectations

Be careful not to over sell or over promise. Set and agree to reasonable expectations, then exceed them. It is better to under-promise and over-deliver than the other way around. Then find any opportunity to go above and beyond what is expected. Eighty percent of customers say their experience with the vendor is just as important as the products or services provided. Be sure to spend as much time and effort to manage expectations as you do designing and programming systems. A happy customer usually remembers that small yet unexpected gesture more often than a product feature or a cool animation on the UI.
 
8.  Ask for feedback

People generally are non-confrontational. They will complain to a friend or on social media, but rarely directly to you. We have all had a bad experience in a store or restaurant and left upset without speaking to the manager. We bottle up the frustration and disappointment only to unleash it on the first person who asks. You certainly won’t go back again. Now, think about your business. Criticism can be hard to hear, but you need to hear it. You want the opportunity to fix a bad situation, and you don’t want a customer trashing you around town. Make sure you are open to honest feedback and ask for it directly. You can’t improve if you always think you’re perfect.
 

9.  Stay in touch

The relationships you worked so hard to establish are critical to your business. Many customers don’t hear from their integrator after the initial project is complete, and they inevitably forget who their integrator is. You want to maintain mind share so they will advocate for you and contact you for system upgrades or expansions.
 

10.  Ask for help

Crestron offers some great resources for you to lean on. Our Sales Support Services team provides free system designs and quotes. Our award-winning Technical Support teams are always available to help you support your client. Our Experience Center and Design Showrooms can help you flip, close, and grow the sale. Nearly 90% of visits to our showrooms and Experience Centers result in a sale. Finally, our Business Development Team can help you engage with Design/Build Professionals who are already influencing clients before you even know about the project. We’re here for you. Don’t hesitate to reach out and let us help you.
 
Good habits lead to good results. We wish you success.