It Used To Be ‘Home Is Where The Heart Was’
A person who makes his or her living working in people’s homes has a special perspective on human nature. This may not be as appropriately said of a trades person who, perhaps, comes in only to change a filter or clean the carpet. But an in-home salesperson, who may spend several hours ‘visiting’ with a family on their home turf (their home) learns a lot in each and every one of those encounters. People typically let their guards down and are more at ease, open and forthcoming while in the comfortable surroundings of their own places.
Having a prospective buyer who is relaxed and at ease is a distinctive advantage to any salesman or saleswoman. Sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee or in armchairs in the den discussing the benefits your product provides is an environment conducive to making sales. A salesman’s success often depends on his ability to put his prospect at ease.
A sincere compliment about something you admire in the house can work wonders. Something as simple as, ‘Boy, that’s a nice quilt set you’ve made there… I’ll bet that took awhile, ‘ can go far in breaking down buyer/seller barriers that exist. Sincerity is important here.
If part of your product line includes bed covers you might mention that, while the king quilt is one of your better sellers, the quality doesn’t match that of her ‘home-made’ version. You may not be able to sell this prospect a quilt, but your honesty will be noted and perhaps something else you sell will be considered. If you can make a friend you can also make a customer.
Some people seem to have a built-in pre-conceived idea about salesmen — especially if they’re the in-home kind. They may be thought of as door to door peddlers who are only out for a buck. A good and sincere salesperson, however, realizes that a completed sale is only good when both parties benefit.
For many years (in the not too distant past) in-home sales was quite common. ‘Traveling salesmen’ could be found plying everything from brushes and magazines to cookware, encyclopedias and Bibles. Today, with the explosion of multi-level marketing outfits in the marketplace, salespeople (called distributors) are once again closing sales at the kitchen table, selling in the homes of their relatives, neighbors and friends.
A new, significantly strong force directing peoples’ buying habits is the Internet. This method of purchase is easy. Convenient and can be accomplished right from home (but without the need for a visit from an in-home salesperson). Technology has caused things to come full-circle. Welcome to the new millennium!
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