I was flying from Pittsburgh to Grand Rapids recently. The flight attendant began with the usual safety instructions. And as usual, not a whole lot of passengers were paying attention. My nose was buried in the second section of USA Today. Other people were looking out the window, shutting off cellular phones, or closing their eyes. Suddenly I heard her say, "For those of you who haven't been in a car since 1957, here's how the seat belt works." I looked up, and so did some other passengers. It was a real person talking without a script. Then she said, "Listen to the next part about the oxygen mask, because there will be a quiz." Now everybody was listening. It was a human being with actual expression and emotion, not a robotic, automated speech we were hearing. This wasn't Southwest Airlines where they kid around as a general rule. This was US Airways, where flight attendants are more worried about losing their job than winning happy passengers. The human touch can do wonders.
How often do we talk about the same products with the same features and benefits, and use the same spiel day in and day out? It gets to be so repetitive that you feel like you can open your mouth and the words will come out automatically. Do you use the phrases "Can I help you?" "Thanks for coming in," "Have a nice day," or "Here's my card," with no inflection or interest? Do you answer the phone by saying your company's name and let the words all run together in an unclear and monotone voice? Yesterday I called a car repair service center and heard "This is Monroe. We fix mufflers and service air conditioners. These damn phones are ringing off the hook. Can I help ya?" I hung up. They are not touching any of my cars.
I had a better experience a few days later when I went into a boat dealership and was met with a big smile and the words, "Hi, you've come to the right place if you want to put a lot of fun in your life. Do you have a boat now?" I like it when a salesperson makes me feel like I'm their most important customer at the moment. I don't like to feel like I'm an intrusion on someone's day.
How about you? Does your personality come through when you talk to a customer? People will speak with and respect those they consider a peer. The more natural you sound, the easier it will be to put a sale together. We tune out, and are often annoyed by, unemotional, canned sales pitches. Pitches like the ones you hear when you pick up the phone (after saying hello several times) and a monotone voice greets you with "Hello, can I speak to (insert bad mispronunciation of your name)?" Then they begin reading a script.
Of course you want to be prepared when you describe your products and services. The worst time to be thinking about what you will say is when it is about to leave your mouth. For example, think about the bad acting you've seen in plays or movies. It sounded stilted, and unnatural--like it was being read. When you talk to a customer, you want to come across to them like they are talking to a friend, not a machine. Think about this: Are you putting together ads and direct mail pieces that are bland, boring, and trigger no response because they're the same-old, same-old? I had a vacancy in one of my rental units last month. One of my friends owns a couple of units there as well, and he was telling me his classified ads don't get a lot of response. His ads lists the generic: two bedroom, one-and-a-half baths, with washer and dryer hookup, garage, basement, and deck. Security required. Now, believe it or not, the people in the classified department of our local paper told him to do it this way. Use abbreviations, limited letters, save money. Don't spend cash on needless words. I was worried that I wouldn't get a lot of calls, so I decided to put it in terms people could relate to. My ad read "Very lovely 2 br. apt with 1.5 baths, on quiet street with park-like setting. Don't miss this opportunity." I listed my home phone and cellular phone prefaced by the words "I am very reachable." The clerk taking the ad was shocked. She said, "You don't need all those words. You are paying four times too much." I ran the ad. I received 84 calls.
There is a mailing company in southern California that will supply you with any list you want, and then mail your direct-mail piece. They attach a yellow post-it note with the handwritten words "Get this. It's Great!" It is signed "J." They have been doing this for years. You would think people would have figured it out by now. But it's the human touch that works. I guess it doesn't get old. Maybe you've thrown away a dozen of these by now, but I bet you always check first to see if it came from one of your friends. The added creativity gets you ten times the response. The personal touch makes it happen.
If customers want to deal with a cold, impersonal source, they'll go to the Internet or a catalog. You are at an advantage because you can use personality, inflection, kindness, understanding, and warmth when you meet a customer. You can make a customer a friend, get them to smile, and have them refer you to their friends. Take advantage of it.
It doesn't matter if you're selling flutes, pianos, guitars, or drums. It could be pro audio, lighting, or keyboards. Let your human touch show through. Tweak your personality. Find out what kind of music your customer likes to play or listen to. Get them to laugh a little. Don't treat them like it's an effort to take their money. The music business is a fun business. The more, instruments you sell, the more fun it can be.
Bob Popyk is the publisher of Creative Selling, a monthly newsletter on sales and marketing strategies. His sales meetings and seminars are presented internationally to major companies and industries. For a free sample of his newsletter, call (800) 724-9700, write to Bentley-Hall, Inc., 120 Walton Street, Suite 201, Syracuse, New York 13202, or visit his website at http://www.creativeselling.com
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