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I wish I had a dollar for every salesperson who bragged to me about how GREAT their relationships are with their customers, and then lost a sale because they weren’t the lowest price or lowest bid.

I would be a multimillionaire.

Every time your customers buy from you, they’re telling you, “You win. We elected you vendor and we’re voting with our dollars.” Is that sweet or what? Real sweet. Unless you don’t win.

Then it’s a double loss. You lose, and the competition is celebrating. Reality bites.

Most of your customers have more than one vendor selling them the same product. Some have several. So you may have a customer, but not all their business. All of their wallet. It’s even referred to as “wallet share.”

Voting decisions are based on history or trust or both.

Those decisions are formulated from the following criteria:

• Ease of doing business

• Belief in product

• Perceived value of product

• Reliability of product (quality times use)

• Durability of product

• Reputation of product

• On-time delivery exactly when I need it, where I need it

• Correctness of order

• Correctness of billing

• Ease of return

• Ease of order add-on

• Ease of order change

• Friendliness of people

• Performance comparison of product

• Customer’s belief in company

• Customer’s belief in salesperson

• Response to service needs

• Response of salesperson

• Trustworthiness of total package

Price is only the issue in the absence of value.

Find the voting issues: Those are issues that cause decisions to be made. And if those voting issues are more important than the decision not to buy the item, the vote will be made to purchase the item. Money will follow.

I have given you the issues of consideration when someone is considering a new purchase from you. I recommend you work these elements into your presentation in a way that answers concerns before they arrive.

Each time you answer a concern, you build credibility. Build enough credibility and the prospect will feel secure enough, and believe and trust you enough, to buy.

NOTE: The list I’ve provided is not applicable in all buying situations. Your job is to determine which of them fits your situation, and then create a winning strategy around them. None of these purchasing issues or concerns are complex – but when answered and addressed properly, they will lead to a favorable, value-based decision.

NOTE WELL: Sometimes you’re dealing with procurement or purchasing and price is THE issue. Your job in sales is to build relationships with decision makers in any department BUT these.

NOTE VERY WELL: This may be a reorder (better known as a sales, service, value report card). From the time of your first sale, your report card begins. The next order will depend on the following key elements:

1. Was your product or service delivered on time?

2. Were all of your promises kept?

3. Were service or accounting issues resolved favorably?

4. Did you follow up after the service?

5. Is it easy to find anyone in your company (at any time)?

6. Did you stay in contact with the customer regularly between sales with some kind of value message?

6.5. How accessible and responsive were you?

When customers decide to buy from you, they vote with their money. There is only one way to count that vote: tally up your bank account.

Jeffrey Gitomer can be reached by phone at (704) 333-1112 or by e-mail at salesman@gitomer.com. © 2008 Jeffrey H. Gitomer