Get your head set up right, paint on that happy face, and get out there. Once you've completed those steps, then you'll have to decide if you will be a commercial visitor or a sales professional.
A commercial visitor is the person who stops by a business, has the latest weather report, sports scores, industry rumor, or (please no!) some political opinion. None of these topics sell tools. In fact, expressing a political opinion at this time is probably worse than talking about religion.
The professional salesperson understands clearly why they are making calls and orchestrates each call with a success plan.
One of the best Klein Tools salesmen that I worked with was Darrell Brown in San Francisco. Darrell opened up every sales call with a review of the previous call. This accomplished several things. It showed the customer that he was important and that Darrell was thinking about them. It was also an excellent way to close the deal on something that was presented on the previous sales call without success.
“Last time we talked, you were seriously considering the new XYZ high-speed grinder. I have one with me today. If you remember it is an adjustable head for flexibility and a zillion rpm drive motor. Would you like to go ahead with it?”
If this approach works only a third of the time just think of the extra income it will earn you.
A professional sales plan also should normally include something new that is based on that customer’s unique needs and work applications. Showing a bodyman the latest exhaust analyzer, just because it is on promotion, is probably a waste of your time and theirs. So, unlike the Baltimore Ravens, go into each play, or customer interaction, set correctly and professionally for success.
