Satisfy Completely

A happy buyer is your best salesperson.

An unhappy buyer is your worst nightmare. If you have a strong story and believable proof, a “completely satisfied” guarantee can “completely convince” your buyer. Your guarantee can also satisfy an unhappy buyer. Remember, your goal is a long-term relationship with your buyers. Short-sighted sellers sell short.

Five tips guaranteed to help you satisfy your buyer:

Objections are opportunities. Take it as a challenge: when your buyer objects you still have a chance to convince them. The more time you and your buyer spend in a meaningful conversation – even if it is to overcome objections – the better you get to know each other. Questions show they are still interested. If they didn’t care, they would walk away without asking.

Use your KNOW to change your buyer’s NO. Think back, ask them, maybe you forgot something really important. You want to PULL your buyer into their decision, not PUSH them. If you push them it means they’re not ready. Slow down, step back, take a breath, be quiet – think. You may be in a hurry but maybe they’re not. When the time is right the deal will fall in to place.

Reduce their risk. How can you keep it to a minimum? How would you return the time and money your buyer invests if they decide they don’t like what they bought? Tell them before they buy. Share the risk. You and your buyer are partners, you both want more than a transaction, you want a relationship. Partners share in the both the rewards and the risk. Put it in writing.

If your buyer invokes your guarantee, prove you WILL do what you said. Don’t promise what you can’t deliver. If they find your guarantee is not what you said, they’ll tell everyone. Lastly – if you were wrong, admit it (even if you think you’re right). If your buyer is unhappy, try to fix it. If you can’t fix, admit you can’t and move on. Treat them like you’d like to be treated.

Ask your buyer if they are happy. If they’re not they’ll tell you. You want an honest relationship. Don’t ask if you’re not prepared to receive. Have you asked them if they need anything else? No? Why not? What they bought may be everything they need … but then again it might not. If they’re happy, they might be willing to buy more. But how will you ever know unless you ask?

Ask your buyer what you could do better next time. Self-improvement is a continuous process. They may have ideas that never crossed your mind. Ask your buyer what they need next. If they’re happy they may be full of suggestions. Listen to MORE than what they tell you. Look deeper. You should know them by now, WHY are they telling you what they’re telling you?

I once took an online survey. The second page informed me it would take 45 minutes to finish. I quit the survey! In the end there is only one question that counts – would your buyer buy again? Sure, you might like to learn more. It’s ok (within reason) to ask a little more – but the ONLY relevant question is would your buyer buy from you again: yes or no?

You can’t improve what you don’t measure. What do the numbers tell you? You don’t need a bundle of metrics, just enough to keep you performing up to expectations and make sure you’re improving. Bob Young, the CEO of Lulu.com, has a great goal for measuring improvement: “Every day be just a little bit better. It’s the miracle of compound interest.”

Travelocity has created a Customer Bill of Rights: “… a promise to our customers that we’ll … take care of you … your entire trip experience … even a low price guarantee – and (we’ve) realigned our entire organization so that our products, policies and employees protect them.” Oprah Winfrey – she talked her way from adversity to stardom to become America’s beloved best friend.

Saving Faces – WGBH Morning Story’s podcast about plastic surgeon Ian Hutchison. Hutchison fixes broken faces, but the real healing happens when someone listens to their stories.

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Toolbox page, Plan, Story, Proof, Experience, Guarantee posts

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