Yesterday I gave my Selling the Right Way! presentation at the annual Green Industry Conference sponsored by the Professional Landcare Network (PLANET). The audience was more than receptive – they get it! We really had a great time. We learned that selling today has to be very transparent. Why? Because we are living in a reality-based world. Nobody is fooled by the old sales and marketing tricks that used to work. We are conditioned to size up a situation very quickly – the sales professional – their company – and their product and service. Customers want results and they want them now.
This is good news ! Now we all get what we want sooner if we know how to deliver. Customers are demanding that we shorten our sell cycles – get to the point – cut to the chase! If we can do that, and they can show us the money, then everyone wins. A great deal of our Q and A discussion centered on this point – getting customers to make a commitment quickly. Virtually all are very willing to do this if we can get out of our own way and make the right things happen. It just takes a repeatable process where we take control of the situation and clearly demonstrate we care about that customer. That’s what I think of as the right way – everyone wins -everyone gets what they want when the sales professional and their organization have their act together. We just have to be as transparent (i.e. honest and genuine) as possible – because everything we do has a ripple effect that not only sells the customer in front of us, but often leads to the referral of their friends! The Right Way does Work. 
