"Selling Your House?"

Seven Ways You Don't Want to Enable Buyers to Abuse You

Psychologists tell us that without knowing it we encourage many of the most frustrating and irritating acts other commit toward us.  That's what enabling means- reinforcing the very behavior we want a person to end.  Some of your buyers may be leading you along, refusing to return your calls, or treating you disrespectfully with your help.  When you stop doing the things on this list, you'll start gaining more respect and getting more sales.

1. Don't give buyers free consulting.

Should buyers get all the information they need to make an informed decision?  Always. Should they use you as an unpaid consultant?  Never.  Do help buyers discover that you can help them solve their problems.  Don't show them how until they become customers.

2. Don't prepare detailed, costly proposals without assurance that the proposals will receive serious consideration.

Buyers should receive a written proposal if they need one.  Unfortunately, some buyers request proposals after they have selected suppliers just to meet their business or political requirements of getting multiple bids.  Don't play the game.  Get a guarantee that you proposal will be viewed in fair and open competition.

3. Don't allow you and your proposal to travel up and down the buyer's organizational hierarchy.

It's possible that decision makers at several levers will need to have input in the buying decision.  that doesn't mean you should be expected to make several presentations over an extended perod of time to different groups.  One of the up-front contracts to make with your buyer concerns the conditions under which you are willing to make a presentation.  Get agreement that each presentation you make will be followed by a mutually agreed upon action by the buyer.  Stick to your position.

4.  Don't tolerate open-ended indecisiveness.

If buyers beleive that you'll hang around indefinitely, and they are in no hurry to make a decision, you will end up haning around indefinately.  Extract an up-front agreement from buyers on how long you're willing to hang aroudn.  If you haven't done this and a selling cycle is beginning to drag, impose your limit at that point to see whether you have a truly interested buyer.

5.  Don't let your products or services be demeaned.

Some buyers will minimize what you do and what you sell.  If you allow that to pass without challenge, you're reinforcing the ntion that you're just another salesperson with a product no better than anyone else's.  If you don't show respect for your profession, your product, and your company, who will?

6.  Don't let your company or coworkers be demeaned.

Be open and candid in acception responsibility for past failures to satisfy customers.  At the same time, stand up for the integrity, competence, and commitment of you team.  Buyers who demean your people to your face are saying even more to others behind your back.  Be sure they have the facts about any situations they claim knowledge of and defend the honor of the good people who work in you company.  Your loyalty will not be lost on buyers.

7. Don't enable buyers to put you in ethical or legal dilemmas.

Should you bend over backwards to get a sale?  Certainly.  Should you marshal all the resources at your disposal to make the buyer happy?  You bet.  But don't ever let that mean that you compromise your integrity or sell your soul.

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