Back to Basics: Are You an Order-Taker or a Sales-Maker?

By Kelley Robertson

Charlie the sales guy talks to his first customer of the day. He has been dealing with this account for several years and the conversation goes something like this: "Hi, Alan. Just thought I’d drop by and see if you need anything this week. I notice that the white bell-hoppers haven't been selling well, but you’re low on blue widgets; Do you want me to order some for you? Do you need anything else? Well, if you want to put the white bell-hoppers on sale, I'll talk to my manager about reimbursing you for the discount. I'll get back to you later this week." The process repeats itself with each account and when the sales person returns to his office, he is disappointed with his results. He thinks to himself, "No one seems to buying much anymore. And when they do, they only want the best price. Our products are over-priced compared to our competitors so I don't know how the company expects us to hit our targets. If I just had some new products to show my customers, then things would be different." Would they? If the company introduced a new line of products, Charlie's sales would certainly see a boost, but that increase would only be temporary. It wouldn't take long for his sales to drop to their previous level. The problem is that Charlie has slipped into the role of an order-taker. He has forgotten how to sell and simply goes through the motions. He doesn’t see that he is missing valuable sales opportunities.

Let's look at the same scenario with a different rep, Shirley: "Hi, Alan. I was going through your inventory and noticed that you haven't sold through your last order of white bell-hoppers. I have a couple of ideas that should help you with this. One of my other accounts has bundled them with blue widgets and they have tripled their sales in the last week alone. The best thing about this approach is that it increases your average sale and contributes more profit dollars to your bottom line. I know that you're busy so would it be helpful if I set up a display and signage for that bundle. I can also review the program with your staff so they can answer any questions your customer might have? Would that work for you?" Shirley is a sales-maker, not an order-taker. She takes a proactive approach and positions herself as a problem-solver. She looks for opportunities and ways to help her customers and increases her sales in the process. Unless you sell a highly complex or specialized product, you probably have repeat customers. It is easy to fall into the trap of simply processing orders for these customers. In many cases, it requires very little effort. However, the danger in these situations is that it becomes very easy for a competitor to slip in and steal your business. If you are not adding some form of value to your customer, then you and your products become commodities and price will become the primary factor in your customer's buying process simply through default. Transforming from an order-taker to a sales-maker is not that difficult but it does require a complete shift in your thinking. The key is to focus on helping your customer solve their problems. Here is what you can do to move from order-taker to sales-maker. 1. Establish a clear objective for each sales call. It isn't enough to say that you want to get a sale. Your objective must be more specific than that. Part of this process can be reviewing your customers' sales. What is selling and what is not? Why are certain products not selling? What can you do differently to change this? Your pre-call research will help you determine your approach. 2. Invest more time learning about your customer. Most reps who sell to the same customers think that they know a lot about that person and their business, but in reality, they usually know very little. Ask questions about their business goals, current challenges, their customers and their competition. 3. Look for sales opportunities. This change is the most important—and the most difficult. What other products or services could benefit your existing customers? What problems can you help solve for your customers? The information you gain by asking more questions should help you identify other avenues for sales with existing customers. But your efforts shouldn't stop there. Consider venturing into different markets than where you currently do business. Are there other places, companies or organizations that would benefit from your products or services? This often means that you have to change your approach but if it opens new markets, then it will be worthwhile. The key difference between an order-taker and a sales-maker is the mental outlook. One person waits for the sales to come to him while the other is proactive and makes the sales happen. Which are you? © 2008 Kelley Robertson, All rights reserved. S&MM online columnist Kelley Robertson, author of "The Secrets of Power Selling" helps sales professionals and businesses discover new techniques to improve their sales and profits. Kelley conducts workshops and speaks regularly at sales meetings and conferences. For information on his programs contact him at 905-633-7750 or Kelley@RobertsonTrainingGroup.com.