We have all made major purchases in our
lives. Homes, cars, boats, vacations, etc. all come to mind. Some purchases can
be pleasant experiences while others can be more burdensome. Then there are
purchases that, regardless of the price tag, were excellent buying experiences.
Here is a personal example of one such buying experience.
Taking a step back, allow me to explain
how I came to making a major purchase. My wife, kids and I like to travel.
Living in the Cleveland area can sometimes get old, especially when the weather
is gloomy for long periods of time, so we try to visit Florida once or twice
per year. Occasionally, because we also like to ski, we’ll take a trip to
Pennsylvania or New York or once in a while out West to Utah. What it really
comes down to is spending quality time as a family away from the daily routine.
So, this past week we went to Southwest
Florida to sit on the beach, get away from the cold of Northeast Ohio
(especially since we’ve already had one major snow storm), and to give the kids
a little break from school. My wife and I also had the idea that we’d check out
the timeshare program that a few friends are a part of that offers national and
international travel opportunities. Well, be didn’t just check it out, we
bought in.
The sales process started when we
arrived at the hotel and were greeted by the representative that would set up
our buying experience. She applied no pressure whatsoever and instead offered guidance
on the process. Everything was set, from the car service, to childcare, all
down to the minute. I was already pleased with the process, but then it got
better.
As a career sales person myself there
are certain attributes that stand out when I am being sold. None could be more
important than knowing who you are meeting with and being prepared. Now, we
were not made aware of who our sales rep would be, but Roger knew who we were.
Sure, I had completed a questionnaire with some basic information on myself, my
wife, and my family, but Roger did more homework. He was assigned to me because
the support staff read my LinkedIn bio and he was more of a match than the
other sales people in the organization. Like me, Roger had moved a few times
early in his career, then became a successful business owner through his sales
skills, all before retiring to Florida.
Roger doesn’t have to work, but his wife
doesn’t want him sitting around the house either. Because he was successful
before retirement there is a certain amount of pressure removed from his sales
approach. The (very positively) lack of pressure combined with the homework he
did before I came through the door immediately brought my guard down and I was
much more open minded to the sales process.
What impressed me more about Roger was
his relaxed nature. I could hear other sales people at times and they were a
bit more animated. Everyone I met seemed nice and professional. But, it was
Roger’s approach that sold me. He knew his product and he knew how it would
match my family. He knew buying into a timeshare program would be a major
investment for me and he was prepared to outline various buying options. He
wasn’t afraid to acknowledge when he did not have an answer to a question,
rather he did the homework right then and there, or he brought someone into the
meeting who had the answer. Most importantly, he knew how to be a professional
sales person, which put my mind at ease.
There is something to be said about
being prepared, doing your homework on your customer, knowing your own company/product/service,
and carrying yourself in a truly professional manner. It means you can sell to
a career sales person and they will enjoy the sales process. Thank you, Roger.
Now I’ll start planning my next vacation.