PSA: How to Treat a Salesperson...

Salesmen (and women) are a rare breed. Good ones are ever more rare. I’m married to an excellent salesman…and I’m not just saying that because he buys me Bazzill…LOL! He really is very good at what he does.

So, with that in mind, can I just make a Public Service Announcement about how to treat salesmen? If, thru the course of your day-to-day business dealings, you encounter a salesman, of any caliber…but most especially a good one, here’s a secret to remember: It’s simple. Just be nice.

It’s not his goal to waste your time or sell you something you don’t want. Sure, he wants to make a sale, but a good salesman is not there to sell you something you don’t want. He believes he has something to offer you that you do/will want or need. If his product is something you don’t want, don’t put him off and tell him to come back later. Don’t blame your mother/wife/secretary/dog. Don’t lie. Just tell him the truth and save his time and yours from being wasted.

See, what you may forget when looking at the salesman, is that behind that practiced professional, really good salesman may just be a good man. A man who works hard, takes care of his family, and believes in the good of what he is doing. He’s making a difference in the world. He’s not much different from you, really. How would you want to be treated?

I know salesmen get a bad rap for tactics and ploys. Those who use tactics and ploys should get a bad rap…on the backside with a switch. But don’t lump them all together. If a salesman has given you no reason to think ill of him, treat him as you would want to be treated. It’s better to decline his offer and give him the chance to move on to someone who is interested…than to waste his time. See, to a salesman, more than most other people in business, time really is money.

It’s easy.
Salesmen are people.
Be nice.
Don’t lie.
Don’t waste time.

That is all. Now back to your regularly scheduled scrapbooking!