On A Scale of 1-10, Just How Nice Are You

And How Nice do You Need to Be to Succeed?

The TIME Magazine, November 6, 2006 Business Supplement for home delivery featured an article by Senior Writer, Andrea Sachs.  Ms. Sachs addressed the issue of just how nice women need to be in the workplace.  She interviewed several authors who wrote about that very subject.

Some of the titles will catch your attention.  Interestingly, each female author holds a different viewpoint on what will and won’t work in getting you where you need to go.  There’s a tug of war between “Nice Girls Don’t Get the Corner Office” and “Nice Girls DO Get The Sale: Relationship Building That Gets Results”.

The article is timely with the news.  Nancy Pelosi spoke about breaking through to upper levels of government as not just a glass ceiling but a marble ceiling.  Just how “nice” is House Speaker Pelosi?  Is she a “tough as nails” negotiator or a “nice woman” who knows how to mediate?  It must have been a difficult balancing act that enabled her to break through that marble ceiling.   

Consider how your clientele views you.  How accommodating are you?  Will you go the extra mile to ensure your client’s satisfaction in hopes of earning repeat business, referrals and testimonials?  Or do you go over the edge in letting your clients dictate how and when you perform?  How do you react when you are asked to do something you think is not quite “kosher”?

Our values and standard of ethics must drive our actions.  Each of us holds a personal line in the sand, whether we work in corporate or America or are self-employed, and need to understand when it’s time to utter ‘no’.  Have you ever fired a client; or stood up and said, “I withdraw my offer of help”. 

Do you view yourself as helping others with your subject of expertise?  This is one major difference between people who are successful in building relationships and getting the sale and those who are not.  Let the prospect know you are there to earn there business and to do so you must ask the tough questions for better understanding.  Begin as a consultant by asking the necessary questions in a polite manner.

Once your demeanor demonstrates professionalism and you treat the client with respect, that respect will be returned.  You must be true to yourself – it’s the ultimate step in relationship building.  For people to respect you and refer you to others, grasp the principle that it’s alright to walk away from business that does not mesh with your thinking. 

Other avenues of being “nice” to clients include listening carefully and clarifying all statements that might have a double meaning or are not clear.  Ask questions about what they are telling you to demonstrate interest and a desire to learn more. 

When asked a question, again clarify why the question is being asked if you aren’t certain.  Make sure you correctly answer the question instead of going off on a tangent and wasting time.  Go a step further – when finished answering, ask if they are satisfied with your answer.  You will be on your way to cementing the relationship.

The next rule for “nice” is to be punctual – for appointments, phone calls, and follow-up with information.  If you are going to be late, let the other party know ahead of time.  Ask if it will still be convenient.  Apologize for being late.

Follow-up is the key to differentiating yourself from everyone else.  Most people get annoyed by being asked to find answers to minor questions and won’t do it.  As long as the time involved does not outweigh the long-term potential of conducting business, make the time to get the answers in a timely fashion.  You will be remembered at the time of choosing a vendor.

To grow a truly dynamic business, always keep your focus on your ideal clientele and remain true to it.  You will develop an excellent reputation with this niche and within due time, you will begin receiving repeat business, referrals and testimonials and become hugely successful.   

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it:

Elinor Stutz specializes in Relationship Selling. You will learn how to earn repeat business, referrals and testimonials through the Smooth Sale programs. Elinor's leadership and communication strategies will help catapult your business and have you achieving your goals far more quickly than you ever thought possible!

Elinor Stutz, CEO of Smooth Sale and Author, has transformed her highly successful sales career into a sales training company.  Her clientele is comprised of Entrepreneurs, Network Marketers and beginning salespeople with 0-5 years experience.   More information may be found at www.smoothsale.net

Smooth Sale Delivers: 
Original work in the form of Seminars, Professional Sales Training, Licensing of Programs, Motivational Speaking Engagements and a full product line.

Products Include : 
“Nice Girls DO Get The Sale: Relationship Building That Gets Results”, published by Sourcebooks, The Sales Toolkit, Sales 101 e-report, the “Smooth Sale 4-Hour/4-CD audio seminar”, and "How to GROW Your Business: mindset, strategy and implementation" available in manual, PDF and MP3 formats.

Ms. Stutz' book was featured in TIME Magazine; she writes a column for Bay Area BusinessWoman News and contributes articles to Diversity Edge Magazine.  

For further information visit www.smoothsale.net/products.shtml
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