When someone comes in or phones a store it tells the store that the customer believes the store may have something to go with their "buying situation" -- what the customer is doing, planning to do or would like to do. If they don't need what they believe the store has to offer fits one or more of those three buying situations they don't take the time to go to or call the store. So, if a customer comes in or calls the customer is a qualified prospect . . . that is until the customer asks for something the store can't do or fulfill, then the customer disqualifies the store rather than the other way around.

People ask about ideas, service or products they believe might solve their problem(s). This does not mean that what they are asking for is the right thing. People can only ask for what they know . . . as people don't know what they don't know. Customers, when asking for particular services or products are trying to sell their needs to the store. Unfortunately, it happens that very likely they aren't very good at selling their needs or wants. So before the customer disqualifies the store, the store had better find out what caused the customer to look for what they asked for. With this information, possibly, an experienced salesperson would know the store has to offer or can get that will fill the customer's problems or wishes.

In too many selling environments, salespeople are told to "pitch" benefits and features . . . better known as "salesmen's patter." This patter can become so rote that if they are interrupted they forget what page they're on. I do not mean to say that all sales patter is bad or insincere. Far from it. Those with knowledge and experience find that there are "60 second sound bites" that, in a few words, substitute for a whole paragraph of information. Patter can be very sincere when it doesn't sound like patter. It takes time to learn when to use a piece of patter and when not to. Used at the wrong time will give a customer another reason to disqualify the store.

Most sales training calls for using "closers." Asking a customer such questions as "Can you see the value of our products/services?" closer and often will turn a customer off. The value is not what the customer thinks; it is what others think the value is when the customer goes to discuss their purchase or intended purchase. If customers do not believe they can talk with confidence and intelligence, and without the fear of embarrassment, then they will not buy. Selling does not take place between the customer and the salesperson . . . selling takes place when customers talk to others about what they have bought or are considering buying.

As to value, a customer can say that what the store is selling is, in their estimation, good value . . . and it will be until they find when talking about their purchase or intended purchase they learn that others got better value at another store or from the same store . . . then what was thought to be good value was no longer good value. The same analogy can be applied to quality and service.

Walking in the door or calling on the phone makes a customer a "quality qualified customer" until such time as the customer believes the store cannot fill his or her needs at a price the customer is willing to pay . . . and when that happens, the customer disqualifies the store and not the other way around.

That's what selling is all about.

Alan J. Zell, Ambassador Of Selling, offers consulting (on site and on-line), seminars and workshops on all aspects of business that affect sales. You are invited to learn more about his programs and services and read other articles on his web site – www.sellingselling.com. He can be reached at azell@aol.com