Lesson Forty: People Like You

Here is a powerful truth that will greatly aid your success in business and in life:

People like people who like them. People buy from people they like.

A friend of mine just got a job as a car salesman. He’s been struggling to find work and feels this job is a great opportunity. I’m happy for him. I think car sales is an ideal way to learn selling, human nature and business.

However, he related to me that during his job interview the sales manager told him, “Customers are idiots. You have to do the thinking for them.”

If I’d been there I would have grabbed that dope by the collar and shook him into reality. “Customers are certainly not idiots. They are generous, wonderful people.Without them you wouldn’t have a job!”

I fear my friend will get the wrong kind of sales training. He’s young, and bad habits learned early are hard to unlearn.

I like each and every one of my clients. I like them because they are good people. I like them because they make good products and offer good services.They are the most deserving people I know.Our clients have been kind enough to trust us to do good work, and they’ve been kind enough to pay us well for it.What’s not to like?

At Sparks Marketing we won’t work with people who sell a bad product, are unethical, brutish, deceitful, or manipulative.

Now I have a question for you:What is your opinion of your customer? Do you see her as the barrier between you and her money? Do you see her as someone to manipulate into buying? Is she simply someone to sell as much as possible to, in the shortest amount of time?

Or do you see her as the generous, compassionate person she is? Do you like her? Can you honestly say she’s your friend?

If it’s the former, STOP IT! Someone’s pounding at your door, and it’s the competition down the street. They would love your customer. They’d treat her well, value her business, and become her friend. Your competitors understand that he who deals with ‘idiots’ is likely one himself.

And if you are the latter, what have you done today to let that valued client know she’s a special individual? What have you done to show her you cherish the relationship? What will you do tomorrow to ensure that the competitor down the block doesn’t beat you to it?

Tell you what. As soon as you finish reading this, why don’t you call that great customer and let her know how you really feel. That should tell her a lot.



Principles of Persuassion by Shane Sparks