ELEVEN

The Friendship Factor

In thousands of interviews, when customers are asked to think of the words that best describe how they feel about the top salespeople who call on them, the first and most important word is always “friend.”

”I see her as a friend,” the customer will say, or “I feel that he is more interested in me and in helping me achieve my goals than he is in just making a sale.”

Earlier, we called this “relationship selling,” referring to the importance of establishing a high-quality, credible, trust-based relationship with the prospect before you make any attempt to persuade him to buy or use your product or service. In this case, as Shakespeare said, “Make haste slowly.”

Focus on the Friendship

Friendship is an essential requirement, ...

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