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Before we can sell our products to our prospective customers, we must first get to know them and their needs. The best way to do this is to get them talking.

When you approach a prospective customer, it can be a challenge to get the customers attention, let alone getting them to strike up a conversation with you.

Most people don't want to be bothered, their perception of a sales person is that of a used car sales man or the Macy's girl who approaches you in the aisle and wants to squirt perfume all over you.

Another reason people don't want to be bothered, is because they believe they will end up wasting their money on something they don't even need.

If you can get them talking, you can figure out what it is they do need, and than explain the products you have that could possibly satisfy their needs.

Getting someone to talk to you is not as hard as you may think.

People love to talk about their job, their company, their family, and their pets.

Believe me, if you walk up to a customer and introduce yourself only to be blown off, say something along these lines;

I'm really sorry to bother you, but may I ask what it is you do for a living?

Ninety nine times out of one hundred, the person will tell you the company they work for, and what they do there.

Everybody is proud of what they do, and they should be. Once you have established what it is that your customer does for a living, get them to elaborate on it. Say things like;

'That's really interesting, how did you get into that line of work?'

Or

'How long have you been in that line of work?'

Now that you have your customer talking, start digging for more, find out what his needs are.

Most important, as your customer is speaking, listen intently, look for identifiers that can lead the conversation in other directions.

As you listen to your customers talk, try to match up your products to their needs.

Once you have the customer talking, don't be discouraged if you don't get the sale right than and there. Not all is lost, in fact, it is just beginning, you have just taken the first steps toward building a relationship with your customer.

Remember, people love to talk about themselves, their jobs, their pets, their hobbies, etc.

So ask, it will get you on your way to more relationships and sales.

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