Water Well Journal

June 2015

Water Well Journal

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what it is you are trying to accomplish. How can you determine your success if you don't do that? One of the best things to do in this step is to set the purchase objectives di- rectly with the customer. Set these goals once every year, and review the forecast with the customer regularly. Then you will really have developed a good sell- ing relationship. In order to meet these annual goals, you have to understand you must have specific sales objectives for each sales call you make. This is how you manage the territory and get the right results. You build these smaller objectives into your sales planning. Objectives are critical, but there are some basic facts to setting objectives which we must always keep in mind: • The objectives must be realistic. • The objectives must have sensible and viable alternatives. • The objectives must have a fallback position. One of the items we should never forget when we are making a sales call is knowing the purpose for the call: Go for an attainable result. Too often we see a sales call end with a "No." Don't let that happen. Always identify when the customer isn't ready and shift your com- munication to go for an attainable result. If you don't, the customer will realize calls can end with a "No" and that will not be a good moment for your selling career. So at this point in the sales process we have conducted the research on the customer, the products, and the relation- ship. You have now done the hard work and you have calculated the potential parts and service business for each cus- tomer. From this potential, we have es- tablished objectives for each customer for each family of parts and service program. Now we have to get specific on sales calls. It's time for the next step in the sales process for successful selling. It's time to get in front of the customer. We'll take on the rest of the selling process next month. The time is now. WWJ WWJ June 2015 43 Twitter @WaterWellJournl Ron Slee is the founder of R.J. Slee & Associ- ates in Rancho Mirage, California, a consulting firm that specializes in dealership operations. He also operates Quest, Learning Centers, which provides training services specializing in product support, and Insight (M&R) Institute, which operates "Dealer Twenty" Groups. He can be reached at ron@rjslee.com. Get Past WWJ Articles and More at Columnist's Website The website of long-time Water Well Journal columnist Ron Slee has all of the past columns he has authored for the journal and more information designed to help manufacturers and small businesses run efficiently. R.J. Slee & Associates has worked with hundreds of companies from around the world in the last 30 years. He focuses on productivity, market penetration, and profitability. Along with the index of past WWJ articles, his website features details on his classes, webinars, blogs, and consulting services. Go to www.rjslee.com for more information. The National Ground Water Research and Educational Foundation helps guide the course of groundwater — both the resource and the industry — with its educational, research, and other charitable activities. NGWREF helps support those making groundwater available to those in need of potable water both here and abroad . . . advancing groundwater science and knowledge . . . and educating future generations of groundwater professionals. Please help us continue this mission. Donate today. NGWA.org/Give 800 551.7379 • 614 898.7791 Help guide the course of groundwater. Operated by NGWA, NGWREF is a 501(c)(3) public foundation.

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