Yes, we are going back to the basics.  Why?  Because when you are losing races, your track coach will tell you to focus on not allowing your arms to cross the center line of your body, keep a loose grip, and more.  If you want to make countless sales, "getting back to the basics" is the surest way for you, and your team, to improve your conversions which equates to an increased bottom line.  "Sloppy selling is an unafforable luxury," says author and coach Anne Miller.  Knowing how to ask the right questions so you can effectively feature and benefit sell with a smooth, polished, and natural approach is a critical and very affordable luxury within your reach.

We all know that the easiest way to sell your products and/or services is to info spew about features.  But, this is lazy selling and gives our customer no compelling reason for reaction.  We should always take our selling to the next level; we should always first ask questions (discovery) so that we can then cater our pitch to include the benefits that are most appealing and inspiring to make our customers buy. 

Something that is always relevant and seemingly misunderstood is the Customer Experience. Harley Manning and Kerry Bodine of Outside In defines this as, "Customer Experience is how your customers perceive their interactions with your company."  Here's some compelling proof on why this topic deserves focus and understanding: Over a recent 5-year period when S&P 500 was flat, a stock portfolio of customer experience leaders grew 22%!  

To further break down what's the "customer experience," it's the product and services you offer, how you manage your business, and what your brand stands for.  It 's what a customer perceives will happen when they try and buy your product, use it, and/or what would happen if there is a problem with it.

"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."  The Golden Rule concept exists through hundreds of cultures and is known by millions; therefore, it should come as no surprise that it intersects with your business practices and behavior.  It should be your ethical pillar upon which your business sits.

Do you consciously consider with each business move that is made what impact will be felt, how will your decisions and actions show up, and what chain of events/emotions will occur because of them?  If not, you should.  For your business to earn the respect it deserves, you should carefully choose which steps to take and which words to speak.  You should handle the business and treat your employees, coworkers, vendors, and customers with the same regard that you would like for them to handle their work and treatment of you.  What, in the least, should we consider as we put the Golden Rule into practice in our businesses? 

Did you know that 1 out of every 4 working adults in the U.S. is a salesperson (The Simple Truths of Selling, by Todd Duncan)?  That certainly means there's a lot of competition in this profession, and success can't come easy. How do you separate yourself from the crowd and get noticed? What makes a successful salesperson today and in this economy?  This would be a great time for me to introduce a new ground breaking sales technique that is a sure thing. To tell you the truth, there isn't one.  The business section of any book store is filled with resources on learning how to sell, how to be a better sales person, improving sales techniques…etc.  However, the truth of the matter is that successful selling comes from the basics, not from new methodologies that seem to distract from the authentic sales exchange.

Did you know that customer service is the #1 factor that influences how much a customer trusts your company?  Yes, this is true- according to a customer service survey conducted by Zendesk.  Good service = increased trust and loyalty = higher sales.  The reverse of this is definitely scary; poor customer service can result in your company going down like a sinking ship.  If you have not been focusing on delivering good customer service, there's no need for a life raft just yet.  Let's plug up those holes and give your company some customer service buoyancy by starting with the biggest leak (biggest opportunity), which is the first impression.

Investigate the [customer's] situation. When the investigation will take longer, make a specific commitment to get back to the customer. When making commitments to call back it is important to give a specific time frame rather than telling the customer you will call back "as soon as possible" or "right away."  Terms like these mean different things to different people. "Right away" might mean sometime today to you - it could mean within fifteen minutes to your customer.

- Renee Evenson, Customer Service Training 101