A client of mine was sharing a tactic that he uses when interviewing sales people. After the interview is concluded, he watches the candidate walk to their car. He wants to see how they hold themselves when no one is looking. During an interview, everyone stands proud and is prepared to deliver their very best. My client wants to see how they react after an hour or two of interviewing. Do their shoulders slouch? Do they visibly lose their energy level? Do they sit in the parking lot and check their phone for 15 minutes?
When he was explaining this technique to me, I realized that he was on to something – not just for interviewing, but for any sales call. In order to be successful today, we have to present an impression of expertise and confidence. We have to leave our customers and prospects with the impression of: “Wow, I really learned a lot in that meeting. She’s got her act together.” Regardless of how well the entire meeting goes, you could damage that impression by the way in which you exit. There is one common behavior that I’ve seen the last few years that diminishes the hard work put into preparing and delivering a fine sales call...
When leaving a sales call, don’t sit in your car checking email or making a call. Don’t do it. If your prospect sees you in the parking lot 10 minutes after saying goodbye, they’re going to assume that you’re checking Facebook or playing the latest smartphone game. In order to leave an impression that you’re a confident sales person that is in demand, briskly walk to your car without looking at your phone and leave – it’s that simple. If you have to make a call or check email, drive a mile down the road and do so. Always assume the buying committee is spying on you during your exit and you’ll never leave a bad impression.
