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5 things my grandfather taught me about sales



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5 things my grandfather taught me about sales

Some of the best advice I've every gotten about working online, and off, was from people who have been in business for themselves for much longer than I have.  Now I'm not talking about competitors telling me what they did and what I should do, no.  I'm talking about the older people who are retired business owners who didn't always have the internet at their disposal to build up their businesses.

I had a conversation with my grandfather a long time ago when I was going into business for myself, and it was filled with some of the best advice I've ever gotten from anyone over the years.  My grandfather has since passed, but he gave me loads of information that I took to heart, and I'm here to share it with all of you 5 things my grandfather taught me about sales

Older people tend to have a better work ethic since they had to fight for everything they ever earned.  Nowadays we have the internet and we can figure out if something is going to be successful within the first week because of all the data we can acrue.  Back in the day they have to fight to make something successful and wouldn't know right away if it was going to fail.  For that reason, my grandfather who was successful, told me plenty of things and I took them old to heart.



Here are the 5 things my grandpa taught me about sales


1. Be patient, don't rush it.
The first thing my grandpa ever taught me was to be patient.  He was a great fisherman and taught me many things on the lake when we were fishing, but he always told me to be patient and never rush things when it comes to business.  He told me that one of his biggest sales took over 18 months and he didn't rush it at all.  He also told me that if you pressure the potential buyer, it could turn them away and you'll lose the sale.

You need to be patient as well as keep a good perspective on what is going on.  Build a good relationship with your buyers and don't treat them like dollars in your bank account, because they will know.  Treat every sales opportunity as a lesson to learn something unique from the entire process from start to finish. 


2. Actually talk to people
My grandfather wasn't too big into digital marketing because he was "old school" and would rather talk to people in person or over the phone.  I totally understand why he did this too, because I've noticed that if I can get someone to come out to lunch with me, I have a better chance at sealing the deal with them instead of just calling them.  He said that people are so disconnected that it's a breath of fresh air when you actually sit down and talk with an actual person rather that on social media, email or even a phone call even though you're still talking to them.

Calling someone on the phone is one of the most underrated sales tools we use today.  This is simply because it's easy to ignore an email, but when you get a phone call you just want to answer to see what it's all about.  You have a better chance of reaching the actual decision maker with a phone call than you do with an email or any other marketing tactic.

You can also get a feel for the person who you're talking to as opposed to an email where there's no emotion being expressed.  With a phone call you can hear the persons emotion and their tone of voice which helps with figuring out if you should pitch them, upsell them or just avoid all of that for a later date.  A good example of this is when I scheduled a call with a potential client and they were on the road driving when I called them at the designated time.  I asked if they wanted me to call them back since they were driving, and he was happy I did.  We later talked and he thanked me again for rescheduling the call and when we were done I signed him up on a $3,500 web design contract and $1,500 a month SEO contract that started when the design was done 5 things my grandfather taught me about sales


3. There aren't any shortcuts
My grandpa taught me that if you want to be rich, you need to bust your ass for it.  He said there aren't any shortcuts, so stop looking for them.  You'll actually waste time trying to find the shortcuts, unless they will help you in every situation down the road.  When he was doing sales he wouldn't stop until he got to the decision maker of the business he was trying to get a hold of.  He would call any number he could get his hands on until someone would transfer him directly to the head boss in charge.  By being so persistent, he was able to get to the decision maker and get the sale usually.

His exact words were "To cut out your own part of this business you need to be persistent, hungry and always scrappy.  There's always someone at the target company that can help you close the deal, so find them and get it done".


4. You need to think long term, not short
My grandfather never targeted the one time customers because that's not where the money was.  He would always want to get the long term clients who would be willing to sell a 1, 3 or even a 10 year contract with his company because that meant he had job security lol.  He told me to give discounts for contracts, and I still do that to this day and it works extremely well when getting a tire kicker to convert into a yearly contracted client 5 things my grandfather taught me about sales

Business to business sales are all about building relationships which will come back time and time again to hire you for your services.  The best companies thrive from repeat customers and you can do the same if you target the right people and build your relationships with them.


5. Your integrity is everything
My grandpa was the kind of guy who did the handshake deal.  That is where you would shake the hand of the man, or woman, you were talking to and that was your contract.  This was the same as an iron clad contract that we would do today.  No matter how many tools we develop to help us with our work and bring work to life, the fundamentals are the same: it's all about trust between two parties.  If you don't have any good reviews or trust being shown, you'll likely not have many clients.  Word spread fast back in my grandpas day, and even quicker now with social media, so trust goes a very long way in today's world.



A lot has changed since my grandpa has been in sales, but almost all of his business advice is solid even in today's world.  You can't take advantage of people, you have to be a good person, you need to think about building relationships with your clients, don't rush anything, pick up the phone and talk with people and there are no shortcuts.



In Conclusion:
My grandpa taught me a lot about sales and how to run a business.  I still use a lot of his advice even today when it comes to closing a deal.  Remember when I mentioned the client I closed for a $3,500 web design and $1,500 a month for SEO?  Well he was an older gentleman and he was comfortable working with me because I implemented all of the things my grandfather taught me 5 things my grandfather taught me about sales



Remember to follow me!
https://www.seoclerks.com/user/Razzy


Thanks!

Razzy

Comments

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rhombus
Your grandfather sounded like a kind, wise man. Thank you for posting this, we tend to forget that your integrity is an integral part of being successful in business as well as solid face to face communication. More often business owners who do not follow these rules have limited success after the initial big idea. If you keep your clients happy that will support and refer your services.



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augusta
Those were really words of wisdom for a business oriented person especially for these two points there's no shortcut and you need integrity. in business integrity is key one needs to be trust worthy and honest no bad reputation is needed to capture customers and actually retain them and one needs to be upright no shortcut is needed.



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Corzhens
It is a simple sentence that you said about keeping your clients happy but it is one great word of wisdom for the entrepreneur. That is also one rule that was said by the owner or our company. When he started his business, he want bankrupt because all he cared was the sales and he didn’t mind the feelings of his customers. He learned good business practices the hard way because he was on a trial and error that he finally succeeded after so many tries.



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Everett
Very interesting. One of my grandfathers taught me how to make absurd and disgusting food combinations like chicken in cereal with milk. *insert puke emoji here* He was very "out there". I could probably learn a lot from my other grandfather. He owns a few resturants around the world, and I am sure he is very experienced in the business world due to the fact of his successful international restaurants (if you want to call it that). However, I do not see him much since he is constantly traveling so to spark up a conversation with him is pretty hard to do.

Nevertheless, it is great to hear words from how our ancestors did things. Truly inspirational, and mind blowing at how fast things change in the business world.



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Pixie06
If you have a business then you need to think about the future. I have a small business and I have already made some plans for the next five years. I have also set some goals and I am actually working hard to achieve those goals. When it comes to business we must never rush when taking decisions. We must think wisely and take the right decision. Talking to your customers on the phone or face to face is better. You will understand them better.



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wiseagent
"If you have a business then you need to think about the future."

This should be considered as a golden rule for any business owner. After all, no one wants to open their own business after so much effort closing it after a few months of operation, right?

You have to think big and how to make impact (in a good way, of course 5 things my grandfather taught me about sales).



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Everett
Oh wow, plans for the next five years? I only have plans for the next year or so, not five years. Hopefully I am not doing anything wrong by not thinking that far ahead. Most of the things on my agenda is creating new products for my clients.

I have also set up some goals as well. I make unrealistic goals to help myself get a better understanding of everything. For me, setting unrealistic goals helps educate me better, and it helps me not be too lazy. Sometimes I love to procrastinate which kinda gets me in a bind at times..



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JoeMilford
This is ALL such good advice, and it speaks to a person's maturity and experience which can sometimes only be gained by being grandparents. My grandpa has also passed, years ago, but your post here really reminded him, especially in two points. When you talk about truly engaging with people, you really have to be an excellent listener and not just one of those guys who is waiting for his turn to speak. My grandpa was huge on this point. Another point your grandfather and mine would have agreed upon is the fact that one must have the patience to build a good, reliable, durable, and strong business over time. I have to admit that I do still prefer and appreciate the "handshake deal" much more than i do the "mouseclick deal", if you know what I mean.



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DarthHazard
Being patient is one of the most important things and you can actually evaluate it in two different ways. The first way is that you shouldn't expect things to be great straight away. Businesses and websites can take a while before they get big and success can take time. And the other way is that you should be patient and methodical about your decisions. Never rush into a decision because you may regret it after a while.



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wiseagent
I think creativity and patience are two special ingredients in the recipe for success. It's clear that they aren't the only ingredients to be considered, but they are two of the most essential.

Creativity to try to create something relatively new / different (to attract the attention of customers) and patience to make things work the way you imagine.



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DarthHazard
I have to agree with you wiseagent. Creativity is definitely important for a business and for sales because it can help you differentiate from your competitors. It will be difficult for you to sell things if you cannot be creative especially when you have to manage your advertising and marketing. Patience is also key because, without it, you will end up making a lot of mistakes which could affect your business in the long run.



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wiseagent
I honestly think it's a perfect fusion for anyone who wants to succeed in life. Luck can help a little bit - depending on the situation, of course -, but if you aren't a creative / patient person... I think things will take a little longer to happen.



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kgord
Being patient and being willing to learn are excellent points. Even if someone isn't going to hire you or give you their business, they may still be able to give you valuable information that you can use down the road. Treat everyone like they have value, and keep your ears open.



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tiffiecute
Wow, another awesome write-up. It's quite an emotional one for me since I'm my late grand dad's favorite, and I miss him more now since it's "All Souls Day". My grandfather was the first one who introduced me to the world of entrepreneurship. He let me sell fruits in school and by then I started to learn that you can earn money by selling what you already have and the importance of money in one's life.



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vhinz
You are so fortunate to have a grandpa that loves to do business. The knowledge that he have given to you is really valuable. I could see that it really works for you. Unlike me, I was raised in a family that avoids business. Thanks for sharing!



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potentialwriter
Patience is truly paramount to success in business. As far as I am concerned, i have got to be very patient with things especially when I am dealing with people in business. This attribute is needed by all to be able to run a business successfully. People will come to you with their individual differences and characters and make you run out of your patience which may eventually jeopardize the business.

By proving to them with time that you are a man of integrity, you are going to win their hearts and they will keep coming to transact with you and even invite other people to patronize you.



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overcast
Some of the really nice tips. I learned one good thing about the sales recently. I think having the option to take follow ups with people always helps. You can see that some people always keep in touch and make sales. And that's something we have to learn over a period of time. Something we all learn as we go in our life. And I don't think it'd be possible to make huge number of sales without the ability to take the follow up. And that's what matters the most in case of the sales. It's not easy but something most people do as well.



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JoeMilford
overcast,
I completely agree--the follow-up is SO important if you want continued business with others. I think that the question of integrity raised in this forum is also extremely important, and doing follow-ups with your customers shows them your care and professional nature. I agree that, without the follow-up, the customers may feel neglected and may not purchase from you again or suggest that others purchase from you with a recommendation.



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overcast
Yes by taking the followups you know more personal about the customer. And same applies to friends and family, keeping in touch and in follow up definitely helps. So on that note it'd be reasonable to say that making sales in due time is good. As long as we take follow up and then get the sales in order. Not all the time it may work but it is one the key that is important here.



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anwebservices
Awesome story and great tips here 5 things my grandfather taught me about sales

I mention many times here on CD that online business should be treated like real physical business, like you operating grocery store, while too many freelancers take this online business like sort of game, starting with small or zero investment, treating customers like they are just "photos", looking for all possible way around to not spend a dime but become reach as soon as possible 5 things my grandfather taught me about sales
Good for you that you take your grandpa's advises seriously so you are successful entrepreneur now. Keep doing great job 5 things my grandfather taught me about sales



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Corzhens
I had some stints in sales and I'd say I had my good days and bad days. When you engage in sales, you have to invest time in establishing rapport with your clients and prospects as well. As one good salesman said in an interview, selling is not just getting transactions, it is actually a science of creating a network of people.



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jeiss
Thanks for sharing these information. I have learnt alot from it especially when it comes to patience. I have dabble in a couple of fast money schemes lately and all failed. I learnt the hard way.

My grandpa taught me that if you want to be rich, you need to bust your ass for it. He said there aren't any shortcuts, so stop looking for
them. You'll actually waste time trying to find the shortcuts, unless
they will help you in every situation down the road
Nothing good comes out of shortcuts. Shortcuts would cut one short.
It's true that the elderly sure have some lesson for everty situation.



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vinaya
These are great tips to succeed in any career or business field.
I think I am patience, I have been trying to make money through ecommerce websites since a year, however, I have not made substantial sales until now. yet I am patient. Communication is the area where I am failing miserably. I am not a good talker.
When I was new, I looked for short cuts and now I have realized there are no short cuts



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