Are you paying attention to the needs and wants of your customers?

Where are your current leads coming from? What is your close percentage? Are you even generating leads with the current state of the economy? If you aren't finding new companies and new sales then maybe you should look to your current clients for help.

We all know that the almighty referral is a powerful tool for any company. A referral is even more important to sales reps. A referral is one of the best tools a sales rep can use to generate new business. If you can get a name from a current clients that means you are doing your job as a company. A referral is a pat on the back from your customer base letting you know that you are either providing the excellent quality of service you promised, or your product has met and exceeded expectations.

In today's economic conditions those referrals could lead to a great piece of new business for your firm, it could help you reach your quota, and it could lead to even more referrals. You hear on the news everyday that the economy is terrible, that the markets are at the lowest point in x number of years, and that unemployment is on the rise. In times like these, one of the most important assests to an organization is its customer base. If you have satisfied customers you can get two things; one is the continuous revenue due to loyalty and the relationship you built, and the other is referrals to potential customers who are new to your business.

In order to generate that continuous revenue and referrals you have to look at how you are treating your clients and that you are addressing their needs. Do you make calls to your contacts asking if they need anything else, or if they are being taken care of? How are your relationships with your contacts? Do they know you and feel comfortable speaking with you? Pay attention to the needs and wants of your customers. Try and deliver the best that you can and the better off you will be. Create a "wow" effect with your personality. Help your prospects and customers feel comfortable with you and feel as if they are making the right decision.

By adding that "wow" factor into your sales efforts you will enhance customer satisfaction, generate more sales and this leads to increased profits. The "wow" factor will create more orders from your current customer base and they will talk up your products/services to people that are interested. Following through on your word and your promises is crucial in developing a good relationship with your customers. If they have trust in you and what was discussed in the sales process, they will have enough trust in your company to recommend you to other people.

As you read this you may think to yourself that this is obvious and is well known. Customer service is a preconceived notion in doing business... How you set yourself apart is by providing GREAT customer service. If you can figure out how to deliver a memorable sales experience, then you are one step closer to creating a stream of referrals to keep pushing your products/services.

Important!!: All things being equal, people will do business with, and refer business to, those people they know, like and trust.