Garage door industry magazine for garage door dealers, garage door manufacturers, garage door distributors, garage door installers, loading docks, garage door operators and openers, gates, and tools for the door industry.
Issue link: https://idoi.epubxp.com/i/78039
SALES&MARKETING; Selling to Women and Couples By Delia Passi Delia Passi, featured speaker during the 2011 and 2012 IDA Expo educational programs, is the founder of WomenCertifi ed™ and a nationally-recognized authority on the science of selling to women. The former publisher of Working Woman and Working Mother magazines, Ms. Passi trains business leaders how to provide women customers with a better experience through an understanding of how they differ from men in the buying process. When you are selling products and services to homeowners, it is imperative that you realize that the woman in the family can have an extraordinary impact on the decision to use your company, or recommend you to others. So it is critical that you pay attention to what makes a difference when selling to women or couples. I've provided a handful of useful tips here to help you make the sale. Get Off to a Good Start Every woman, and every man, can tell you of some person they met who gave them a lousy handshake – too hard, too soft, too clammy or just not there at all. Your greeting is a critical component of that all important fi rst impression. How you shake hands says a lot to the other person about who you are and how you feel about them and yourself. We women don't get our hands crushed too often. Instead, all too often we get a wimpy little fi nger squeeze. Men, thinking that we are delicate little fl owers, often give us a limp hand. What does that tell me when I am trying to do business with you? That you don't think I'm important? That I don't deserve a little respect? In all likelihood that's not really what you think, but it's what your handshake is telling me. I want respect and fair consideration. If you're prepared to give me that, then tell me with your handshake. 32 Stick to the middle ground. Save the competitive bone crushers for someone else (or spare them too). Take my hand fi rmly by the palm and give it a squeeze that wouldn't bruise a banana. Immediately we're off to a good start. Women aren't always going to shake your hand as fi rmly as I've just told you to shake theirs. Some will give you limp hand. Make adjustments as you sense their handshaking style, but don't go limp even if she does. You still have a message to convey. If she is with her husband or other male, never reach past her to shake his hand fi rst. Also, speak more in her direction than in his. Even when you International Door & Operator Industry™ divide your attention evenly, she is likely to think you gave him more attention. He is unlikely to notice either way, but it will make an impression on her. Are you listening? I have a favorite cartoon called The Male Prostitute, of a man leaning into a woman's car. The caption reads "Oh, yeah, baby, I'll listen to you. I'll listen to you all night long." If anyone who completed my WomenCertifi ed training program remembered nothing else, I would want them to remember the importance of listening to her. Continued on page 35