Selling: A Bad Connection...

My contract with my phone company is up in a few weeks, so I called my provider to re-negotiate.

"You probably are best to stay with the plan you have," said the rep.

"AT&T just quoted me $50 less with unlimited local and long distance," I retorted.

"Oh. Let me see if we have a better plan for you," he replied sheepishly.

The rep didn't care about me. He was interested in selling me the most expensive service. I see that as bad marketing.

Study the fastest growing businesses in North America and I think you'll find a common thread: they're not about selling, they're all about marketing.

Let me explain.

Selling, in it's rawest sense, is about the seller. Selling is about convincing a prospect to buy a product or service.

Marketing, at it's core, is all about the customer. Marketing starts by CREATING a product or service that meets a customer's needs.

Now, don't get me wrong. Not all salesmen are insensitive sellers. The best ones tend to be more service-centered marketers.

In an interesting book I just started reading,"The Ultimate Question" by Fred Reichheld, the author talks about good profits and bad profits. He doesn't mean high and low profits. His premise is that good profits come from providing value to customers. Good profits create and sustain true sales growth. Bad profits are derived by mistreating customers in someway. They will kill your business.

Through my goggles, it looks like a marketing-centered company provides good profits and a sales-driven company, bad.

I'll expand on that in future tips and give some real world examples.

Meantime, ask yourself: Am I treating my customers with respect and providing them with a fair value? Would I do business with me?

Over the next few weeks, I'll explain why following the golden rule can truly be a golden opportunity.