“Sell” is Not a Four Letter Word

Most of us never think of ourselves as salespeople, but we all have customers.  We are all selling something.  We sell our vision of the world to our children.  We sell the idea of a hunting trip to our spouses.  We sell to our boards, bosses and co-workers.

The next time you have to present an idea or budget to the greens committee (your customer), keep these sales tips in mind:

  • Ask questions. The best sales people ask a lot of questions and listen carefully to the responses. The committee’s answers will tell you what matters most to them.  Ask them to expand on their thoughts by saying, “That is an interesting point. Why do you say that?”
  • It is not about you – it’s about them. Think about what the committee members want and how your solution benefits them. Will the bunker play better? How much money does the investment save in the long term? It may be important to you to reduce maintenance on part of your course. But what matters to them is what else on the course will improve because you don’t have to be working on that issue. See the difference?
  • Money isn’t the issue. Believe it or not, most purchasing decisions are not made solely based on money.  Most purchasing decisions are emotional. The greens committee members need to believe and trust you. They see their status as committee members reflected in the job you do.
  • Make it personal. Make statements like, “If you approve this, you will save the Club $5,000 over the next 4 years.”  “We” won’t save the club money, “you” will. Make him or her the hero.
  • Don’t be afraid to close. Once you have finished, ask for approval to make the purchase. Ask for a deadline for a decision. This is the hardest part of selling, but the most crucial.

Happy selling!