Training Tips

Get Noticed: Easy ways to stand apart

It can be difficult to know how to compete in tough markets. In her eyesonsales.com article “Staying Competitive and Staying in Touch,” Andrea Nierenberg discusses a few ways for sales professionals to set themselves apart from the masses, including:

• Using Google Alerts. This is a great tool for staying in touch and sharing news. It keeps sales professionals at the forefront of their clients’ minds.

• Investing in gadgets. “Buy a digital pen! They are a great conversation piece and a time saver,” says Nierenberg.

• Asking clients about their preferred medium of communication. Although e-mail is usually most convenient, some clients prefer to communicate with phone calls or text messaging. This information can be written down in the client database along with personal information. It will show that sales professionals really care about customers’ needs.

• Sending handwritten notes. Because notes sent on paper are so unusual these days, they get noticed more.

“These suggestions are all ‘going back to basics’ — simple and easy to implement into your daily schedule,” says Nierenberg.

What do you do to stand apart to your clients? Have any of the strategies on this list worked for you? Why or why not? Please comment and join the conversation.