More than anything else, what do you think sets the true professional apart from the others?
Chances are, nearly everything a true professional does will set him or her apart as someone special. But, if you don’t want to identify who’s a pro and who isn’t, you don’t have to wait until they’ve done everything. You should be able to tell within the first minute or two , because more than anything else it’s usually the first impression he or she makes that will set the pro apart from others.
This was never more obvious to me than the first time I bought a truck. I wanted a vehicle that could be used for my business as well as by my family for weekend trips. After a lot of research, I decided that a Chevy Suburban would be ideal. A few friends who are more knowledgeable than I am about cars and trucks helped me select the options I wanted. That was fun. But then came the hard part: actually visiting the dealership and having to face the typical “car salesman”.
The man I had been leasing cars from for many years had retired, and now I was on my own. I remembered the last time I bought a car, and I was sure I would have derived a lot more pleasure from milking a cobra, being trampled by elephants, or having my front teeth pulled out. So, armed with my list of options and addresses of several dealerships, I set out to “do battle”.
I didn’t encounter a single pro at any of the first four dealerships I visited. I saw plenty of swaggering, slap-em-on-the-back, sell-em-anything-you-can salesman, but not one pro.
And I wasn’t buying. I had almost given up on the whole idea, when another friend called me and told me about John T. Smith. “He’s a pro.”
When I arrived at the dealership and asked for John T. Smith, the receptionist said he was helping another customer at the moment. She invited me to look at the Suburbans in stock while I waited. So I did. Minutes later I glimpsed a man approaching. Even though he was still 50 feet away, I instantly sensed that this salesman was a real pro. His aura was unmistakable. Like sparks flying from a wielding torch, he sent nonverbal messages exclaiming, “I am a professional, and you will be glad you met me.”
His walk, his clothes, his facial expression; when he got closer, his tone of voice and the words he chose, all caused me to think “I like this man. I trust him. I want to buy from him.” And I did. Years later I still liked him, trusted him and I continued buying cars from him, because John T. Smith was as professional a salesperson as I had ever met. And he proved this to me even before we first shook hands and introduced ourselves. He set himself apart from the others by the overwhelmingly positive first impression he created.
Joel Weldon
Inspirational Content Writer and Speaker
Here’s What You Can Do:
- Close your eyes and imagine John T. Smith’s appearance. At fifty feet I could see the crease in his pants. He was in good shape and his clothes fit well — he wasn’t over dressed or too sharp– he was dressed just right. What do YOUR clothes look like? How do they fit you? Are they pressed? How do YOU fit your clothes? Are you in good shape?
- Imagine his bearing. His stride was brisk. He approached me without hesitation. He held his shoulders erect, and his eyes were riveted to mine. He smiled, but just slightly. Later John told me he was smiling because he already knew he would sell me a car. How’s your bearing? Does it televise your positive attitude?
- Imagine his confidence. He knew his products, prices and inventory so thoroughly that fear and doubt were out of the question. He had total self confidence. How do you perform when you’re thoroughly prepared?
- Continue improving in every respect, but always make sure the first impression you create says “professional”– Distinctly and unforgettably!
-Joel Weldon
