Mauro Libi Crestani: The smile may be the most powerful sales tool ever

When you or your employees meet a client for a potential sale or a potential new customer, impressions really matter. Before you even say a word, the customer is forming opinions about you and your company. Are you prepared to make this sale? Yes, you carefully prepared what you are going to say, you also dressed just right. What may be the most important aspect of the sales meeting is often ignored. This one important aspect, can make or break your sale. This is to remember to smile. The smile may be the most powerful sales tool ever.

A good leader knows that a product is only as good as the employees that make it. If the people in a company are happy and have positive attitudes this reflects on their management. If you go to a company to consider using them and no one at that company seems happy and no one is smiling, this is a company that zaps the energy out of its employees. Would you want to get involved in that company? If the employees are that negative and sad, they probably hate their company and what they do.   As a customer, you see the hell that the employees feel that they are in and it is best for you to get out of there fast.

As a manager or group leader, it is your responsibility to create a positive happy atmosphere. When your employees greet customers, they need to smile and let the customer see how positive your company is and to leave the potential customer feeling great.  That customer should feel the positive joy of your employees and want to be part of your company. The potential client should feel that they are in a happy place, a respectful place and a place that is always willing to help its customers. The client needs to feel that your company will be around a long time. That its employees stay a long time and as a result are experienced. Leaving the customer with that assured feeling that your company was their best choice and making them feel like your employees and management will be helpful will also guarantee you future referrals.

I always tell managers to learn the following rule ... No smile, no interest, no sale.