Be The "Go To Person".... Serving and Solving Problems Outside Your Solution

I used to love to watch the original version of the Christmas Classic, Miracle on 34th Street. One of my favorite scenes in the movie is where Kris Kringle sends a customer from Macy’s where he is working over to Gimble’s, the competitor. I have no problem recommending a competitor in a product niche we don’t serve. I believe that when you help a customer solve their problem it will always come back to you.

Solving customer problems may occasionally go way beyond your industry. My friend Patty Knoch is a loan officer with a bank. She specializes in agriculture loans and works with farmers. One thing I love about her is that she has made herself a go to person for just about everything. The women is the most connected person I know. Tell her what you need and she knows someone who knows someone who will help you get it. Need tickets… Patty has the track. Need the ear of a congressman… Patty has the track. Need a doctor… a restaurant… massage… haircut….

I have to believe this talent/skill and just plain ole desire to help people gets her a lot of business. Being a great salesperson means being a great human being first. I have run across way too many salespeople that are only interested in helping if it means an immediate payoff and commission. Just be helpful to people. Learn about other vendor’s that offer great solutions outside your own business. Be the first one in mind a client calls to solve their problems. Do this with enough people and it will come back to you ten fold.

If you'd like to enhance this skill, check out "How To Build A Network Of Power Relatiohships" in The Servant Selling Bookstore. This Resource is found on page 5.