Dogs are great teachers of how to sell easier and better. And if you think about a dogs life, its quite a pampered and easy one. Some dog behaviors can serve as models for dos and donts for salespeople.

Dogs mark their territory.
Do what you can to stand out in your industry or in your working geography. The better you customers and prospective customers know you, the more you control your territory. Thats as much as anything can be controlled!

Dogs do not have problems expressing affection in public.
Let your clients and prospective clients know how much you care. The simple remembering of some previous personal bit of news they shared with you the next time you meet somewhere expresses that care.

Dogs miss you when you're gone.
What if your customer gets a postcard from you on THEIR return from a trip? Or what if you called your customer from YOUR vacation?

Dogs are very direct about wanting to go out.
Are you clear on what your role in sales is? In general, it is to increase revenues by getting the order; its to get the business; its to help more customers buy more of what you have.

Dogs do not play games with you except fetch and then they dont laugh at how you throw.
Your customer might play games with you. They might throw you a buying sign by asking for more information. Or they might give you the go ahead on an order and later cancel. If you go fetch for these, note your reaction. Examine your reactions appropriateness to the situation. You may have to adjust it to keep on playing.

Dogs understand what NO means.
In sales a no early in the process usually means that the customer needs more information about what you have that will solve their problem. Later on a no, maybe you want to backtrack and discover where you may have gone off track with this particular customer. And when you hear a no remember, dogs admit when they are lost.

But doggone it those dogs dont know everything. They have their faults too.

Dogs are bad at asking you questions.
And if you and your customer are not in synch, a few good clarifying questions can help you get back on track. Learn to say things like, Gee, I must not have been clear on that point. You seem to have a concern, Can you help me understand what it is about?

Dogs dont know how to talk on the telephone.
In todays world of communications we want to be better on the telephone, with beepers or pagers, with emails, with faxes and with anyway we communicate with our customers. Take some time to evaluate your effectiveness with each way you communicate. Then plan to improve each area one at a time to get better results.

And when we get the buying and selling working more easily, as in a dogs life, remember: Be ready for a tummy rub at a moments notice! Be ready for your sales to come more easily and in greater abundance!

Patricia Weber

Pat was one of the ground-breaking women in the technical sales of computers. As a successful salesperson and sales manager, she earned numerous awards and recognitions in her company and community. In 1987, in a corporate environment, she was asked to deliver self-leadership training programs to a diverse staff from sales, to administrative, to technicians. The program was so well received that training was soon her primary role as a computer sales manager.

Since 1990, via the self-propelled Professional Strategies, Inc., Pat coaches individuals, facilitates teleclasses and delivers workshops for organizations and associations who want solutions to reduce overwhelm, minimize frustrations and get clarity on a situation. She offers her expertise and experiences in Customer Satisfaction, Sales, Presentations, Improving Employee and Leadership Performance for business, industry and government and Self-Confidence Skills for individuals.

Her information-rich and high-energy coaching repeatedly brings appreciation of thoroughness in preparation and on-target delivery. Clients recognize they get an expert who delivers the right ingredients for high yields on investment of a professional delivery.