Persistence Pays Off in Sales

It is not always the smartest or most convincing salesperson who wins the sale, sometimes it’s the one with the most persistence. Another way of looking at it is to consider it continual reinforcement. In a busy work environment, we don’t always have the time to meet with our vendors. When we do need to meet with them, too often it is an immediate need. So which salesperson is it that you will call? The one who continually reminds you that he/she is there for you.

The continual visits, phone calls and/or e-mails allow the salesperson to gently remind their customers that they are there and actively engaged in the business of selling. I may not always have the time to take their calls or stop what I’m working on to visit with them, but when I do need something from one of my vendors, I call the ones who try to stay in touch on a regular basis. The ones that only contact me once a year or less leave me feeling less important than their other customers (which maybe I am, but I want a vendor who feels I’m important to them).

So, if you want to be successful in selling packaging machinery, you need to touch base with your customers and potential customers on a regular basis. Remember, they may not need you today, but you want them thinking of you tomorrow when the next big project comes up.

The author, Marge Bonura, is the Director of Sales & Marketing for New England Machinery, Inc. (NEM). NEM is a leading packaging machinery manufacturer of bottle unscramblers, cappers, orienters, retorquers, lidders, pluggers, pump sorter/placers, scoop feeders, hopper elevators and much more. The company has been in business since 1974 selling to the food, beverage, pharmaceutical, personal care, chemical, household products, automotive and other industries. For more information on NEM, visit their website at www.neminc.com.