We've all heard the saying, "You only get one chance to make a first impression." Variations on this phrase have been attributed to Will Rogers and Oscar Wilde, as well as to advertising campaigns for men's suits and dandruff shampoo, among others. A recent Amazon search produced 2,413 books with "first impression" in the title. The critical importance of first impressions is known by people in all walks of life. In the payments industry and most other business realms, awareness is virtually universal.
For the industry's hard-working feet on the street, the sales presentation is often the first opportunity an ISO or merchant level salesperson (MLS) has to make that all-important first impression. Some pros have done a multitude of presentations and have thereby become so skilled that they feel they could do them in their sleep.
When you reach this point, it's time to review and then adjust what you do and say during your presentations to make sure you continue to do your best. Indeed, for experienced MLSs and newbies alike, this kind of analysis should be ongoing. In Good Selling!SM:The Basics, Paul H. Green offered five tips for top-notch presentations. They are paraphrased as follows:
These steps assume you have done your homework, both on your offerings and on your prospect's business needs. However, don't assume you have all the answers when it comes to the latter, because your understanding of the merchant's situation will deepen as you welcome interaction and listen to what the merchant reveals.
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