Customer follow-up, the power of presence, and your authentic self from author Lincoln Kokaram at Nashville Association of Sales Professionals' NASPnet

Customer follow-up for car dealers, insurance agents, and other sales professionals

Author Lincoln S. Kokaram recently spoke with the Nashville Association of Sales Professionals about effective customer follow-up, better customer relationships, and the most important thing we bring to the table as a salesperson. You can listen in on the How to Sell More Cars podcast available on your favorite podcast platform

here's the transcript:

Terry Lancaster
My name is Terry Lancaster. I'm a marketing strategist. I'm a trader. I'm an author, speaker and writer. We got we got a bunch of speakers today. Written we're really good speakers speak out loud. I do most of our work at automotive business. Partnerships Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, my Florida doing everything from writing and producing radio spots for car dealerships, to writing blog posts, to directing their web pages and sales funnels. 90% of it is, is recording car dealers but I do work in other industries as well. Lincoln was talking about the insurance business I do a lot of work in the insurance business to do some work in the mortgage agency business. Doing some home repair work today. I'm gonna be writing and an auto blast script for someone is doing a telemarketing phone calls for we're adding face inspection for attic and crawlspace California we're doing a voicemail funnel that they're working on. Lots of different things going on any job that requires written words I'm your guy you know someone especially if you are currently with my three books how to sell on Amazon. We'll get that in their hands. For a good Time call. Lancaster the written word length and call Graham Coker and thank you so much for being here today. Lincoln is a best selling author, international speaker, Speaker Now, I've spoken in two countries. So that makes me an international speaker. I'm calling for exaggeration, but I have spoken to two countries so I have been with him. He's the real deal. 35 plus countries he stood up and hurt people and said stuff and he's the author of the book with passion today he's going to be talking to us about selling with passion Lake and how are you sir?

Lincoln Kokaram
Awesome. Awesome. You're doing great you get frozen.

Terry Lancaster
know who he is you you're on board. Maybe you're on Dow.

Lincoln Kokoram
Thank you so much. For this opportunity. I have a heart for salespeople. Coached and trade says. So it's great to be moms is evil. So I'm going to try to keep this short and sweet

to many people in sales today. I wish I wish they have a maybe in in high schools and in universities and they would promote says other correct

most of us would do instead we didn't get up and do it. I want to be a salesperson. Somebody said hey you want to make a person see another has to do so. That's how I learned to sail. In a Dale Carnegie class on human relations and effective speaking

and the natural, the teacher of the class he wasn't a manager of a life insurance company intruded into my house. I was a school teacher at the time selling education. I was a school teacher and

our academy records and ever getting so frustrated with the bureaucracy in the education system and a traditional way. We wanted to do things already. And he came in right. A long story short within one year I was teaching nurses guide on how to sell life insurance

everybody could see that what they do is an array is not a gob keep the one over front we have doing say we make a different person every day. Two or three person that we can interact with.

Only profession profession is a direct link between your performance and your bank account. I'm gonna repeat that says is the only profession and there is a direct link between your performance and your bank account. There are many people right now that are trapped in a job and they read in the newspaper or on Facebook or LinkedIn and just going through the motions looking at the traffic to see when it's five o'clock in sales it gives us opportunity to refer us trust and I look at Patricia said she likes to sharpen the sword

think about a fire if you leave a fire unattended what happens next we don't invest in our setup to keep growing and growing is that any living organism that stops growing begins to die. And that's when I love what I do to be able to continue to grow. Learning is not an event. It's a process. And instead we get to learn every single day.

Every individual we talk with a different person. Have you ever met two identical people in all respects? In your in your life as a salesperson or even a human being? No. It is always worth it. Anyone can be one Jim one John one partnership one rather one take up one Lincoln will only make one of each of us and that makes you so unique, so special. And guess what we get to help people make money and that's what's going to help them to make the right buying decision at the right time. Since this relationship is true relationship. I equate social and emotional intelligence in relationship management and if there are no great relationships if it's not well managed if you're married. I'm talking about religion relationship it will die. It takes management. Similarly in sales, it's a relationship and the first component of relationship management is communication. Guess what the most used communication skill is listening. I've seen so many salespeople talk themselves out of the sale. Here's my 10 Second effectiveness. Look over the road designers to s one month. It is twice as much as professional wedding. Well. If people ask questions diagnosed before they prescribe, if diagnosed before the first component in sales relationship is communication. Now that is communicating with your client or prospect and I think many people who you met they want to come something on you and especially in the past two years and I want to know that because I have a different approach is not dumping information. It's not slamming people into what they don't want but because you have something that you want to push off on people before you prescribe, I guess this was a tough four years and so I quit to do sales training at car dealerships. I remember once I was in Seattle, Washington, I asked these classes. What is society thinking about you? Is we just act or do you think we are liars? They think we are scum. They think we are cheaters. They think we over promise and under deliver. They are telling me they're

going to live up to their expectations. Why would it change that? One customer that's what I'm here for? To help you professional sales person. This people we need to have more integrity because people buy from people who they become trustworthy, unlikable. And you know we customer follow-up and follow through is people asking about making memorable communication and one person will give customer follow-up on a prospect. Excellent answers on today. There is no limit. My own mantra was okay, let me stop calling me. Again, I was still calling you today. I won't say but do you see the US Open? Yes, they will. One thing just keeping in touch with this device keeping I like to access which is your favorite plant? I think give me a name. Okay, tell me what do you do about his time when he the owner of this business and he got 500 employees. Okay, man, is he married? Yes.

What to think about this, when you're a prospect or client and you say Hey Jim, this LinkedIn or with your wife today? Oh, hey, Jen, this Lincoln, Patricia doing today. Okay. And already Julie's been in this for that relationship. And it's a relationship and we all know we always been around all of us that referrals and is the best form of marketing. Before they know what to read for you if they don't like you will be didn't trust you or if they forget about you keep in touch even another thing after this. I mean of course. Thank you. And then 30 days later, I'll be going over that new car you bought you know whatever. Oh, is that diamond really mostly a girlfriend? This is still enjoy this furniture is put up for you? No uncertain or do you only use 100%? Not only do I. Not Alone

Lincoln Kokoram
Are you still enjoying it? Is that put up for you? Oh good rolling on from a read only miss 100% And we all know I would love to training a sales rep wants

to walk fast you said no they don't take credit but people are happy to see your interest create curiosity on a call do you have to make so many people you have to talk to before they say yes

because, again I remember when I was setting in Miami I had to make the calls at least before I get to talk to me and I had to talk to five people before I made a sale. So in the morning I took 50 pages one pocket and I said I'm not going to church with God for 15

is about determination it's about making you because I found out Holy Spirit will guide you and you're going to listen. I can't tell you how many times I'm trespassed is daily. Again this voice in my head

maybe you I'm glad you came when first they gave you I'm glad you came. So another area in sales that really blend is the people behind this customer service representative the people who are maintaining the customer that we bring into the company

well our customers through the portal blog in Northern Ireland once and for all people here do you love it all got taken care of what is an investment it's an investment are a part of the cycle. And I don't think we spend enough time in the selling world. Let them know your customer service. UI important. You are important to this is relatively easy to make a sale with the keep it to maintain it because it's so competitive out there that customers are getting so many calls. You know so many emails and rule attempts. need to keep in touch and we need to maintain maintenance of the relationship is so important. Yes maintenance. Again we make the purchases. So sharpening the saw that's maintenance. Customer service is maintaining the relationship and making sure that customer is happy. means happy. Even when even when they quit for some reason or the other I still kept I still get the best one of the sweetest thing it's is the customer who left it comes back in that

customer will get so setting with selling we've heard a lot of people talk about Clemson I myself have

my boy give me Mohawk and it's amazing how the energy level goes up. I remember one particular game we were down one zero halftime and I knew my boys were better than the other team halftime I know. I said Okay give me if

you guys have 10 times better than that. In this game. You want to get a free one.

You never heard one all right. Define what is it just a feeling is much less give it to be nice again. I will explain how

fashion of great are many says people take pride in what they do. And I'm not talking about I'm talking about taking pride I did my best. I give it my all theory is attitude. And we all know your attitude towards life becomes attitude towards you. If you get up in the morning and oh my god, it's snowing it rained so hard you're gonna be disappointed. It wouldn't be a crappy day. But if you get up in the morning and said today is a great day. Today the days of opportunity. And when somebody makes a good buying decision today you're not going to be disappointed. The first SS special people who have a passion for what they do they go out of their way to make other people feel special. But friends go only way you can make somebody feel special or special

to special and you have to have a certain shape. And the guys we don't get away they drink a certain brand.

awareness isn't alone or drivers have to be specialists and guess what? People are spending a lot of money and it's only two reasons why you should use a special reason number one, a lot on mighty created you and your teammates. Number two Why are diamonds so much more expensive? Than a rock outside? Because you tell me you didn't. You Robert. You, you, you Jacob

Do you believe it? Can you see? Now we'll make especially the second as a service, especially in sales. We don't sell we slow service to humanity is the best book of life we serve people we serve. The eye is initiative nor enough to be told what to do. Something that needs to be done doesn't have to be our job is something that needs to be done. I couldn't tell you how many this one really pushed me off when people dump their garbage on the ground in the parking lot I think no. initiative and they do it with integrity. That's the half step. Integrity. I learned a simple definition of integrity for Medina and I'm playing in his book. You already know how to be great. Repeat after me everybody unmute yourself. When you just take up you leave us repeat after me say do co

Unknown Speaker
sale do

Lincoln Kokoram
one more time. Say they want you to do what you said you're going to do and communicate when you say what you'd like to do. Do what you said you're going to do and communicate when you can't because you all have good intentions unless you're a criminal. And sometimes things happen. You know, you punish that you miss somebody at the mall or in a movie chamber something happened if you want to get sick or if you don't get the fever hanging you got integrity the ownership ownership. This is our this is not President Biden and Congressman lesson and visit our world. I want you to do something and I wanted to show you something. Everyone wants something from ownership, my word my job, my responsibility, my family, my community, my job and the end is never give up, too. Many people give up at the first and you run into and they give up here the river. He comes down from the mountain and it runs into a big hole. What are the do you find a way to go over

so that's passion I got the positive attitude to know that you're special will make other people feel special. See what everything that you do as a service. Man, take initiative between integrity take ownership and never give up. And I for this I'm an optimist, but I'm a realistic optimist. And the optimist creed I like to read it for you. I would like this. 

The Optimist Creed

Promise Yourself

To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.

To talk health, happiness and prosperity to every person you meet.

To make all your friends feel that there is something in them.

To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.

To think only of the best, to work only for the best, and to expect only the best.

To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own.

To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.

To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give every living creature you meet a smile.

To give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others.

To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.

If you want a copy, send it to you. You're gonna email me and say hey Lincoln, send me a copy of that imagery. It'd be my pleasure. My final word for you. You You can read YouTube. You don't use you in the movie of your life. Make every day an Oscar winning performance. It's the performance life is a stage. Nobody can play you better than us. Thank you very much.

Terry Lancaster
Thank you brother. Thank you. That was fantastic. My my favorite definition of sales and you kind of hit on this my favorite definition of sales is the transfer of enthusiasm from one mind to another. And brother you got the enthusiasm and the passion. All men so let me ask you this. I got one question that we have a q&a with everyone else. But my question is sometimes as salespeople me especially I've got a juicy asthma apparently passionate I speak I speak loudly and actively. Sometimes you meet someone who doesn't have that kind of enthusiasm and when you if I turn it on full blast, and I'm in some I won't get it 95 But there's somebody who's resting heart rate is a 15 it's a little much how do you how do you transfer the enthusiasm when when they don't have anything to start with but still there.

Lincoln Kokoram
When you walk into a room you're going to be able to read you're going to 70% of communication is nonverbal. The moment you make eye contact with that person, you know, have a sense. And maybe now is not the time. You don't know what's going on in the back of your head. You don't know what happened to them. Okay, we only left one time with you for you got to connect with the person and overwhelm them because to attend to the person sometimes can be overwhelming and can be a turnoff. So I will say something like hey Terry are you doing today?

And Shut up? Don't answer your own question. Hey, Terry, how you doing today and listen to the phone because we're going to try to fake it and we're going to try Oh, everything is good. Terry. Welcome. You're smiling.

And I guess Yeah. So first, you got to connect and you got to make time of what's going on. And you give them again, a customer follow-up when you get permission. Yeah, a higher probability that that person will just say, yeah, so you get permission. It looks like a lot of stuff going on right now. It's just no good time, because they feel obligated that they made the appointment we want to just hit the f4 event, instead of giving the value of what your prospect said to me You only got 10 minutes. You betcha.

I appreciate that. And I appreciate the busy person. And what I have to share with you is so valuable, and I don't want to do you a disservice. I rushing into what I have to share and we risk anything when you have more times got 10 minutes most and they extend. Yeah. The thing about one of the components of social emotional intelligence is personal power. Wisdom has nothing to do with physical strength. It has to do with self confidence, self confidence, and willing to step up and speak up for what you know is the right thing to do. And the right thing to do in a situation like that theory is to walk away rescale you because you're only setting yourself up for failure. The other thing I've worked on that I've read when I drove 50 miles for this appointment and this guy with me when we when I get there his secretary gave me can't see you today you did already. You're gonna upset because getting upset does not fix it. When you send your 100 off and your blood pressure up and make you say we didn't take the opportunity to connect with other people. Make friends, individuals introduced that same secretary, she could be the greatest influence on her boss in exchange give her your business. She knows what's going on in the moment in make use of what you have known love is gone. Make the most of what you have when that meeting and your name comes up. What you want them to say about you are such a nice guy. You know he stopped and talked to me at night does the janitor if you use past time to janitors are you today? Why do you keep this place clean? Don't limit your praise and recognition from anyone said me. recognition and appreciation should be so much something while it's still happening. I hope I answered your question to do

Terry Lancaster
the syntactic Patricia, you said you had a LinkedIn post today. Discovering some of that what were you talk to him about it and what can we get for you? Well, I

Unknown Speaker
was I like to put in post at the music business each month. As part of my marketing efforts and so forth. Yesterday was Father's Day. And I learned a lot from my father. And one of the phrases that we learned in our household was the the change that came from Mahatma Gandhi. Don't just whine about what's wrong. Find the skill that you have to make a difference whether it's like picking up the trash off the ground. There are stairs, something each of us can do to make life better for the person we're talking to me later on today. So it was great to have that underscore a man of his stature

Lincoln Kokoram
for years upon years growing up you had this acronym for mother and was for a million things you owe me is only going on. Remember that Friday morning and ideation gave me effigy of faith. You're fake. You ain't gonna be a good father is you've got to be authentic. T is for trustworthiness, your children, family they got to be able to trust with you. It is we are heart was born out of love for your children and everybody is exempted to set a good example for your children and to be righteous and more like people. I just want to make sure that we get

Terry Lancaster
that you want to get any on any other questions to the Lincoln comments about a presentation today.

Unknown Speaker
Thank you join us fine thank you for finding him Jerry.

Lincoln Kokoram
I'd be bad. I guess to give you a I'm doing this workshop online two hour session on July 14. Session One from 1130 to 130. Eastern time to kind of like a lunch and learn during the evening from seven to nine. It's on my website events. You can find it and appreciate it you can share it

Terry Lancaster
or you will share that in our group. So your website and his business partners not know

Lincoln Kokoram
I am deeming the opportunity but not all of it. But what's the knee it's amazing. crip something and it is the best presentation.

Terry Lancaster
Thank you. So so so visit his website, his business partners.com The webinar is July 14. His book with passion is available on Amazon you can buy that there and so you get the whole the whole all of the the passion stories.

Lincoln Kokoram
You have if you want a signed copy, you will buy the book directly for me with a signed copy they get the book and they give a sign because a lot of books, you know we go back to our old ways and we forget about it. So that sign is a constant reminder. What is in your face all the time every day.

Terry Lancaster
Thank you, God tell us what is going on in the NASA world over the next couple of weeks.

Unknown Speaker
Well of course next Monday, Gary, little Roy, who many of us know if you don't know. I'd be surprised he's been out with so many

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