The first thing that reps in all industries are taught is how to deal with clients/potential clients, what to ask and ,ultimately, how to get what they want. Unfortunately, no guidelines have ever been provided for business owners to help them get the most from their interactions with reps and,ultimately get what they want. The following 7 steps have been written with this in mind and are designed to save the business owner from wasted time, unwanted interruptions and to help them find those who they would most like to do business with.

One of the biggest misconceptions in any industry is that all reps are after one thing and one thing only, THE SALE and therefore the commission. This is rather like the father who tells his daughter that all boys are only after one thing. While this is taught to keep the daughter out of trouble and to a certain extent it will be true of some boys, it also generates a fear which promotes the rejection of any male attention. Surely if it were really true none of us would ever marry!

And so it is between business owners and reps. The business owner believing that reps only have one interest in mind,THE SALE, and therefore rejecting all reps (often even those of companies they DO do business with) before they have barely said a word.

While most business owners do this believing that it will prevent them from being talked/closed into buying something that they do not really want/need (most have experienced this poor practice in the past) this can actually be bad for their business. What if the rep has the solution to a problem the owner has had for years? What if they could increase business revenue by 25% or more per year? What if their goal was a long term relationship that would be of mutual benefit to both?

Very slowly but surely a new breed of rep is emerging. One that is being taught (or most often self taught) that the old methods don't work any more,that cold calling is dead, selling is dead and that the ABC (always be closing) needs to be replaced with NBC (NEVER be closing). Below are 7 steps that any business owner can take to establish the perfect owner-rep relationship and separate the good (new) guys from the bad (old) boys.

STEP 1- BE POLITE: Reps face more rejection in a single day than most people do in a lifetime. You may have seen 10 reps already this month or even this week but this could be the first time the rep has seen you. You may be the first person to give the rep a smile and a kind word all day and this will generate more respect than any sale. Those who expect politeness, honesty and integrity must first practice what they preach.

STEP 2-SET AN APPOINTMENT: Most business owners will be too busy to see a rep when they visit so the rep is either sent away immediately or is left waiting for 10/20/30 minutes before being told the owner is too busy to see them. By setting an appointment the owner can establish within the first 10 minutes if the rep has anything of value to offer and if they are someone they would consider doing business with. If not, the owner can thank them for their time and politely decline any further visits. This should help prevent any further unwanted interruptions.

STEP 3-SET BOUNDARIES: If you would rather not see the rep again, politely tell them. If you are happy to see them but only if you have the time, tell them. If you are happy to see them but they have to make an appointment, tell them. If you are only interested in specific products or services, tell them. Reps are under pressure to see a certain amount of businesses per day which is why they often visit at random. By telling them if and when they are welcome you will be doing yourselves both a favour. You will know if and when a rep will call and the rep will know if and when they can call on you.

STEP 4-ASK QUESTIONS: The thing most reps dread above anything else is THE BIG SILENCE. We've all had moments when our brain freezes and we can't think what to say. When this happens in a sales call, many reps will face a dilemma, to say nothing and hope the business owner fills the silence or to keep talking and hope the conversation picks up. Unfortunately, most choose the latter which not only makes them appear insecure but also leaves the owner sat thinking "PLEASE SHUT UP!". Simple questions from "what do you have to show me?" to "how does this benefit my business?" will not only prevent this from happening but may also reveal something of interest to the owner making the interaction more pleasurable and productive.

STEP 5-GIVE ADVICE: Most reps will have been trained by someone who has been in the business for years. This means they've probably been taught the old methods by one of the old boys. The numbers game, the Always Be Closing, the enthusiastic salesman etc. Closes, scripts and the like are transparent to business owners and not only do nothing to help build a relationship but to many are actually an insult. The owner thinks "Do you seriously think I don't know what you're doing? How dumb do you think I am?", let's see how quickly we can put the owners back up and get thrown out shall we!? To change this sort of behaviour takes a two pronged attack. The new breed of trainers and managers are slowly doing their part but business owners can also play a major part in this slow process by giving advice. Advice straight from the horses mouth is worth more than any training programme or role-play session and again builds trust, friendship and respect between both parties involved.

STEP 6-KEEP AN OPEN MIND: It's very easy for business owners to become complacent,blinkered or just plain bias about the products or services they currently use and not even contemplate the thought that someone else could have a better solution. But don't forget, James Dyson, J K Rowling and many others throughout history where turned down many,many times before they got the break they needed. You can guarantee those who turned them down will never forget THAT lesson. Even if it's not a better option, isn't it better to KNOW it than ASSUME it. You know what they say about ASSUME.

STEP 7-BE GRATEFUL: You may think that never being visited by reps is a dream come true. No more interruptions, you can get on with your job without being pestered. Fantastic! But what if the reason they don't visit you is because they consider you rude,tactless or ignorant? Is it possible your clients/potential clients also think that? What if they don't consider your business worthy of their business? Could your clients/potential clients also think that? What if they see the way the market is going and predict that you'll be out of business soon? If they're in the business, surely they've seen it all before? Could they see something that you can't? If businesses want to do business with you it's a sign you must be doing something right. Be grateful for the attention because, if they stop calling, that could be a sign somethings changed.

These 7 steps have been designed to aid owner-rep relationships and help further advance the new age of business relations. There will always be "old style" reps using the old methods and seasoned business owners who will never change but slowly and surely things are changing and we can all do our part to help that happen. If you've read these 7 steps and only take 1 on-board you're still helping it happen, one step at a time.