How to Deal With Salespeople

5 Tips to Protect Your Time

by Steve Kaye

If you are an executive, there may be times that you feel like a open jelly sandwich at a picnic. Every crazy critter in the world wants to land on you and bite into your budget. Here's how to protect your time and preserve your sanity.

Ask questions. Cut through the enticement by determining the purpose of the call. Ask for the facts that you need to decide if the product or service is of value to you.

Just say "No." If you have no interest in the offer, tell the salesperson, "No." If you have no authority to buy, refer to a decision maker. Savvy salespeople appreciate candor.

Decline literature. Attempting to rid yourself of a salesperson by asking for information, causes two things to happen that waste your time: 1) the salesperson will call back ("Hi, did you get what I sent?"), 2) junk mail will fill your box. Save the caller's time, too, by asking for only things that you can use.

Use a gate. This could be an answer machine or an assistant. Then return phone calls. It shows courtesy, lets the caller proceed, and avoids wasting everyone's time with repeat messages. Instruct your assistant on how to reject offers, take messages, relay your replies, and return calls.

Be open to possibilities. Realize that the caller is another human being who is doing what you hope your salespeople are doing -- selling solutions. As a customer, you gain when you consider ideas that improve your business and make your job easier.

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