The Kitchen Table

Separate Yourself From The Competition

Years ago, people conducted most of their household business at the kitchen table— not anymore. In today’s day and age, with the advent of cellular phones, wireless internet, and laptop computers, people are doing business wherever they feel comfortable. And yet, in many present day sales training programs, the salesperson is still trained to “move to the kitchen table” after the warm up.

Perhaps nothing screams more loudly to a customer that I AM HERE TO SELL SOMETHING TO YOU than to suggest that everyone ought to move to the kitchen table right after the warm up. You see, consumers are not stupid. Salespeople have been inviting them to their kitchen table for decades. They know why you’re doing it and you ought to stop it!

How about this: Instead of suggesting the kitchen table as the place to sit (or accepting their pre-conditioned “they see you as a salesperson” offer to use the kitchen table), why not separate yourself from the competition out there and genuinely ask them where they would actually be more comfortable? Why not suggest their front porch or back deck on a nice day or let him sit in his favorite chair if that’s where he’s most comfortable?

It you are really serious about “relationship building/selling”, you need to allow your customers to select the place in which they will feel the most relaxed while you are making your presentation. It will work to your great advantage. Your customer will know right from the very beginning how important they are to you and realize that there is no need to be guarded. The key is to keep your customer in control of the process throughout, and they will reward you handsomely for the consideration.

Granted, at some point in time, it may be appropriate to move to a table to complete the paperwork. That’s entirely okay. The distinction is that the decision will have already been made. By the way, most of us can handle doodling numbers and jotting down cost breakdowns without the specific requirement of a kitchen table.

Think about it for a moment longer. Do you really want your image to be stereotypically lumped in with all the poorly trained salespeople out there that can’t wait to get to the kitchen table and work over their customers? Or, would you prefer to be viewed differently— demonstrating that you don’t need a kitchen table to be a professional?