Some people believe “relationship selling” is no longer valid today. They believe it has been replaced with “solution selling”.
Professional sales reps know better. However, they do know the difference between the “old school” relationship and the new professional method.

Professionals know that people still buy from people they like. They understand that today’s buyer is looking for solutions, which they provide.
Whereas the old school sales rep provided a relationship to obtain a sale, today’s professional delivers a solution with the added benefit of a relationship.

The professional business sales rep may call on a customer 50 times per year or more. This customer needs solutions, but wants to deal with someone they “like”.

There are many ways to build a relationship. The professional rep knows which way is best for each prospect.

Although business has changed over the years, the old school buyer does still exist. Some of them are known as “takers”. The professional maintains integrity while attempting to gain a customer without bending on their values. The professional is 100% ethical and will lose a customer before doing anything unethical.

Building relationships is critical to sales success. Although this skill is not difficult to learn, there are methods and variations of the process to keep in mind while selling.