Building a strong foundation

Everything you do with a prospect, from the beginning of the sales cycle to the end, builds your case for a powerful referral.  To make sure you end up with a delighted customer, you need to listen carefully, ask good questions, uncover a customer's key needs, present a solution—and then follow up on every detail. In the initial stages of the sale, ask your prospect: "Do you know what our goal is?"  Usually the customer will say something along the lines of, "Yes, to sell me something." Your reply should be: "It's to eventually use you as a strong reference."Let them know that your business is built on the success and satisfaction of your customer base and that you're in it for the long run.