Every once in a while, I come across an article that makes my day. That’s exactly what happened when I read The Rules by Mark Gibson which I’ve included below. They explicitly state how prospects should interact with salespeople. After all, we’re a hard-working bunch and deserve to be treated better than we are!

Personally, I think we should hand these rules out to all our prospects. What do you think?

______________________

THE RULES FOR YOUR PROSPECTS

1. When a salesperson calls you on the phone, you will stop what you are doing, pick up the phone and smile when you say, “Hello, this is (Your Name), how are you?”

2. You will be amused with the variety blurting-out, fumbling, 90 second introductions without breathing, awkward silences and obvious lack of preparation, professionalism and nervousness of the salesperson. After they have finished their intro, you will ask, “How can I help you?”

3. You will refrain from hanging up, giving excuses about being in a meeting, or chastising your administrator who let this call slip through.

4. If the salesperson is planning a trip to your location in the near future, you will consider it a stroke of luck and make space on your calendar to accommodate an in-person call.

5. You will hear the salesperson out and never ask them to send more information in an email or to call back at a more convenient time for them, because what they have to say could save you and your company serious money.... even get you promoted!

6. You will answer all questions the salesperson asks to the best of your ability, regardless of their nature, how many they ask or the irrelevance to your role and business.

7. You will disclose any pain or discomfort in your physical condition, even a minor back-ache, because salespeople ar looking for pain and may have something in their bag that can help.

8. You will inquire about the features of their products and be curious about who else is using them and the benefits they are getting and welcome any opportunity to see the product in action in a live demo.

9. You will smile knowingly as the sales rep plugs in the Lap-top, fumbles with the LCD technology, or these days, more coolly passes you the iPad and brings up the PowerPoint presentation or video clip. Most importantly, during the presentation you will refrain from playing with your smart-phone and stay focused on the bullets and message, because there is infinite wisdom, somewhere in the presentation.

10. You will wait until the salesperson has emptied your bucket of potential objections and enjoy the festival of the salesperson digging holes for themselves while trying to counter them.

11. You will never promise to get back to the salesperson unless you truly mean it.

12. You will nod and promise not to smirk when the salesperson asks any question beginning with “if we could show you a way....”

13. You will be grateful when the salesperson interrupts you before you have finished your sentence (while you are discussing the issues that are important to you) and then tells you what you need to do (use their product), because the sooner you find out, the better.

14.You promise to engage any salesperson with an earnest and professorial look on their face; possibly wearing a chalk dusted sports coat with leather elbow pads, carrying a pipe, wearing a sword on their hip or carrying a lance, or even wearing a measuring tape and carrying and scissors. They are going to challenge your assumptions and to teach you about the hidden jewels in your business that only they can help you discover.

15. This is the biggie - never lie to a salesperson- they can tell!