WorldWide Drilling Resource

29 SEPTEMBER 2015 Why Can’t Everyone Speak English Like I Do? by Steve Strong, Product Manager, Laval Underground Surveys A few years ago, I was in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, at the Well Drillers’ JUBILEE. I was working in my booth, showing contractors water well cam- eras. An old man in bib overalls came into my booth and said, “That’s a nice camera. Ever take a picture of a whale with it?” I said, “No sir, it’s a freshwa- ter camera.” He looked at me like I was insane and said, “ You mean to tell me you ain’t never taken a picture of a whale with that thing?” I said, “No sir, I’m not sure how you could even do that with this camera. It has limited lighting and field of view.” The old man was incredulous, and said, “Do you have any literature?” I showed him some, and he opened it and immediately said, “There’s a picture of a whale right there!” The realization hit me like a hammer... “Oh, you mean a well!” In business, whether you drill holes in rock, or make water well cameras, it’s important to be on the same page with your cus- tomer. You can build credibility and reduce the buyer’s tension by finding commonalities. For instance, does the customer have chil- dren standing by them? Well... you have kids or grandkids too. Maybe you can say something nice about their little ones. Maybe it’s their vehicle, or their bumper sticker, or the fact that they’ve lost weight since the last time you’ve seen them. Maybe you root for the same football team they have on their hat. A good business practice is to find a common interest, and briefly recognize that, to set a friendly tone for your busi- ness conversation. Even if you’re a drilling contractor, or pump installer, all of us end up being salesmen. We’re selling our services, and we’re doing it versus competition. Take a minute at the beginning of your next conversation with your new, potential customer to establish common ground. But most importantly, don’t act like you’ve never heard a Southern accent when you’re standing in your trade show booth in South Carolina! Editorial Note: This article was reprinted with permission. It originally appeared in the California Groundwater Association’s Spring 2015 edition of Groundwater Reflections. “Ever take a picture of a whale with that camera?” WorldWide Drilling Resource ® DEADLINES: Space Reservation - SEPTEMBER 25 TH Display & Classified Ad Copy - OCTOBER 1 ST Reserve your place in WWDR ’s November issue! Call (850) 547-0102