Selling to the 1%

One of the things that makes my career so unique is the eccentric clientele I work with. Many of them are among the top 1%. They're rock stars, CEOs, professional athletes, entrepreneurs, but most importantly they come from all walks of life. Here are some sales tips that I've learned from my experiences working with these wonderful people…..

When I first started selling the Lamborghini brand, I figured I would be lucky to make a sale once in a blue moon. I had no idea of how big the brand and the demand for the product would become. When I first started, the phone never rang and nobody walked in the door. Lamborghini Uptown Toronto was new and I had to create awareness of not only our dealership but also the brand. As an immigrant to Canada, I didn’t know anyone, so I was forced to go out and build my clientele one by one. As I began to learn the product and develop myself as an entrepreneur and master super luxe sales woman, I started to brand myself as the 'go-to girl' for Lamborghini. I would go out at night and network, post on social media, and slowly I began getting regular clients who were changing their car annually, some even after a few months. Fortunately, they kept coming back, my branding was working. They would also refer other clients and my business began to snowball.

They're the 1%, and they come from all different walks of life. It's really exciting to meet with them and to help them design their car, but I also get to hear about their experiences, life stories, and most importantly learn valuable business skills from them. I feel very blessed to have built these meaningful relationships with my clients. I am truly grateful for their patronage and I work hard to always make them feel special and most importantly to provide a great after-sale service. The service you provide and trust that you build will help you stand apart from the other sales people in the business. I try to go above and beyond when they need something. If the car needs work, I'll arrange for a truck to go pick it up so that they don’t have to bring it in. If their stranded, they know I will call a tow truck or make sure they have a ride. Whatever the case, I’m make sure they are taken care of. They love that type of service, because they don't have to lift a finger, and I don’t blame them. It's how I would want to be treated if I were spending that kind of money.

I've learned a lot working with my clientele. At the end of the day, they're just like anyone else. They're people, and they want to be treated with respect. Respect is huge in any industry, without it there’s no real foundation. To work well with this group, you have to be able to provide exceptional service, be ready to handle any situation and always do it with respect. You have to be to be willing to go the extra mile for them. I don't mind doing that because I enjoy what I do. I feel lucky to be able to learn from them and I consider them my friends.

Of course, as with any business, there are times when things get difficult. Those trying times often make me question if I can handle the work load, but ultimately I become stronger once it’s resolved and so does the relationship you have with your clients.

I've realized some interesting common threads when dealing with the 1%. Many of them started with nothing. They all have different stories and they were all willing to take risks to be successful. One of my best clients told me about how he had a certain amount of money available when he was just starting out. He risked it all on the stock market and it paid off for him. I have a few other clients who told me about building their businesses from nothing in their parent's basements. Some of the entrepreneurs that I work with talk about how often they failed before they found success. I have other clients who started their businesses out of desperation because they couldn't find work anywhere else. As that old saying goes, "Leap and the net will appear". There's certainly something to be said about that and my client’s are true inspirations!

Ultimately, working with this group is a lot of fun. I've learned that to be successful, you have to be flexible. I’ve learned to go with the flow and this seems to be the best approach as each day is different. This job is definitely something that I never thought I would be doing, but now that I am, my clients inspire me to be a more successful and a better entrepreneur! I’m lucky to work with the 1%, and at the end of day….whether you consider yourself the 1% or the 99%….it takes all types to make this world go around….otherwise it would be a pretty boring world!