Salespeople have a bad reputation. But...it's kind of their fault.
Nothing frustrates me more than a poorly executed sales call. Especially when I'm the buyer. I recently had a call in which I was the potential buyer. During this call, I was put on hold three times. Talked down to ("can I speak with someone who actually knows about...") and all of the information I gave the initial sale's rep seemed to vanish by the time I talked to their manager.
This isn't a rare occurrence either. I've been in sales and even I get put off by sales people. Why is this? Better yet, what can we do to avoid perpetuating this outdated view of sales?
Listen Differently
Did you know that our primary job as a sales person is to listen? Not talk? It's true. And often times this is where we go wrong. Even if we listen, many of us listen with the intent of responding; we need to listen with the intent of understanding. It's a subtle shift, but it allows you to focus on what is actually being expressed.
It's Like Dating
I'm always amazed at the number of cold calls I get where the sales rep goes for the 'close' on that first call. I'm not the first person to try and dissuade sales people from the one-call-close, but since it is still happening, it still needs to be talked about. Selling is very similar to dating. If you spend the entire date talking about yourself? Good luck getting date number two. If, however, you ask questions...open-ended questions, authentic questions? Great start.
Next, would you 'pop the question' after that first date? Not if you wanted a second date. A relationship takes time to develop. So does a sale. Especially one that benefits you both.
Stop Asking This Question
If there's one piece of advice you take from this, it's this: stop asking "what keeps you up at night?" I get it. In all the sales training you've had, this question has come up. The idea of it is correct (getting to understand your customer's pain points) but the execution is tacky. Worse? What the customer thinks their biggest problem is, may not really be the biggest problem!
Here's an example (from this HBR article). At Grainger, reps start a conversation showing potential customers how much money they are likely wasting every year on unplanned purchases, which Grainger’s research shows can be up to 40% of the average company’s MRO spending.
No supplier wants to be in the business of free consulting — and Grainger is no different. The key is to teach in a way that leads customers to your unique benefits as opposed to leading with them.
Selling isn't easy. There's a lot of competition. There's a lot of noise and distractions to break through. Budget constraints are always an issue. But don't make your job harder. Start with understanding the problems your prospects have first. Really listen to them. Take your time. Presenting the solution is the easy part.
Comments