First, you had better just get over the notion that
effective salesmanship is the ability to deliver a good
pitch. That's old-school thinking and a great way to
experience the heartache of missed targets and declining
revenues.
Of course you must have something to meaningful to say. But
to assume that a canned sales spiel is going to work on
every sales prospect is a severely misguided notion.
Consider this concept instead: effective selling is always
a dialogue, a conversation. It is an exchange of
information. If you're not receiving twice as much
information from your prospect as you're delivering, you
aren't even coming close to maximizing your sales
effectiveness.
It is your job to create and nurture a relationship with
your prospect. And the more meaningful that relationship,
the greater the rewards for both of you.
Solution selling. Promoting benefits, not features. However
you say it, the bottom line is this: the needs and desires
of your prospect dictate how you will sell, if you're
actually going to do any selling at all. And in order to
craft the right message for THIS client, you will have to
get to know them pretty well, at least as it relates to the
sale.
Why is this level of personal understanding so critical
today? Why do you have to really "know" someone in order to
sell to them? Simply because the world and everything in it
is at our prospective customers' fingertips, 24/7. There is
nothing your customers don't have access to. Information
about your company, your product or service, about you and
your background, who likes you and who doesn't. And most
important of all, everything about your competitor.
The wolf is waiting right outside the door, ready to pounce
with a better offer. And your customer knows it. Either you
are going to connect with them, or your competition will.
So just what do you need to learn about your prospects, and
how do you use that knowledge to make yourself more
effective?
1. Find out who your prospects are and what matters to
them. The more you know about a sales prospect before you
meet, the greater your odds of success. It just stands to
reason. People like doing business with people they are
familiar with and who understand them. But it goes far
beyond a comfort level. By discovering how your prospect
thinks, what they like and don't like, what they are trying
to achieve and what they're afraid of, you can position
your product or service as the ideal solution for THEM. For
starters, you should at least know your prospect's age,
professional background and education level. But dig
deeper. Where were they born? Where did they go to school?
Married, or single? Kids? How many? What are their hobbies?
Golf or tennis? What specifically are their work
responsibilities? What are they trying to accomplish, and
what are the greatest challenges facing them in their jobs?
How can you find all of this out? ASK—ask them, their
colleagues, their assistants. Ask your co-workers or others
you know in your industry? Ask Google! The internet can
reveal amazing information with just a few clicks.
Remember, when it comes to sales success, knowledge is
power.
2. Learn their language. If your sales prospect spoke only
Japanese, and you could only barely manage English, the
conversation probably wouldn't get very far, no matter how
strong your pitch. But the "language barrier" doesn't have
to be so extreme or obvious to be a deal killer. I've seen
sales people who showed up for a meeting in traditional
business attire instantly disregarded by ultra-casual
customers, and vice-versa. Know the style and attitude, the
language, your prospects are comfortable with, and then
adopt it to the best of your ability. Are they formal or
friendly? Will they be offended if you call them by their
first name, or completely put-off if you address them as
Mr. or Ms.? Do they enjoy a good joke, or are they all
business? Are they young, either literally, or at heart? Or
are they seasoned pros who value maturity and experience?
One of the best sales pros I know always says that people
need at least a dozen reasons to hire you and only one to
pass. Don't let "style mismatch" be that one.
3. Show them how you will make they're life better. Once
you know who your prospects are, what really matters to
them and how to speak their language, all that's left is
connecting the dots. Search for ways to reconcile their
needs with what you have to offer, and present it in a way
that is meaningful to them. This is the essence of solution
selling, and it is key to sales success in the current
business environment. Think of your sales negotiations a
maze—you're at one end, your prospect is at the
other. Your job is to find the way through, uncover the
connection, and unite your desire to sell with their desire
for a solution.
No more than 20% of selling is "telling." The rest is
"gelling," forging strong, personal, mutually-beneficial
connections through excellent detective work. Ask
questions, watch for clues, use your gut and you'll be able
to deliver precisely what your prospects really need.
----------------------------------------------------
Keith Harmeyer is EVP of Marketing and Creative Services at
C2 Creative in New York City. He is a marketing,
communication and presentation skills expert, author,
speaker and creator of The SuperSkill (sm), a proven method
for using traditional marketing techniques to achieve
personal and professional success. You can email Keith at
kaharmeyer@gmail.com, or visit his website at
http://www.thesuperskill.com .
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