Five Fundamental
Selling Truths
by Stew Bolno, MBA, EdM
Just about every sales
training program ever created talks about the importance of gaining
customer trust by adopting a consultative manner in conversations with
the prospect. This may be true. However, most training programs fail to
provide the sales representative with a solid foundation for
demonstrating this approach. Too often, the seminars are about gimmicks
and techniques. Below we have listed five essential statements that,
when demonstrated by the sales rep, will do more to engage the customer
than any new selling angle or tactic.
If you accept and demonstrate the timeless truths below, you will have a
strong foundation from which to propel yourself as you engage in the
non-predictable world of selling. Being grounded in “truth” will show
through in conversations with all of your customers. They will feel your
confidence and strength as they respond in ways that will provide you
with more opportunities to help them to become more successful. And, by
helping them achieve their success, they will contribute to yours.
1) The effective sales professional makes a difference.
Only by taking personal responsibility can we create the type of success
that winners seek. The average sales person advances the selling process
on about 3 or 10 sales contacts. Just by turning one out of your seven
“no’s” into a yes, you will increase your sales output by 33%. This the
type of improvement that will gain you praise from your sales manager
and a large increase in your commission check. Isn’t that what it’s all
about?
2) In a sales meeting, the buyer, generally, is at greater risk and
feels more pressure than the customer.
Too often, the sales person feels tension because of the current state
of business, quotas, and plans. When we let our pressure overwhelm our
thoughts and behavior, we have no room left to focus attention on the
individual whom we need to engage in order to achieve success.
Customers, almost always, feel more pressure than the salesperson. That
is why they stall, object, and are hesitant in offering information. Are
you still unsure about who feels more pressure? Then ponder this: who
was more nervous when you purchased your home, your new car, or the last
expensive item you purchased, you or the person who just sold it to you?
3) Unless the customer agrees to a commitment for a next step in the
sales process, the meeting you just had was merely a conversation.
Most sales representatives, who sell products of significance,
consequence, or some complexity require a number of contacts before they
reach the contract agreement with the customer. Therefore, it is
essential that you, as a sales representative, identify the key steps in
your sales cycle so that you know how to navigate the sale. Your
priority is to assist the customer in making a commitment to an action
that demonstrates that they are overcoming the pressure (see truth #2)
that impacts upon any buyer. You know that you have obtained a clear
commitment when the customer is willing to risk time (meeting), effort
(send you information), reputation (introduce you to another key
decision maker in their organization), or money (purchasing your
product). How do you measure your success on a sales call? Simple, when
your sales manager asks how you did you are able to communicate an
agreement to a next step as opposed to “pretty good,” “I think the buyer
is interested,” I’ll know more on the next telephone call,” or some
other vague and meaningless statement of optimism.
4) Customers buy for their own reasons; not the sales person’s.
Since buyers are generally hesitant, successful selling is more about
engaging the customer in conversation and gaining trust rather than
persuasion or convincing. Therefore, the challenge for any sales
representative is to be effective in having the customer reveal the
underlying concerns and the inhibitors for a buying decision. Our goal
as a salesperson should be to demonstrate sincere interest in helping
the customer solve the problems that keep them up at night or annoyed
during the day. Our challenge is to ask those unique questions that
result in the buyer making comments like “gee, that’s a great question”
or “no one ever asked me that before.” These statements of intrigue
will delight any customer and bring them closer to providing you with
the complexities of their systems and the problems that need to be
solved. Imagine if the customer really felt and knew that you were
focusing on their reality rather than your desire?
5) A flexible sales communication style will be more effective, more
often, than a rigid one.
Do all of your prospects and customers have the same personality? Of
course not! If we accept the simple fact that people are different, we
can fully appreciate the reality that different individuals respond
positively or negatively to different things. Therefore, as sales
professionals, we need to have the ability to adapt to our customer’s
style and to be flexible in the way that we present ourselves.
Flexibility shows up in our rate of speech, the words we use, the degree
of formality we present, and numerous other mannerisms and behaviors.
Many formal studies have revealed that, the best way to make a positive
connection is to align our style with that of the customer. When we
behave in this way we demonstrate respect for the customer’s situation.
Customer comfort increases as fears fade away. By taking more of an
interest in our customer, it increases the opportunity for that person
to take an interest in what we have to say.
There you have it; five time tested fundamental rules of the buy-sell
reality. Now, here’s the test. Think about those major sales
opportunities that slipped through your fingers. I guarantee that when
that disappointment occurred, you can trace your failure to succeed by
recognizing that at least one of the fundamentals were negated or
overlooked.
Stewart Bolno (MBA/EdM) is a Senior Learning and Development
Consultant with Team Builders Plus. He has facilitated seminars on
Leadership and coached executives since 1984. He has taught management
courses on the university level and has conducted leadership workshops
at the Wharton Small Business Development Center.
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