It is common to hear sales educators and trainers talk about the world as a market and everyone as a salesperson and a networker. It is a very common thought and yet, I have heard and seen how this evident truth is delivered, by many sales instructors, with uncalled for pomp and circumstance. The last time I was sent by my corporation to a sales-course, the trainer delivered this sentiment almost as if he was waiting for some applause for the sage point he had made. I could see the smile of satisfaction on his face after having said such words of wisdom and I am sure he heard an imaginary albeit thunderous applause from an absent audience as a response to his delivery. I saw it very clearly in his face as he appeared very flattered by himself as he leaned back in his chair after having thrown a gem for the audience to chew on, all the while remaining silent for an inordinate time after his initial comment while concomitantly revealing a body language challenging anyone to prove him wrong.
Of course, nobody did, because he was 100 percent correct. But his worse move then was to continue to reinforce his point by telling how even a child is a salesperson and is cognizant of the importance of networking. “Have you not seen a little child using selling techniques if he wants his elders to grant what he wants?” Have you not seen the creative methods a child would use by soliciting support from his network if he wants his parents to buy candy? He would say. “Oh daddy! But mummy said I can have a candy and after all my friend Timmy’s parents always buy him candy.”
“Even a dog has to sell himself in order to benefit”, he said. Then he threw in a few more analogies to strengthen his initial comment about the universe being a marketplace with everyone a salesperson and networker. Finally he closed his bombshell of an idea by commenting how the squeaking wheel gets the oil.
“Agreed. Agreed”, I said to myself, yet hardly impressed by his attempt of belaboring a point and almost enjoying himself speak by providing number of more examples to prove his point.
Indeed, there is never a great enlightening when someone backs up an axiomatic truth by giving examples for no reason at the expense of consuming expensive time. It is like someone telling you that you will burn your hand if you put it in fire and then pointing out how an old man can be burnt same as a child or even a dog or a cat or for that matter any animal exposed to fire.
But then I decided to wait and see how he would proceed from here, saying to myself. “Sure nothing wrong with his initial comment and perhaps he got a bit carried away in giving unnecessary supporting material, but perhaps he will compensate for his stance that did not impress me thus far.” “Perhaps he will give me beneficial and concrete ideas on selling and networking,”== the basis for this whole meeting. But alas, this never happened as he moved on to more generalizations connected with selling and because this session was on selling and networking particularly about: How to network effectively to enhance sales he directly moved on to ideas related with social networking and how to effectively do that. Sure his ideas were well researched and worthy enough but not for me. And you may ask, “Why was that when I have admitted his ideas were good?”
That is because this guy. Like very many others, committed the cardinal sin of not having understood what his audience was looking for. He was as incompetent as a car salesman I had met when I was in the market for a new car and had visited this dealership, a friend had recommended. Don’t get me wrong, the salesman was very proficient and well versed with features of the car he wanted to sell. He very fluently explained the horsepower and torque of the car and the active lane change feature that was standard. He talked about how I can add on other options such as a head roof, and the infotainment display etc. etc. Of course, he reminded me this coupe he was showing was the most popular model and it could go from 0 to 60 miles in 9 seconds! He showed me at least 5 recent sales invoices with name of buyers all along emphasizing the mayor of the town drives this latest car.
Unimpressed I left like anyone else in my position would because I wanted a car so I could take my four children and family with me. Why would I give the time of the day to a person who does not know what I need nor does he ask? He was hell-bent on selling me a fancy car when what I wanted was a safe car with good space for all family members. If he had tried to sell me a minivan and explained all safety features and perhaps a gaming monitor for the back seats I would have bought it.
The basic question he was supposed to ask me before going on a tangent was: Do you need a car only for yourself and your partner or for your family? And then the following question could have been how many members in your family you expect to travel with at times?
For me then this car sales person was of no use and he was just like my instructor at the networking and sales conference. The instructor had nothing to offer me because I work for a computer firm where I do computer consultant work and I get added incentives–and it is even considered a requirement that I hold on to the old accounts and get new ones for the company. Most important is the bottom line of revenue I generate.
But you can learn more sometimes by the mistakes of others and by avoiding these in your strategy. For instance in my position as a computer consultant I need to incorporate the following points to be successful:
My 20 points of which some might be applicable to you
- Know the main person or persons who make decisions in buying or implementing services
- Discover the hot button (everyone has one or even more) which drives these people, For this make sure you do as much research and continuing research in developing the profile of the person/persons you are dealing with.
- Know the budget constraints of the customer you are dealing with and know what they consider as most important features and the less important features in considering a product.
- Polish your technical knowledge so you may answer pertinent and expected questions.
- Try and provide a solution to the problem which you need to identify first, before presenting or selling, and emphasize the features and benefits you can provide.
- Evaluate which accounts are the bread and butter accounts and give them more attention.
- Promise something only if you are sure you can deliver.
- Give an objective and balanced description of your product without embellishing non-existing things or unimportant things
- Keep in constant touch with your network of customers and interact with them, take care of their needs.
- Keep them abreast about new additions of the product that could be beneficial to them
- When you are selling or giving demo ask them questions. What would you consider very important features for your business? What do you like in our product? Who will use it? Etc,etc.
- Be polished with the product knowledge and always provide an objective and balanced presentation with no undue embellishment.
- Make an attempt to know your decision maker customer well –send birthday cards—meet for dinner—golf and don’t always discuss the product.
- Start conversations that are related with their interests and you don’t have to be some glib or smooth talker, just be your self
- Understand people will like you for what you are if you show sincerity and understand you are not in some popularity contest.
- Know your competition
- Use social media where appropriate.
- Acknowledge people buy for their reasons not yours
- Understand people like dealing with those they like and they like those who they feel are going to take care of their needs.
- Recognize everything takes time after all Rome was not built in a day.