Why do people really like you and do business with you?

Exceptional Sales Performance Monday Motivational Minute

Why do people really like you and do business with you?

November 26th 2012

By Gregory Ferrett


Current research tells us the average person thinks about themselves, and how the world impacts them as an individual, almost every minute they are awake.  Their brain is constantly monitoring the environment alert to physical and emotional danger and opportunities. In less than a second the brain can flood the body with chemicals driving a ‘fight or flight’ or a ‘this sounds great’ response.  

As funny as it sounds, in business I continue to find people who think a person’s response to a sales pitch or a request for support will be different just because it is not a social situation. This is dangerous thinking and can lead to wasteful expenditure of money and emotional capital.


What we see is what we want to see - not what others see

My business partners and I were examining a great product developed by people with outstanding credentials and who seemed to know their target market. Despite good promotion and a strong message which brought in some early wins, it remained languishing as an ‘also ran’ product. At the same time a less developed product with fewer capabilities had grown to dominate the market.

We quizzed the developers who were consistent in their responses.

• They had developed the most advanced product in the market – no one else could come near it technically
• They always made a big effort to deliver a great presentation
• They seemed to be in the right place at the right time early on – now they seemed to be always catching up in the sales process

The consistent message we noticed was our client was focusing on how good they were.

Place yourself in their mind

When you need to influence an outcome or want someone to purchase your product or service the first thing you need to do is understand their situation. The research we mentioned earlier tells us the person you are trying to influence cares very little for you or your company, only for them.  Your telephone call, email or letter is an interruption. You need a way to help the person you want to influence see your product or service making their life better. If you can do this they will start to consider what their life might be like with you or your product or service in it.

This is easier said than done as you also spend most of your time considering yourself. After all you are a human being as well. You think of yourself as someone special, with intelligence and you know what is good for your customer.

I have watched with interest advertisements for the iPad and new Intel Surface computer. Both show people in real situations with their lives enriched because of the device. While they talk about the quality of the display, the discussion is about the way your life will be if you use the device. Not the fact one has so many mega pixels. Each time the advertisment shows my whole family wants one - each one for their own reason.

There is a painfully simple yet important lesson to be learned here. When it comes to influencing people or getting them to make a buying decision it is their expectation of what you are asking them to do or buy which will make their mind up. Not what you think is right or wrong.

You can tell the story enthusiastically and with passion, using the best multi-media presentation with endorsements by the best personalities. If you do not know what the person thinks about you are, at best, putting on a show in hope someone listens.
People decide to buy on the basis of expectation – what they perceive the decision will do for them and in their life. If your product or service fits into that perception you have a sale. If not then you don’t. It is as simple as that.

The company was investing enormous amounts of time and effort into selling the inventors idea. He had come up with the idea and made a number of initial sales. Now the company was talking with people who were unfamiliar with the inventor and the concepts he presented.

By changing the perception of the company owners and the way the product and services were presented made an immediate and enormous difference.

People like you and do business with you because they can picture you and your product or service working in their life. The better you are at helping people place you in their life the more successful you will be.

Questions and this weeks activities

There is nothing mysterious about what we did. It required a few simple changes. Try these and you will see your level of influence change quickly and dramatically;

• Engage your customer in a discussion about their business and their life using a reflective questioning style. You will be surprised what you will find simply by  being genuinely interested and scratching under the surface.

• Once you have established some rapport ask questions like “Have you considered …?” and “What happens when…?”

• Paint a picture using words like “Can you imagine leaving the office early confident …?” or “Can you hear your team celebrating knowing …?”

Leave your own ideas at the office – even better, in the shredder. They are great ideas if you are buying – but you are selling and you need to become a part of the buyers concept they are thinking about all the time.

Exceptional Sales Performance

P.S. More inspiration on our BLOG here.

Reprint permission
Permission is granted to reprint this article with the condition it is republished unedited and in full with full attribution to the author and the authors bio. Please provide a link to the reprint to the following email; greg.ferrett@exceptionalsales.com.au

Selling to the Seven Emotional Buying Styles Discover how to link your product to buyers emotion. In this very practical book you will learn everyday tools to take advantage of proven scientific evidence linking emotion to every decision. You will meet; the Hustler the Artist the Normal the Engineer the Politician the Mover, and the Double Checker This is one book you will refer to time and again to help you plan sales calls and to close sales.

Buy your Kindle or Hard Copy version here

 

How can you generate curiosity and keep your clients engaged

Exceptional Sales Performance Monday Motivational Minute

How can you generate curiosity and keep your clients engaged?

November 19th 2012

By Gregory Ferrett

Welcome to Monday

An account manager, during a review of his sales performance and knowing his numbers were down, said, by way of excuse to his manager said, “Richard, I can lead a horse to water, but I can’t make them drink.”

“Make them drink?” Richard retorted. “Making customers drink is not your job. Your job is to make them thirsty! When they are thirsty they will drink.”



The most common challenge business and sales people face is coming to an understanding that selling is not something we do that makes a sale occur – it is something the client does. At some point in the sales process the client decides what it is we are selling will satisfy a need and quench their thirst.

So the question is, “how do you create the thirst?”

Curiosity!

There are four main strategies we can use to create curiosity – and to remain curious through the sales process.

1. Be provocative with questions and statements

 

Provocative questions and statements are the most powerful ways to generate curiosity.

When you make that first call what can we say that is provocative, bold and will shake your client out of their current mind set and pay full attention to you?

You may want to try something like this;

“Hi Ben, this is Greg from Acme Jones Associates. I have a question. I was reading about your company …. and was wondering if you had ever thought…?”

Or perhaps

“Hi Mary, this is Jenny from Acme Jones Associates. I was talking to Merna Balwin of Main Main & Main and wondering if you have experienced the same market challenges as they do?”

2. Provide some of the information

Another challenge business and sales people face is the urge to tell someone everything straight away. I call this ‘showing up and throwing up’. Once there is nothing let to give what value is there in a follow-up call? The key to building and maintaining a long term relationship is to continue adding value with each conversation. If you leave the client curious after the end of each call there is always a reason to call back or to schedule another meeting. Try things like these;

“Hi Mary, we met with Mohammed and ran those tests on the production line over the past few days and I think there may be some serious problems.”

Or

“We have evaluated the supply chain process and compared it to the industry norms in you market sector and found some anomalies.”

These statements tell a part of the information and are designed to stimulate curiosity. A typical response would be “What kind of problem?” or “What sort of anomalies?”

Of course we do not want to tell them all so we move into something like the following;

“Yes – I will get to that. Would you mind if I ask a few questions first?” and move into a conversation with the full attention of the client. Of course we need to share some of the information – but always leave something on the table to come back with.

3. Provide a glimpse of value

In this technique we dangle an idea that could deliver value and then move to start a conversation. It could go something like this;

“Well, John, with just one small change to the manufacturing process you could dramatically improve your return on investment. Would you like me to show you how?”

The response “Sure – what do I need to do?”

“Before I launch into that do you mind if I ask you a few questions?” and the conversation is on its way…

4. Are they a part of the herd

If everyone else is moving in the same direction most people want to know what direction that is. This is classic ‘herd mentality’. Try something like this;

“Well, Mr Jones, we solve a very important problem that most of the companies in your industry have.”

Almost without fail the response is “What problem is that?”

Today’s questions & action

Curiosity is a powerful tool to get conversations started. Here are some ideas to get you started.

1. What are the most unusual applications for your service or product?
2. Call your best clients and ask them the question “What is it that keeps you buying from me / us?” or “What are the key problems / issues our product solves for you?”
3. Turn the question around and ask yourself “If I were being called about my product or service what would the person need to say to grab my attention?”

Use the answers to these questions to create conversation starters. Develop the habit of creating curiosity and you will always have a valid reason to call on your clients.

 

Have a great week.

Exceptional Sales Performance

P.S. More inspiration on our BLOG here.

Reprint permission
Permission is granted to reprint this article with the condition it is republished unedited and in full with full attribution to the author and the authors bio. Please provide a link to the reprint to the following email; greg.ferrett@exceptionalsales.com.au

Selling to the Seven Emotional Buying Styles Discover how to link your product to buyers emotion. In this very practical book you will learn everyday tools to take advantage of proven scientific evidence linking emotion to every decision. You will meet; the Hustler the Artist the Normal the Engineer the Politician the Mover, and the Double Checker This is one book you will refer to time and again to help you plan sales calls and to close sales.

Buy your Kindle or Hard Copy version here