Be a Person, Not a Salesperson
What comes to mind when you think of a salesperson? Do you picture someone going door to door with a vacuum in hand, nudging their foot into the open space of the doorway of the poor soul who was unlucky enough to answer? While this strategy may have its time and place, it is often an outmoded sales tactic that leaves customers more dissatisfied than they were before the sale.
Can a sale be made the wrong way? They can, and we’ve all experienced it; the caricature “vacuum” salesperson. The one who is solely concerned with getting your money in their pocket. The one who doesn’t take time to listen to your concerns, but instead continually tells you how great their product is… and how great they are. It’s these encounters that leave you feeling used, dissatisfied, and like you were simply a means to an end. And all of these salesmen have the same thing in common. Bad breath, or to put it more accurately, “Commission breath.” You realize their only concern is selling to you so they can go home with more money in their pocket. They have no interest in finding out if what they’re selling will help you. That’s one example of sales the wrong way and unfortunately, it is way too common in our culture, across industries.
The caricature salesman might argue, “But I got the sale. That’s what matters.” And sure, they may be going home a little richer, but they miss out on the long-term benefits of the sale. That is, the customer is going home feeling defeated like they were broken down and pressured into saying yes. And what's more, these feelings have likely driven them to the decision that they’re never going back to that guy, or that company, and they’re certainly going to tell their friends how terrible of an experience it was. They might even decide to hop on Google and let the world know. Before long, that salesman’s company has a 2.4 average on Google Reviews, no repeat customers, and the Better Business Bureau is handling complaint after complaint. They wonder why no one knocks on their door anymore and shortly after, they close down shop. Unfortunately, for the rest of us, that guy is likely going to the next town to try again… but maybe, just maybe, he might try sales the right way.
WHAT DO SALES THE RIGHT WAY LOOK LIKE?
If there’s a wrong way to do sales, then there has to be a right way. Sure, there might be multiple right ways, but the true question is, is there a best way? In our humble opinion, there is, and it means truly caring enough for the customer that you do your best to find out if you can help them before trying to convince them that you can. It’s the antithesis of the caricature salesman from above.; someone who doesn’t wreak of commission breath. Someone who has decided that they are going to sell to people the way they prefer to be sold to. This doesn’t mean the sale is made with overenthusiasm or submission to the customers every whim, sales done the right way is much more meaningful.
Sales done right is closing a sale with a customer that you know will benefit from the product or service. This means relinquishing your sales agenda and adopting the customer's agenda; to find out if the product/service they’re evaluating can help them. When the customer and the product are a fit, the stench of commission breath retreats because the consumer can fill their needs with a product/service they feel good about. Not only does this leave the consumer more satisfied with the immediate purchase, but it also creates a tie to the salesperson that will result in future business.
SO HOW DO YOU KNOW IF THE SALE IS A GOOD FIT?
The simple answer is you listen. However, listening in this instance takes a more active role than just hearing what the other person is saying to you, it's listening with the intent to understand and to empathize with the other person. Sounds like a pretty basic concept, right? But in reality, it takes a significant degree of focus and awareness to execute throughout a conversation. During this process, the listener has to let go of the desire to respond so they are better equipped to process the information the speaker is providing and aren’t distracted by their thoughts. We often find ourselves thinking so much about how we are going to respond that we miss a lot of what the other person is saying, and we reach the “in one ear and out the other” construct. During the conversation, allow the customer to elaborate on their position then take a few seconds after they are finished to process your response. Not only will you be able to craft a response that more adequately addresses their concerns, but a short pause after they finish will register as a nonverbal cue that you were listening.
Even with the best active listening skills, it can be difficult to reach a potential customer, and more often than not, the customer will bring up an objection, i.e. “I’m not sure the timing is good for us right now.” In instances like this, learn to ask really good questions. Your response should not be, “Why? What’s wrong with the timing?”…nor “Timing will never be perfect.” Instead, it should be more like, “It sounds like you guys have more important projects you’re working on.” Who knows, maybe they’ll end up sharing something that helps you better understand their current situation…just make sure you are listening.
This approach that we’re preaching is not to manipulate and it’s not to convince. The moment you try to manipulate the buyer with an artificial connection, you've already lost because the foundation of the connection is built on deceit. Instead, what this approach is trying to accomplish is realizing that you should NOT try to convince. If the person doesn’t want your product or service, you more than likely can’t, (but definitely shouldn’t try), to convince them to buy it. Rather, become a problem solver, ask the right questions, and help them find out if your product/service can help them fill their needs. And if it can’t, be okay with that. You’re not for everyone, nor should you be.