SKILL
her company apart. Finding the magic balance between dream and reality separates you from the pack. “We’re definitely in a small group,” she says.
5. TAKE OFF THE CAPE. Working with your customer means admitting you don’t have all the answers, and that can be a tough thing to own up to when you’re used to thinking of yourself as the expert. Relinquishing that trusted-advisor role can make you very uncomfortable – many reps see it as their main value to their customers – but it’s critical for co-creation.
“The salesperson has to stop trying to be the hero,” says Raul Garza, the VP of a sales-training and consult- ing business. “The flip side of that is giving your customer credit for being smart. Then the customer or potential customer is the hero, which is where the emphasis should be.” Barnett
adds that putting the customer’s interests first also lends more cred- ibility to the selling process and the salesperson.
6. ASK FOR INPUT. Clients brought into the development process automatically have a stake in the game, says Garza. That owner- ship means the client will help you with one of the most difficult tasks in sales – expanding your reach inside the prospect’s organization. Once your customer takes ownership, Garza explains, he or she will sell you, the solution, and your company internally. Finally, asking your customer for input simply makes sense. You can tap his or her expertise and wisdom and add them to your own knowledge base. While you bring some fantastic skills and expertise to the table, you can’t know everything, particularly about your customer’s business. Rely-
ing on your customer to fill in the blanks for you will result in a stronger product in the end.
7. LATHER, RINSE, AND REPEAT. In collaborative selling, the sales cycle never ends. Barrett talks about building long-term relationships – not just with the client company, but with individuals, as well.
Sharpe tracks customers and
product performance after the prod- uct creation is finished so the com- pany can determine what’s working and what’s not. “I want to know if the client’s holiday collection sold well so that, next year, I’ll know what to do,” she explains. “That’s how we structure our business. All our customers should feel like they’re our one and only.”
THE SALES SCRIPT BOOK
SELLING TIP You Can Hear a Lot Just by Listening
Some people listen, while others merely wait to speak. Learning to listen well – and to become aware of differ- ent levels of meaning in what is said – is an art that is certainly worth practicing. To become a better listener: • Put aside all personal issues and become “one big ear.” Be attentive. Concentrate on hearing what the speaker has to say.
• Comment on what you hear, individualizing your comments. Example: “Cheryl, that’s obviously very important to you.” It will help keep you on track as a listener. Get beyond “That’s interesting.” If you train yourself to comment meaningfully, the speaker will know you are listening and may offer further information.
• Show empathy. If you are hearing something sad, give some acknowledgement of how difficult it must have been. If you respond to human issues, people will respond to you.
• Don’t ignore opportunities for humor. When it arises naturally out of a conversation, humor enhances what may otherwise be an overly somber situation.
10 | JULY 2016 SELLING POWER © 2016 SELLING POWER. CALL 1-800-752-7355 FOR REPRINT PERMISSION.
Avoid sarcasm, however, which is rarely humorous – regardless at whom it is directed.
• Be aware of nonverbal communication: response to silence, facial expressions, tone of voice, body gestures. Repetition of certain words can also be a sign to consider. These can be telling symptoms, but don’t allow these messages to be the basis for speedy conclusions.
• Know the value of silence. A brief period of si- lence will generally cause the speaker to produce more in-depth responses and allow both of you to reflect on what’s been said, ask additional ques- tions, seek further clarification, or provide more information.
• Ask questions to clarify information. The best indica- tors that you hear and understand are your ques- tions and how you ask them.
• Be sure you are not making inaccurate assumptions. When the speaker leaves a point unfinished, finish it yourself and ask for agreement – or simply ask the speaker to finish it.
• Be careful. Most people have an almost immediate grasp of the obvious. Few of us can grasp immedi- ately what a speaker means to convey. Take time to care. Take time to listen.
— JOHN H. MELCHINGER
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32