SKILL ‘‘


It is not easy to find happiness in ourselves, and it is not possible to find it elsewhere. AGNES REPPLIER


THE KNOWLEDGE DUMP Once salespeople learn everything they can about products, they must also learn to present that knowledge selectively. “If salespeople don’t know how to present their product knowl- edge intelligently to each client, it can nullify good product training,” says the consultant. “Salespeople should learn everything they can about the product because different customers have different needs. However, they should find out what each customer’s hot buttons are and then present the product information that meets that client’s individual needs.” The expert agrees: “This is some-


thing we really drive home in our train- ing,” she says. “The biggest problem that we see is that salespeople tend to


SELLING TIP Pay Attention


Attentiveness is demonstrated in two ways: by physi- cally attending (using your body to communicate) and by psychologically attending (listening closely). How attentive are you when meeting with prospects or clients? Next time, keep the following tips in mind:


1. Face prospects directly. This tells them, “I’m here with you. I’m tuned in and ready to squarely face the issues with you.”


2. Adopt an open position. Open arms, demeanor, and smile convey a sense of receptiveness. On the other hand, sitting with a stiff posture or keeping your arms crossed does not encourage an open dialogue or help build rapport.


3. Lean toward the prospect. This demonstrates your 10 | MAY/JUNE 2021 SELLING POWER © 2021 SELLING POWER. CALL 1-800-752-7355 FOR REPRINT PERMISSION.


misuse their product knowledge – they use the knowledge too soon and use it in a way that’s not clear to the clients. We suggest sales managers coach their salespeople before they make the sales calls. Ask them: ‘What are your objec- tives on this call? What questions are you going to ask your client? When are you going to ask those questions?’ Tell them to get all this information before they address their product so they can tailor their product features to their clients’ needs. Then the sales manag- ers need to do some live coaching with their team and observe how they’re using their product knowledge.” “If you think that covering your bases by presenting everything you know about the product doesn’t hurt anything, you’re wrong,” adds the consultant. “You take steps backward when you talk about things that the customer is not interested in hearing. You can overwhelm them and push them further away from the sale. “It’s great to be enthused, but


don’t just pour the information over everyone’s head,” he explains. “When you go on endlessly about features the customer doesn’t care about, you raise the price of the product because they might be thinking, ‘Well, I really


don’t need all of that.’ However, when you customize the product details and present them so that they connect with a prospect’s hot buttons, it raises the value of your product.” The consultant recommends that salespeople build mental images in the customer’s mind. For example: People don’t buy an ergonomically correct machine part; they buy something that will reduce employee absenteeism and worker’s compensation costs. “It’s basic Sales 101,” he says: “Learn everything possible about your product but present it judiciously. Remember the 80/20 rule as it applies here – 20 percent of the features are all the customer really cares about, so spend 80 percent of the time talking about that 20 percent. Know your product well enough so that, no matter what the customer’s needs are, you can tailor the product benefits to fit your customer. “You misuse product knowledge when you forget that most prospects still buy people first,” he adds. “All the product knowledge in the world won’t bail you out of a situation where the customer doesn’t like, trust, or believe you.”


interest. Two people who care about each other can almost always be seen leaning toward each other when they’re speaking.


4. Maintain good eye contact. Look at other people’s eyes when they are talking to you, except when you take notes. Take a lesson from entertainers: To make your eyes sparkle, don’t stare at the client’s two eyes directly. Instead, alternate – look at one eye first and then the other. By alternating eyes, you avoid appearing to stare.


5. Be relaxed. At the same time, however, concentrate on the other person. Speak naturally and sponta- neously using natural gestures. People can sense genuineness.


Don’t forget that prospects and clients respond to


both spoken and unspoken messages. Attentive sales- people should give verbal cues (saying yes or “Go on”) or nod their heads in response to show customers they are actually listening and paying attention to them. – WILLIAM F. KENDY


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