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Web-based tool that salespeople can go to when they need to refresh.”
THE KNOWLEDGE DUMP Once salespeople learn everything they can about products, they must also learn to present that knowledge selectively, says the consultant. “If salespeople don’t know how to pres- ent their product knowledge intel- ligently to each client, it can nullify good product training,” he says. “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 training,” she says. “The biggest problem that we see is that sales- people tend to 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 salespeo- ple before they make the sales calls.
SELLING TIP Practice Optimism for Positive Performance
Optimists see each minute of each day as a time to enjoy, treasure, and use for all it’s worth. An optimistic attitude requires nourishment. The people you associate with have a tremendous impact on your attitude – what you hear and talk about shapes your thoughts. Upbeat, fun-loving people who are honest and sharing will increase your enthusiasm and appreciation of life.
Intelligent people will sharpen your wits. Courageous and disciplined people will inspire you to be physically, men- tally, and emotionally tough. Form friendships with people who have positive characteristics and goals similar to yours. They will share information that will spark ideas for constructive action. You will feed each other’s enthusiasm. Here are some simple techniques to help you practice optimism today: • Don’t let negative people affect your attitude. Keep injecting optimism into the conversation. Make a game of it. For every pessimistic remark they make, try to say something optimistic.
• Before you go to sleep, spend at least 10 minutes thinking of everything you have (or have had) to be grateful for. • Spread some happiness. If you make someone else happy, you will share some of that happiness. Compliment as many people as you can – their qualities, efforts, accomplishments, or appearance. Thank someone who did you a favor; encourage someone who is struggling with a problem. It may take a little effort to keep your optimism in your daily life, but the rewards are so great they cannot be measured. Happiness is a state of mind, and your mind can produce it!
– WILLIAM EDDY
28 | MAY/JUNE 2023 SELLING POWER © 2023 SELLING POWER. CALL 1-800-752-7355 FOR REPRINT PERMISSION.
Ask them: ‘What are your objectives 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 managers need to do some live coaching with their team and ob- serve 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 global consultant. “You take steps backward when you talk about things that the customer is not inter- ested 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.” He 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,” says the
consultant: “Learn everything pos- sible 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 per- cent. 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.”
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