Have you ever been impressed and disappointed at the same moment? Is it possible?
Recently I was invited to a sales pitch and was impressed and disappointed in myself and the same 30-minute period. This case is a little different when I was asked to attend the sales presentation as a partner of the potential buyer (a real switch for me!) Together with an experienced female manager of a company for which I have been a consultant for the last two years. My client runs a verysuccessful organization, empathy towards their clients and customers. If this is already like one of your customers read to sound to ...
In this case study, my client has been entertaining in a new niche for their business. She is a wonderful client, and they really done their homework. She was of the new business line, known to the market and had been deeply explored the alternatives. She had even extended feelers, as they add new representatives and organize theirDistribution. You see, this is doing what good companies. She looked at a relatively fast decision on products for the new niche to make. Actually, the company had contacted for the meeting in the first place.
And then the sales pitch. The sales representative was polished and professional. He had a quick smile and was very charismatic. He was obviously in the industry, a number of years, and knew his products inside and out. At this point, I was impressed. And he was definitely aPlan for the sales presentation. After some small talk and polished smile, he climbed into his lecture. The key word here is "his" presentation.
He spent 10 minutes (which seemed like 3 hours) on the successful history of his company, for the next five to eight minutes, he led about 10 spec sheets (which seemed like 100), and then spent five minutes detailed descriptions of six or seven of their customers. At one point, when we tried to interrupt him, he suggested: "I will probablyAnswer to your question in the next segment of my presentation, just hold to this question. "My client and I have looked at each other and sat back hoping it would all be over soon. Reminded me of my last root canal therapy, where I have the same thoughts.
Yes, he had a plan, and I'm sure in his mind he had been fully executed, as it many times before. The problem was, it was a bad plan.
Remember the infamous quote from the movie ... "She had me Hello?" In this case, he lost usData about number three. It kind of reminded me of one of these dolls as children we used to have, where you could pull this string and the doll was discontinued from the recorded line regardless of the issue. He may have been the longest twenty minutes of my life. Can you imagine how my client felt about the value of their time?
He (Mr polished) assumed that we wanted to hear, or even necessary to hear this information. The fact that the thing was that my client had already done the researchand I had been polished with the same information about a half hour before the "informed Mr" always went in their car park. It was not so much that he was condescending in his message, it's just that he never know the time or the question of what we needed, really, and then it seemed as a kind of condescending.
My client responded after the meeting, "I'm sorry Mike, I'm not sure that this will leave the company or its products for us, please us the search ..."
Had "polished Mr." asked some 'OpenStarting Questions' to the meeting, I am confident he would have had a new customer. And in this case a really good client for a long time. Had Mr. polished actually asked: "You have a very good reputation and I'm sure you've done some homework before I start, what have you explored so far?" Or: "What are your expectations and key areas of concern?" Or: "I'm sure there are some fears when considering a new business, where should I start?"
For me, like you, hopefully, a student ofconsultative selling, it was incredibly disappointing. Actually, it is as a lesson in "Crash and Burn". And, unfortunately, none of this had something with their company or products because they were great.
The paradox is that I'm sure he thought he was well prepared. But his preparation centers on his plan, not the needs of potential customers. So, here is the ultimate question is: "What is your plan?" Every good plan starts with a planned series of open questions, and a strong listening effort onYour part. Do you have yours ready?
To make a proper consultative seller, you need to know what the customer expects. What makes them tick? What are they the real needs outside the special features? Had he asked, according to our expectations, he might have heard, "We are looking to attract new customers." Then he went, as other customers could address (possibly with descriptions) had used its products to grow their business successfully.
Perhaps he had heard, "We're looking fora new supplier, as we are too insecure to have answered in our current provider, "he might with:" Most of our customers have with us for ten years or more. "Had he," and more of our customers ask for this type of service or product, "he may have information on his training materials and training to employees and customers to expedite responding to."
Ok, now you know get it. First, you do your research on potential new customers. Next are three open issues in open potentialeach new presentation. Discuss it in your sales meetings with your peers. Then prepare a plan of how you respond with solutions to the identified needs. Questions and listen. It's not about us, it is about them. Ask open-ended questions, and I am sure you will close more new business. Remember, the best sellers are not necessarily great talkers, they are great listeners.
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