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When you talk there is only one thing you learn. The things
you already know! That's great if you're a teacher, lecturer or dispenser of
information. That's not so good if you're a salesperson.
Lots of people in business refer to the power of "ROI"...Return on
Investment. Have you ever thought about the power of a newer type of ROI?
Return on Information! Salespeople who are able to supply their customers
this new breed of ROI will certainly be able to provide them the original breed the
customer's Return on Investment for your product or service.
What is the information you want to glean from your prospect? Remember, the more
information you have, the better chance you have of prescribing a solution that
is right on target for helping your customer to get what he or she wants from
your product or service. The specific information you're after?
· What they will buy.
· When they will buy.
· How they will buy.
· Under what conditions they will buy.
Unfortunately, gathering this information is much easier
than most salespeople make it. Sometimes they don't know where to find it, how
to find it or even how to ask the right questions to uncover it. The single
biggest problem, though? They simply don't take the time. Why is that?
Perhaps they underestimate its importance. Maybe they are in such a hurry to
tell and sell that they don't stop to listen and ask. They are so busy worrying
about giving an effective presentation that they give the wrong presentation.
Time after time we uncover salespeople who have poor listening skills, poorer
questioning skills and an apparent disregard for the prospects. Disregard, you
ask? Yes, disregard. Here's why.
Salespeople tend to be so focused on their own product, meeting a quota, earning
a commission, winning a contest, staying ahead of competition, pleasing a sales
manager or keeping their job that they tend to forget the key to achieving all
these things. It is simply paying attention to listening to the
prospect or existing customers.
Let me give a little 10 question quiz. Simply answer with a yes or no. Here we
go:
1. Do
you ever present your product or service and then have to "course
correct" your presentation?
2. Do
you receive frequent objections?
3. Do
you receive customer complaints related to delivery or service needs?
4. Do
you ever go into a presentation without the correct sales aids or tools?
5. Do
you find yourself having to reunite proposals or action plans?
6. Do
you ever interrupt a prospect?
7. Do
you talk more than listen in a typical sales call?
8. Do
you say things in your presentation that don't add direct value to your
prospect?
9. Do
your prospects ever appear overwhelmed or confused by your presentation?
10. Do you find you have to make last-minute changes to presentations?
If you answered yes to 7 or more of these questions you
need help now! Even if you answered as few as 4 with a yes response you need to
consider the following suggestions carefully.
· Allow
your prospect to do at least 50% of the talking in any sales interaction. In
some cases it should be as much as 80%.
· Invest time in
pre-call planning to better understand the dynamics, needs and direction of the
prospect. Use this information to ask the right questions.
· Learn to ask
questions. Master the art of empowering your prospect to tell you those things
that are most essential to them and their buying decision.
· Listen more than you
talk. Remember, when your prospect is talking they will tell you the things you
need to know. Again, if you talk, you will only tell them what you know
which may or may not have anything to do with their decision to buy your product
or service.
· Monitor yourself
harshly. On your next sales call observe yourself. Be your own worst criteria.
Analyze the quality of your questions. Monitor the amount of time you're talking
and the prospect is listening to you instead of you listening to them.
There is little doubt that many salespeople still believe that the "gift of
gab" is what makes a great salesperson. Just like old beliefs about lots of
things, they are wrong. About as wrong as they can be.
Are you missing too many sales by talking too much? Are you losing opportunities
because you want to seize the opportunity to hear your own voice?
Give these simple tips a try. I hope you have been listening to what I have been
trying to tell you because your prospects and customers have probably been
trying to tell you the same thing. The only difference is that my advice doesn't
come at the cost of missed sales, cancelled orders or dissatisfied customers. It
only costs a few minutes of your time to read this column and a commitment on
your part to initiate a few simple changes in the way you sell. But more
important, it does require a change in your attitude and behavior. Are you ready
to do that?
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