Separate Yourself from the Competition by Terry Stidham
By now you have heard the importance of establishing yourself as a trusted advisor when selling. The question is, how do you reach the level of trust and respect such that prospects come to you for help? The good news is that the journey to achieving this is probably easier and more rewarding than you may think....
We have been trained throughout our careers
to think of customers as rational, logical decision makers. Our companies tell
us to qualify the customer’s business requirements, such as budget and time
frame to buy, and to uncover what product features and functions the customer
needs. They arm us with facts and specifications so that we can launch
informational assaults on customers in order to get them to buy.
Since most companies understand only this type of direct approach, they train salespeople on the recitation of features, functions, and specifications. But we often lack the training on the essence of how to win hearts and minds of our customers.
The obvious barrier to earning trust faced by most sales professionals is that we are paid to convince customers to buy what we sell as opposed to the customer buying from someone else or not buying at all. No offence, if there were no convincing to be done then we would simply be an order taker.
The default assumption made by most prospective clients is that we are probably going to be self-serving, like the all-too-easy-to-imagine stereotypical sales person out there. And so the natural question on the customer's mind is, "Is this person really trying to help me act in my own best interest?" The prospective client will observe everything we say or do to arrive at their answer.
So, how do we actively take an approach that shows our prospects that we are clearly helping them act in their own best interest? How do we help them, look after them, protect them and ultimately make them feel rewarded? Because once they feel that we have established trust they will more likely support, recommend, and do business with us.
Since most companies understand only this type of direct approach, they train salespeople on the recitation of features, functions, and specifications. But we often lack the training on the essence of how to win hearts and minds of our customers.
The obvious barrier to earning trust faced by most sales professionals is that we are paid to convince customers to buy what we sell as opposed to the customer buying from someone else or not buying at all. No offence, if there were no convincing to be done then we would simply be an order taker.
The default assumption made by most prospective clients is that we are probably going to be self-serving, like the all-too-easy-to-imagine stereotypical sales person out there. And so the natural question on the customer's mind is, "Is this person really trying to help me act in my own best interest?" The prospective client will observe everything we say or do to arrive at their answer.
So, how do we actively take an approach that shows our prospects that we are clearly helping them act in their own best interest? How do we help them, look after them, protect them and ultimately make them feel rewarded? Because once they feel that we have established trust they will more likely support, recommend, and do business with us.
- Put your own offering (and any associated self-serving behavior) aside.
- Continuously increase your own awareness: of common client challenges, common solutions, your broader organizations solutions, the broader picture within your client organization.
- Read newspapers, magazines, journals, trade publications and other sources of related business information
- Maintain membership of appropriate professional organizations
- Acknowledge gaps in knowledge and taking steps to fill them
- Locate or developing databases with information on customers, their industries and their own customers
- Gain an understanding of the issues at all levels of the customer’s organization including strategic, departmental and individual needs
- Seek to understand the customer’s perceptions of market trends, company direction, plus potential product and service needs
- Read newspapers, magazines, journals, trade publications and other sources of related business information
- Show them that you care. When people care they listen, empathize, they seek to understand.
- Refine the way you identify customer’s needs by asking the right questions and listening actively to customer comments
- Speak at the listener’s level of knowledge
- Use stories and analogies effectively
- Ask for feedback on the clarity of your message
- Refine the way you identify customer’s needs by asking the right questions and listening actively to customer comments
- Once you understand what is important and urgent to your client, use your expertise and awareness to advise or refer in the best course(s) of action (not necessarily your own offering), discussing pro's and con's of various options. Don't overlook the knock on effect of your solutions to other client critical business issues.
- Familiarize the customer with your own industry and companies
- Share useful business information even if it does not directly impact on the sales effort
- Demonstrate the cost-cutting or revenue producing benefits of your products and services
- Familiarize the customer with your own industry and companies
- Under promise and over deliver
Selling in this way is more relaxing and much easier. And it certainly feels and looks better from the customer's point of view. You're not pushing or pitching anything - you're learning, listening, caring, and then advising what's best for them. By demonstrating comprehensive knowledge, outstanding communication skills and the proper attitude, the salesperson earns the right to move beyond the role of supplier to that of a valued business consultant.
Even if you don't make the initial sale from this approach, you have left the door open for next time and have recruited a potential "fan" and a sales and marketing ally - another set of eyes and ears on the ground who may pick up on opportunities for you and send warmed up prospects your way.
Look after them, they'll look after you.
Patrick Lencioni, author of Getting Naked, presents a compelling case that most sales people and consultants sabotage their best efforts at winning long-term client loyalty by allowing their work to be influenced by three fears:
- Fear of Losing the Business – Because we're afraid of losing a client we avoid some of the very behaviors (like giving away ideas, or telling truths that may hurt egos) that ultimately can grow trust that keeps clients.
- Fear of Being Embarrassed – Since as business advisers we think we should always look smart, we avoid asking potentially dumb questions or making possibly silly suggestions that might end up being brilliant because we want to avoid risk – even though being vulnerable in questioning and suggestions is another way to build client trust.
- Fear of Feeling Inferior – To avoid feeling irrelevant or unappreciated, we might avoid getting our hands dirty or even "taking a bullet" for the client, even though those again are demonstrations to the client that everything we do is for them.
The simple but powerful advice Lencioni offers for anyone in a sales or business advisor role is to work at being candid, modest, and transparent – that these characteristics at their essence help you to be vulnerable, honest, and authentic with clients. When clients begin to realize the genuineness of these behaviors toward them, that's when true trust can thrive, and both you and your clients have relationships they can count on.
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