Beginning of contact: “I managed to get that appointment done nicely.”
First meeting: “I was able to clearly explain everything we can do for the prospect. I am even allowed to put everything in a quote. What is essential here.”
In addition, I consider the chance of a positive outcome to be high.
Quotation: “I have once again completely listed all the benefits of our product on paper and sent them by email.
As a salesperson, do you already have a gut feeling that the acquisition process described above is unlikely to lead to a lasting relationship anytime soon? In the best-case scenario, the order might still be pushed through, but there is a greater chance that the prospect will end up in a 'witness protection program'.
Moreover, many salespeople have the experience that a prospect becomes unreachable after an initial meeting and/or quote, subsequently wondering: where did it go wrong? Do you recognize this?
In training sessions we regularly meet salespeople who are presenting their product or
They are so eager to provide the service that they quickly assume they know what a conversation partner needs during the first meeting and/or are eager to fulfill that. What they fail to realize is that, precisely in those conversations, they completely miss the mark.
Furthermore, sometimes this is due to enthusiasm or because they are so used to it. Many salespeople believe that talking a lot reduces the chance of rejection. The reality is that they scare off potential customers with an “overload” of information.
We frequently use role plays in our training. In fact; We usually start with this and we can therefore give sellers a good experience of where they go off the rails - often with the best intentions.
Next, the camera records flawlessly. One example among the many examples we could cite.
The prospect asks: “Hey, do you still send those installation manuals with your product?”
Furthermore, the seller answers very enthusiastically and proudly with: “Certainly”.
To which the customer responds: “Oh, because I think those manuals are really worthless!”.
In short, to leave an initially enthusiastic salesperson speechless and with the feeling that he has to come back from a 1-0 deficit.
In the debriefing it becomes clear that the salesperson could have kept the situation neutral by deliberately asking an open question and by subsequently asking in-depth questions he could have identified the (unconscious) needs of his conversation partner.
By the way, let's take a look at how the conversation might have gone then.
Prospect: “Hey, those manuals. Do you still send them with the products?”
Salesperson: “Where does your question come from?”
P: “I think they're worthless.”
Q: “What would you like to see changed?”
"
P: “That they contain much clearer illustrations.”
Q: “What do you mean by clearer illustrations?”
P: “That my technicians, who cannot read Dutch, can quickly follow the visual instructions and can therefore move on to the next job in a timely manner.”
Q: “Why is that important to you?
Although this is naturally only a small part of a conversation, you have noted an initial need (a clear visual instruction in an assembly manual) and heard a statement pointing to an unconscious drive (Profit Type according to C.G. Jung).
If you can capture more wishes and validate your conversation partner's unconscious motivation by conducting a conversation in this way, with plenty of open and in-depth questions, you can conclude the conversation much more effectively later on.
This means you're much less likely to find yourself in a situation where you have to call prospects endlessly; the order is already in the bag.
In addition, we notice ourselves and our participants that it is so much more satisfying when you really manage to find out what your prospect's needs are by having a professional conversation.
However, and the picture is entirely complete when you can subsequently ensure that that need is actually met.
Then you deliver value and are valued.
So it all starts with 'what's in it for you!'
Therefore, what conclusion can you draw from the foregoing?
- Only if you focus on your customer from a genuine interest can you expect your own success.
- You shouldn't sell anything to customers, but let them buy something that you have and that they really want.
- In addition to talent, enthusiasm is a necessary quality of a salesperson, you just have to use it in the right way.
- Talent develops if you nurture it and give it the opportunity to develop. No top athlete would have achieved his success if he had not trained very hard.
These conclusions follow naturally if you believe in Zig Ziglar's statement:
“You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get what they want.”
After all, we are curious about your experiences. Do you recognize the above? Share it on our website!
You can find more background information about what at what (Wikipedia).