Sam Manfer, Sales Mastery
Sales Force Training and Development - Focusing on Executive Relationships and Selling
Take Control and Your Relationships Will Flourish
“How can I help you?” That seems to be the spoken or implied question from one person to the other in a selling situation. It’s also in play whenever someone (prospect, significant-other or child) approaches you in person or by phone. Typically the person will say, “I have a question or a problem,” or “Can you help me?” or “I need some information on ….”
As an experienced sales person, spouse or parent, you listen - for a few seconds, but then you start selling, trying to convince or solving without further a due. Somehow people feel that the one sound-bite opening is all they need. And it is, if it where them - but it’s not. So “naming that tune in 3 notes” is a big mistake when trying to establish or enhance a relationship.
Here’s why. You’re giving away all sorts of information and you don’t know how it’s being received (the person could be thinking you haven’t a clue.) And then to exacerbate the situation you’re getting committed to your rhetoric which is going to make it difficult for you to be open-minded for solutions that might be more appealing to the other person. Finally, somehow again, people feel that by talking they have got “the situation” under control.
Control is knowing what the other person is thinking and then using those thoughts to influence him/her or run. To learn those thoughts, let the person tell you by you asking investigative questions. When you ask, “How can I help you?” This is good. However, let them tell you how you can help them as you listen and without formulating an answer. Now here is the difference between what you do now and what will make you extremely effective. Explore. Say, “Ok tell me more about how you want me to do it?” or something to this effect. You want him to tell you his idea of a solution.
For example, you’re talking with a prospect. He says, “I’ve got this widget system and it’s not right.” So you say, “What do you mean?” and he says, “Well it’s too slow, etc.” Now this is the point where you have to stop the urge to offer advice. Rather, take control. You’ll be temped to offer you’re suggestion of how to make it better - preferably using your services, but you can’t. Otherwise the other person will get all your wisdom; factor it into his vision; and mentally determine how you fit his world. He’ll nod, but you really won’t know where you stand. He’s in control.
So what you have to do to gain control, which means knowledge and leads to believability, is to say, “Well, what do you want to do about it?” and listen again without formulating an answer.
Then take it to the next level. He’ll tell you his vision solution, or he’ll say he doesn’t know and that’s why he asked you. But you can’t give him the answers yet, even though you’ve got (in your mind) the perfect solution, and/or even though you believe (deep in your heart) that you know what he means.
You can’t because he doesn’t know you know. So you have to work with him to build-up his confidence that you understand him. This will be your ticket to success.
So now you say, “I have some ideas, but I need to ask a few more questions. You said it was too slow, how much faster do you want it to be?” You explore and keep exploring with this line of questioning. This will be very hard for you because you’ve been trained to give your commercial instantly. But the more you hold back and the more you explore the more you’ll learn, the more the person will feel trust in you and the more control you’ll have.
You can do this with anything and anyone.
He says, “It’s too expensive.” You say, “What price would you like it to be?”
She says, “I’m having a problem with math.” You say, “What do you want to do about it?” rather than sit down and we’ll work it out right now. This causes fear and make her reluctant to seek your help again.
He says, “I’m really hungry.” Instead of saying, “Well what do you want to eat?” Say, “What do you want to do about it?”
In this way you get to learn what’s in the person’s head and you can choose what to do about it. You can address it, support it, refuse it or do whatever you want with it. Now that’s control.
For more on questions see More Market Share Is Two Questions Away
Sam Manfer delivers key note speeches and in-depth selling work shops for those anxious to increase sales. His hands-on coaching turns individuals and sales organizations into selling whirlwinds. Sam’s selling awards and $ Million sales recognitions support his methods. His book, TAKE ME TO YOUR LEADER$ along with his Matching Chemistry’s CD and sales seminars replace selling myths and clichés that frustrate decision makers with a proven approach that captures their attention. Follow Sam’s C-Level Selling Blog for more insights. Sign-up for his free Selling E-Zine.
Call Today for More Information 1-866-Sam-Manfer or Send an E-mail Now!!
Just click mailto:sam@sammanfer.com
Check-Out Sam's Other Websites
TakeMeToyourLeaders.com • TakeMeToYourLeadersForEngineers.com
•
|
