folks,
a guy i took under my wing 11 years ago emailed this to me today... and i thought you in this thread might find it of interest:
Five Simple Clues for Recognizing a Great Salesperson
Jeff Thull
Sep 16, 05
To understand what makes a great salesperson it is important to put
yourself in the shoes of your customers. Only then will you truly
understand how to distinguish between a great sales person who can have
a significant impact on the customer's bottom line and the conventional
"Commission Seekers".
Begin by asking yourself, as a business-to-business customer, what do
you expect from the sales professionals who are asking for your time? If
pressed you'd likely say, "Well, I expect them to answer my questions,
sell me the product or service I need, charge a fair price, deliver on
time and follow through on promises." This sounds reasonable, but in
today's complex business world, the rules of selling have changed. The
salesperson whose role once centered on polished presentations and
glossy brochures must now function as a valued advisor and be a source
of competitive advantage. If they're not, you will likely see your
margins eroding as even your most complex products and services are
treated as simple commodities.
There are many companies that claim to offer products and services your
customers need. Yet, all too often the strategy is to battle the
competition on capabilities and pricing. Reality is, that succeeding in
today's marketplace is not about price. It's not even about products.
Instead, success means being able to understand the very real, very
complex problems that customers face. The right salesperson should be
able to collaborate with the customer, stimulate their thinking and
create revenue-building solutions that they don't have the time or the
wherewithal to create for themselves.
So how do you distinguish top professionals from the traditional
sellers? Look for these clues:
1. They diagnose the customer's problem. When a sales professional
launches into a description of his "solution" without first
understanding the customer's situation, be wary. A great salesperson
never assumes that he or the customer understands the complex problems
the customer faces. Instead, he methodically questions and diagnoses
until he uncovers the problems and expands the customer's awareness.
Once they both clearly understand the problem, and the customer
perceives all the ramifications, then the salesperson is justified in
making recommendations. Diagnosis takes time and hard work. A credible
salesperson proves that he is willing to provide both.
2. They ask questions, rather than tell stories. Conventional
salespeople tell stories about their solutions, not to mention
proclaiming the superiority of their company. Prospective customers
expect to hear these stories and rarely take them seriously. However,
customers will take salespeople seriously when they display concern for
the problems and the expertise to solve them. This is demonstrated by
asking questions, questions that the customer would not have thought to
ask.
3. They let the customer set the pace. If a salesperson is truly there
to serve the customer, he will not rush, pressure or manipulate them.
The last thing he will want to do is create mistrust or a
confrontational atmosphere. Therefore he will let the customer
understand the impact of and take ownership for problems before he
discusses solution options.
4. They help the customer calculate the cost of their problem. It's not
enough for a salesperson to say, "You have a problem and it's costing
you money." She must say, "We need to determine how much this is costing
you and see if it makes sense to pursue a solution." If a salesperson
shies away from establishing an accurate cost, it's either because a)
she doesn't know the cost, or b) is afraid the cost will be too low to
justify her solution. Maybe the customer's problem isn't significant
enough to justify the expense. A great salesperson will suggest that and
respect that outcome.
5. They don't let the customer fall into the "creeping elegance" trap.
Let's say the customer becomes enthusiastic about the solution and they
drop into the "as long as we're going to do this we might as well also
do that" mode of thinking. A conventional salesperson might let the
customer run wild, all the time counting the extra commissions. A great
salesperson will ensure that the customer doesn't expand beyond
reasonable financial parameters. He knows that if the customer
unnecessarily expands the scope of a solution, one of her colleagues on
the decision team could shoot down the whole project.
A truly good sales professional is worth his or her weight in gold. He
will function as a consultant for the customer, a strategic partner, and
even an advocate. He will give the customer the competitive advantage.
Having salespeople of this caliber will shift your company's
relationship with its customers. Instead of their reluctantly dealing
with a high-pressure adversary, they will find themselves forming a
partnership based on mutual trust and respect - a partnership that is
long lasting and beneficial to both businesses.
Jeff Thull is a leading-edge strategist and valued advisor for executive
teams of major companies worldwide. As President and CEO of Prime
Resource Group, he has designed and implemented business transformation
and professional development programs for companies like Shell Global
Solutions, 3M, Microsoft, Intel, Citicorp, IBM and Georgia-Pacific, as
well as many fast-track, start-up companies. He has gained the
reputation for being a thought-leader in the arena of sales and
marketing strategies for companies involved in complex sales. For more
information contact Prime Resource Group at
[email protected] or
http://www.primeresource.com.
