Chris August Provides New Information on “Learning the Customer” in the Sales Process

January 18 16:51 2019
Learn who your customers are before you engage in the steps of a sales call.

January 18, 2019 – In previous interviews and articles, I discussed the steps to take in the first 5 minutes of a sales call. Although the steps are very affective, there are no guarantees unless you learn who your customers are. I refer to this method of sales as “The fish on the wall.” Confused? Let me explain.

Several years ago, I was attending a sales meeting with a seasoned Territory Sales Manager. He was very confident the deal was locked in. He had the better mousetrap and his presentation was packed with features and benefits. Forty-five minutes into the meeting, we heard these words. “Thank you, but I’m not interested in making a change at this time.”

So, what happened? The answer was looking at us right in the face the whole time. Behind the prospect was an eight-foot sailfish hanging on the wall. Directly below it was a framed picture of the CEO on a boat smiling from ear to ear after battling this massive trophy. What my colleague failed to recognize was one of the most basic fundamentals in sales. He knew all about his product and was very familiar with his competitors, but he neglected to learn about his prospect.

For the sake of my colleague’s anonymity, we will call him Bob.  As it turns out, the CEO was treated to a fully paid vacation each year by one of Bob’s competitors. Although the competitor’s product was much more expensive and offered fewer features, the fish was a daily reminder of the great time he had in Cabo San Lucas. The picture frame displaying the happy memory had even been engraved with the competitor’s company name. The eight-foot fish might as well have been an eight-foot logo of Bob’s competitor.

So, what is the lesson to be learned here? Bob could have easily saved the prospect enough to finance ten fishing trips. However, he neglected to get to know his prospect. Had he done so, the narrative in his presentation could have been tweaked to address the real issue.

One of Bob’s very first questions should have gone something like this. “Mr. Prospect, I know that you are currently happy with XYZ Company and they seem to appreciate your business. However, if I can present my product to you with additional features at a tremendous saving would you consider making a change?”        

The art of sales is overcoming objections by unwrapping the real reason behind them. Taking a few minutes to learn about your prospect can many times reveal more than just a fish on the wall.

Please feel free to contact Chris August anytime @ https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-august-22988544

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