C-Level Relationship Selling - Take Control and Your Relationships Will Flourish
       By: Sam Manfer
Posted: 2008-10-13 07:34:45
In a selling situation, "How can I help you," seems to be the spoken or implied question from one person to the other. Typically your prospect or customer 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, you'll listen for a few seconds, and think you've got it. Then you start selling, i.e. trying to persuade the person to buy your idea of the solution. Somehow sales people feel one sound-bite is all they need. It's similar to "Name that tune in 3 notes." This is a big mistake when trying to establish or enhance relationships.Here's why. First, the prospect doesn't know you understand, so s/he will have continual doubt that you really understand his or her situation. Second, as you're giving away all sorts of information, you're getting committed to your rhetoric, and this will make it difficult to be open-minded for solutions that the prospect has in mind. This will cause resistance, frustration and uneasiness - not good feels for prospects to have.Sales people feel that by grasping the problem quickly and talking about solutions they'll be perceived as experts and in control. Where as control is knowing what the other person is thinking and then using those thoughts to influence him/her or run away. So to learn those thoughts and be in control, ask more questions and let the person tell you.It's good to ask, "How can I help you?" but then listen and without formulating an answer. Now here is the difference between what you do now and what will make you extremely effective. Let them tell you their idea of the solution. Say, "Ok tell me more about how you want to do about it?" or something to this effect.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'll have the urge to offer advice, abut don't. You'll want to offer you're suggestion of how to make it better - preferably using your services. If you do, your prospect 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 to gain the knowledge that will put you in control 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 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?" He'll answer and you say, "How come?" You explore and you will get a whole new prospective about this prospects issues as he builds his confidence in you. This will be very hard for you because you've been trained to give your commercial instantly and this makes you look creditable. 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 easier your relationship will build.Your prospect says, "It's too expensive." You say, "What price would you like it to be?" It is smooth and customer focus. 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.And now I invite you to learn more.Bonus Tip: FREE E-Book "Getting Past Gatekeepers and Handling Blockers". Just click this C-Level Relationship Selling Link. Sam Manfer makes it easy for any sales person to be effective and feel comfortable connecting with and relationship selling C-Level leaders.
Trackback url: https://article.abc-directory.com/article/4823