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Sell from the Customer's Perspective
During our sales training sessions, we focus on the importance of looking at the selling cycle from both the seller's and the buyer's point of view. In fact, considering that the customer makes the decision about whether or not to use your services or products, their point of view is most important. Most salespeople learn this in Sales 101 or they intuitively know this, but they often forget.
From the first point of contact, good salespeople think about how the prospect or customer will react to them; think about what they say; and will try to anticipate the prospect/customer's agenda or needs. The low performing salespeople are mostly interested in what they can sell or how they can make their goals this month.
It is can be frustrating to a prospect or customer when the whole phone call or meeting is about the seller. During our sessions, when we focus on the first phone call or the first voicemail, we emphasize that there has to be something in it for the prospect/customer to make the next move - whether it be to meet or to buy.
Since my business and I are "prospects" to many vendors, we tend to listen to salespeople who contact us from two perspectives - as a potential customer and as a Sales Trainer. In other words, we ask ourselves:
1) Can Taylor use this service?
2) Will this salesperson provide a good example to use in our next training session?
We have only said yes to both of these questions a few times. Most often, the calls we get are unplanned and not focused on our needs. Here are two examples of phone calls from salespeople who did not get more than 30 seconds of our time.
Example #1
Salesperson - "Good morning, may I speak to the person who makes the financial decisions?"
Me - "That would be me."
Salesperson - "Okay, great. I am from ABC Company and I would like to set up a time to meet next Wednesday to go over ways we can support Taylor Performance Solutions.
Me - "I'm not in the office on that day; I'm in training." (I figured I would give him a shot - he had a good phone voice.)
Salesperson - "I am not sure what you do but ABC Company has provided solutions to many businesses in the Melville area and I was wondering if 9 am is good for you, since I will be in the area."
Me - (What was he thinking - What is his name?...Why didn't he ask for my name?...He doesn't know what I do?...He couldn't take a little time to visit my web site before calling?) No thank you, I'm not interested and I have to go, I'm waiting for a conference call.
Example #2 - Keep in mind that I spoke to this man twice in the past.
Salesperson - "Good morning Linda, my name is John and I am from XYZ, Inc. We work with businesses in the area and I would like to get together to learn what Taylor Performance Solutions does and recommend ways we can help your business. Is next Tuesday at 9 good for you?"
Me - "We have spoken before and we don't need any office equipment right now."
Salesperson - "Everyone needs our equipment. Don't you have copy machines, printers, fax machines, phones in your office?"
Me -(What I wanted to say - Yes sir, I am an idiot and didn't realize that life couldn't go on without me meeting with you.)
Me - What I actually said - "Why do you think I need them?" (For some reason I decide to give him a chance.)
Salesperson - "I am not sure, which is why I wanted to meet."
Me - "Well, let me help you out a little. We have all the equipment we need right now. We outsource our printing needs to a great company called Mimeo. So, I have one fax machine, two printers and two phones. We are all set for now."
Salesperson -"What do you print?"
Me - (What I was thinking - You just blew it. You should at least know I print training materials. Why should I give you any of my time?)
Me - What I said - "You know what, I really have to go. Thank you for calling but we don't need your products."
Footnote - This salesperson continued to call every month with the same exact pitch. It never changed, he never once indicated he knew what my business did and I never saw value in meeting with him. He also left numerous voicemails, which were exactly the same, and none of these voicemails compelled me to meet with him. Last week, both of my printers went on the fritz. I went to Costco!
Recently, a sales training participant commented that I must be a difficult customer to deal with because I analyze every contact. We discussed that I believe I am an easy customer to work with if you pay attention to what I am saying and have a solution that will make my life better or easier. In addition, I will pay even more than what I originally budgeted if the salesperson is good at showing me the value of their product or service and at linking that value to my needs. The vendors I work with now, made sure of two important things:
From the first point of contact, good salespeople think about how the prospect or customer will react to them; think about what they say; and will try to anticipate the prospect/customer's agenda or needs. The low performing salespeople are mostly interested in what they can sell or how they can make their goals this month.
It is can be frustrating to a prospect or customer when the whole phone call or meeting is about the seller. During our sessions, when we focus on the first phone call or the first voicemail, we emphasize that there has to be something in it for the prospect/customer to make the next move - whether it be to meet or to buy.
Since my business and I are "prospects" to many vendors, we tend to listen to salespeople who contact us from two perspectives - as a potential customer and as a Sales Trainer. In other words, we ask ourselves:
1) Can Taylor use this service?
2) Will this salesperson provide a good example to use in our next training session?
We have only said yes to both of these questions a few times. Most often, the calls we get are unplanned and not focused on our needs. Here are two examples of phone calls from salespeople who did not get more than 30 seconds of our time.
Example #1
Salesperson - "Good morning, may I speak to the person who makes the financial decisions?"
Me - "That would be me."
Salesperson - "Okay, great. I am from ABC Company and I would like to set up a time to meet next Wednesday to go over ways we can support Taylor Performance Solutions.
Me - "I'm not in the office on that day; I'm in training." (I figured I would give him a shot - he had a good phone voice.)
Salesperson - "I am not sure what you do but ABC Company has provided solutions to many businesses in the Melville area and I was wondering if 9 am is good for you, since I will be in the area."
Me - (What was he thinking - What is his name?...Why didn't he ask for my name?...He doesn't know what I do?...He couldn't take a little time to visit my web site before calling?) No thank you, I'm not interested and I have to go, I'm waiting for a conference call.
Example #2 - Keep in mind that I spoke to this man twice in the past.
Salesperson - "Good morning Linda, my name is John and I am from XYZ, Inc. We work with businesses in the area and I would like to get together to learn what Taylor Performance Solutions does and recommend ways we can help your business. Is next Tuesday at 9 good for you?"
Me - "We have spoken before and we don't need any office equipment right now."
Salesperson - "Everyone needs our equipment. Don't you have copy machines, printers, fax machines, phones in your office?"
Me -(What I wanted to say - Yes sir, I am an idiot and didn't realize that life couldn't go on without me meeting with you.)
Me - What I actually said - "Why do you think I need them?" (For some reason I decide to give him a chance.)
Salesperson - "I am not sure, which is why I wanted to meet."
Me - "Well, let me help you out a little. We have all the equipment we need right now. We outsource our printing needs to a great company called Mimeo. So, I have one fax machine, two printers and two phones. We are all set for now."
Salesperson -"What do you print?"
Me - (What I was thinking - You just blew it. You should at least know I print training materials. Why should I give you any of my time?)
Me - What I said - "You know what, I really have to go. Thank you for calling but we don't need your products."
Footnote - This salesperson continued to call every month with the same exact pitch. It never changed, he never once indicated he knew what my business did and I never saw value in meeting with him. He also left numerous voicemails, which were exactly the same, and none of these voicemails compelled me to meet with him. Last week, both of my printers went on the fritz. I went to Costco!
Recently, a sales training participant commented that I must be a difficult customer to deal with because I analyze every contact. We discussed that I believe I am an easy customer to work with if you pay attention to what I am saying and have a solution that will make my life better or easier. In addition, I will pay even more than what I originally budgeted if the salesperson is good at showing me the value of their product or service and at linking that value to my needs. The vendors I work with now, made sure of two important things:
1) They researched my company before their first contact.
2) They listened (and continue to listen) to me and make recommendations that will be good for my business and for me.
I am a loyal customer. I refer business to my vendors and they will probably have my business for years to come. Isn't that what we all want?
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