Like all things, art has grown and evolved. We have learned from the artisans of the past and been able to use and develop their styles and techniques and add new and innovative ideas, techniques and skills to create more modern forms. The same goes for the art of selling. Sales artists have for centuries been seeking more efficient ways of moving greater and greater amounts of their wares.
In days long gone sales people traveled from village to village in wagons filled with an endless range of wares, peddling on streets anything from miracle hair loss treatments to life tonics and the like. Stores emerged, selling items that were apparently necessities for the home or business. The door to salesperson has roamed far and wide selling cleaning products, cooking utensils and any manner of time saving, work saving, effort saving devices.
The world has now turned.
The consumer is now much more educated.
Information on just about anything is now available at the click of a (mouse) button. Forums expose product flaws or praise competition product.
Many sales people now fear this information age as the consumer is now able to refute claims of efficiency or product viability due to the ease at which information is now accessible. This is not the case for the sales professional. After all the true sales professional does not merely peddle wares for the sake of making a commission or sale, there is a much more noble purpose. The true sales professional is someone who is genuinely excited and emotionally involved in the product in the product or service that they represent to others.
Recently I went to speak with a financial planner at one of the major banks here in Australia. I was greeted by the friendly, young (22 year old), energetic man with and ear to ear smile and an extended hand. After sitting with him for nearly an hour hearing all about the bank’s range of products and services and their great ability of being able to serve me I asked the young guy which of the products or services he owned or used himself. His answer floored me.
“None as yet.” he stated.
“But I am looking into them over the next twelve months for myself.” he concluded.
Needless to say, I shook hands with him and stated that I too shall “look into them over the next twelve months for myself.” and I departed with a rye smile on my face.
Unfortunately this is not an uncommon occurrence. Go to a BMW, GM, Toyota etc. car dealership for example and learn how many of the sales people there own and drive the cars that they are selling. Granted, a number of them may have company cars but many will own other brands. Same too for insurance sales people, tool sales people or any other people in the noble sales trade.
How can one be within their integrity selling a product or service without enjoying the benefit of said product or service?
If you sell insurance, own insurance, own lots of it! If you sell Toyota’s, don’t drive a Ford. Drive a top of the line Toyota. If you are a life or business coach/mentor, have a coach or mentor… Have a few!!
The great psychologist, Alfred Adler once said, “I am grateful for the idea that used me.” Know that to be truly successful your vocation must choose you. It must feel like a calling. You need to fall in love with the idea (service or product) that you are involved in representing. You can not be in love with something that you don’t have. You can lust after it, sure. But you can’t be in love with it.
OWN IT. USE IT. HAVE IT!
Fortunately, gone are the days of selling that were here in the eighties. In the eighties sales people would fight, argue and bully their prospects into submission until they caved in and signed the dotted line and handed over their money. With the consumer being much more educated and able to research their potential purchases we are now beginning to see a shift in the sales industry. In turn, the industry is once again evolving. In today’s world, as sales people we must now focus on the need of the consumer rather than flashy sales techniques. It’s now about taking the sales out and allowing the consumer to buy. We call this “Find the Why and Let Them Buy.”
You see, no one likes being sold to. The most common initial phrase employed by potential customer or buyers, whether it be on a car yard, in a retail store or door to door is, “I’m just looking,” or “I just want a quote.”
Now, for a very small percentage of people, perhaps 3-5%, this may be the case. Perhaps they truly don’t have anything better to do than spend day after day looking at cars or TVs or computer or cell phones or heaters, fridges, HiFi’s or anything else. But for the vast majority of people this is merely a throw away line used to dispel the ever present slick sales person that will inevitably wave a magic pen at them and remove money from their purse or wallet.
You see, as I said earlier, no one, none of us enjoy being sold to. Oddly enough though, we all love buying stuff. What we really want someone to understand what it is that we need based on any number of parameters and then have them suggest in their professional, educated, expert opinion which products or services would best fulfill these needs?
You see, you may be an expert in banking or cars or energy conservation or in running a family on a tight budget. But the people you seek out to say… install a swimming pool are experts in that field. I’m sure that if they needed someone in your field of expertise then they’ll come to you. I mean if you are looking for a pool don’t go to see the dentist about it.
Instead of just going through all of the feature of all of the different pools with you would it not be more appropriate to find out why you want it? What you intend to use it for? Who will be using it? How long you expect to own it/use it for?
If we stay on the pool example, why you want it could be for health reasons, recreational purposes, fitness purposes or for training; how long could be for as long as you own the home, until the next Olympics or until the kids grow up; who its for could be the whole family or just on swimming superstar or your partner with the bad back or an asthmatic child. Now is it not fair to say that depending on the answers that are provided that different types of pools could be more appropriate than others? Perhaps a lap pool, above ground, in ground, jet pool, spa pool or family pool/spa would be the right fit?
By finding the why and pointing out the appropriate options we enable the prospect to feel like they are making an informed decision which can then be guided by the sales person. The sales professional then moves away from being the seller of goods to being a “purchase facilitator”. You see, the consumer can not own what it is that you are selling without you assisting them in its purchase. You help them own what it is that fulfills their requirements or needs.
For more information on this, to assist you in the sales training of your company or business, Purchase Facilitation Training, Needs based selling or Sales Management Consulting, Corporate or Personal Mentoring; please contact warren@myabsolutesuccess.com.
To Your Success!!
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