Salespeople have a choice in terms of the modus operandi they choose to employ to deliver results: they can either push or flog products at customers or they can build “intimate” relationships with them and trust that sales will follow.
Here’s the profile of each…
The pusher:
– is focused on short term success; it’s all about making the numbers
– flogs technology, emphasizing the cool things it can do
– loves to make speeches on how wonderful their products are; not too much listening here
– will try and force-fit their product to the customer’s problem even though the product is not be the “perfect fit” for the customer. – is motivated to sell product and not to do whatever it takes to solve the customer’s problem
– is a one-way communications artist. They are constantly in “the transmit mode”; they listen very little
– wants to get the sale and get out; the quicker the transaction the better
– is frustrated by the need for after sales service and devotes minimal time to it
– is driven by their annual compensation plan and dedicates little effort to medium and longer term issues
– spends copious amounts of time doing cold calls
– relies on low prices to express their value proposition; blames high prices when they lose a sale
– avoids personal accountability when a client is “screwed over” through a service mishap made by the company
– is super driven to win an annual sales award and get a trip to somewhere exotic
The builder:
– is a “server” with the innate desire and ability to take care of people
– is a highly engaging individual; believes that deep conversations with the client will expose opportunities
– wants to get paid by their compensation plan, but is willing to balance longer term needs with the short term
– drives the majority of their sales through repeat business from long term loyal clients
– creates “intimate” relationships with clients trusting that the relationship will yield sales over the longer term
– sells value at the highest price possible. Avoids commodity transactions where the sale goes to the lowest price supplier
– focuses on obtaining client referrals to grow sales; doesn’t have to cold call
– spends time trying to discover client hidden wants and desires – “secrets” – and employs this knowledge as a critical component in their sales proposition
– is a “recovery addict” ( doing whatever it takes to recover from a service mistake the organization made that caused client pain
– takes the role of client champion inside their organization “fighting” for them regardless of the issue
– has incredible listening skills which represent a heavy dimension of their personal brand
– uses a customer report card regularly to gather customer feedback on their performance; follows up to ensure improvements are recognized
– will lose a potential sale by recommending someone else’s product when they have a better solution to a client’s problem
– is very involved with marketing in the new product development process; ensures that their client’s unmet needs are addressed
– is viewed by their clients as partners; part of the client team
Which approach do you think will build customer loyalty and distinguish you from your peers?
