‘When the dog bites, when the bee stings, when I’m feeling sad….I simply remember my favourite things and then I don’t feel so bad’

OK…that’s enough Sound of Music for a business blog.

When we’re under pressure for sales figures, how many of us revert to selling what we like and have sold before, rather than being open to the client’s real needs.

Pre-sales and consulting people love discussing so called ‘proven technology’ because they know it works, there is less fear and apprehension and it makes their lives easier.

Sales people often have their favourites too – favourite configurations, products or vendors, that 64 port thingy that people tend to like, the Collectimizer 2000 that slots in seamlessly or that favoured margin rich service that is an easy sell.

All well and good when it works, except there is a downside. They may not want one.

As the old saying goes ‘If all you have is a hammer, every problem starts to look like a nail’

Product and service biases and prejudices can often lead to clients preferences being dismissed, open discussion about business problems being shut down and a lengthening of the sales cycle as you try to wedge your favourite widget into their business.

Interestingly, in our sales training programs we run an exercise in advanced listening habits and techniques. It’s only six well crafted questions but the average recent success rate from pre-sales and sales people based on over 750 participants is just 2.6 out of 6.

Here are the key areas where professional listening falls away:

  1. Listening to confirm what you already assumed before you walked in the room
  2. Selective listening – choosing only the parts of the conversation you think relate to you or your product.
  3. Blocked listening – switching the subject or switching off because you don’t like what the client has said, especially when they mention competitors.

It’s not too simplistic to say there are a lot of pre-conceived prejudices and thoughts that prevent people from listening to the whole picture.

One company achieved a score of 5.2 out of 6. It was no surprise that they were true consultants and solution  architects with no agenda to push, just a real desire to seek to understand

Whilst no-one wants to re- invent the wheel on every deal, clients don’t want to feel that you’re just re-jigging your favourite widget and dressing it up to look like it’s fresh.

They want you to listen without prejudice and then consider with sincerity what the best options are for their business.

After all, you don’t want them switching off or worse still saying ‘So Long, Farewell, Auf Wiedersehn, Goodbye…..Goodbye……Goodbye!

 

Written by Elliot Epstein, CEO, Salient Communication

Elliot has trained and coached over 4000 people throughout the Asia Pacific Region and is a sought after keynote speaker on Sales, Negotiation, Leadership and Presentations.

E: elliote@salientcommunication.com.au

 

© Salient Communication