These last three parts take a look inward. It is like the intention part. The difference is that intention is a starting point…a place where you embrace sales. These last three are journey realizations. They are intended to have you think about what you do with all the information you have been given in the ‘journey’ and the act of being a sale rep.
When you are selling what do you see? Customers are walking in. Some buying, some not. They are from all walks of life. They all have needs, wants and desires. They all want what you sell. They also all have varying means in their life. Some with much and some with very little. How are you seeing your customer? Interruption?
In sales, we have a tendency to “qualify” customers. We see someone walk in and immediately (rightly or wrongly) begin to put them in some type of bucket. “They will not buy” or “they will never buy.” It is instinctual that we do this. And yet how many times have we thought one thing like “they will never ever buy” and they do? Or the “Ooh yes, money time…they will buy for sure.” And they don’t.
Humility is part of the art of selling. How do we view others? And more importantly, how do we view ourselves when dealing and selling to others?
One important thing to note from the onset is that we all have a bias about anything and everything. We look at things and at people with a preconceived set of beliefs and conditions. We do. Even if we have no preconceived notions of things or people, we will learn them when present in the context of the situation. The real question when selling to customers is how do we see ourselves in this interaction? Do we see ourselves as better or cooler? Are we placing this customer in a bucket before we actually get a chance to get to know them? What does our job require us to do? Does that matter?
How about this…do we look at a new customer differently than a repair customer? I think we do and for two distinct considerations. One, a new customer is looking for the information they do not yet have or are implicitly looking for. Two, the repair customer probably already knows this and they are looking for a completely different solution. So we can agree they are probably both looking for different solutions, which therefore means we have to treat them differently, right? Think before you answer that.
How about this one. One customer just needs a second car charger and the second wants an upgrade with a host of other accessories and the warranty. Do you interact differently? Again think about it. The solutions are different. I get that. Does the interaction differ? Is how you “treat” the customer different?
So what to do?
Ask yourself two important questions in sales.
Do I know everything I need to know about this customer? Have I really spent some quality time understanding their drive for this widget or am I just asking a few questions them showing them what I would want?
Do I really care? Am I just going through the motions or am I investing in my customer and what “they” need out of this interaction?
Start paying attention to how you interact with your customer. How are you being perceived? Is there a presumed hierarchy in the conversation and, if so, where are you placing yourself?
Whether they buy or not, or if they only want one little thing or a whole bunch of things, are they getting your “A” game? Always remember, right or wrong, buy a little or buy a lot, happy or mad, they are all still your customer. You represent the company.
This is not necessarily about groveling or subservience or lying on your belly in front of the customer. Humility is about being very aware of yourself and those around you. It is about how you act when in the presence of others. It can be about making yourself lesser than others, when that is needed. Context will dictate when that is needed. It is not about being proud or arrogant, but rather about being respectful and courteous to others. Being humble.
Sales can challenge your humility. You are the expert and someone is asking for your “expert” opinion. How far are you willing to take that? Do you want to be the talker or the listener? Do you want to be one who takes or one who gives? Do you want to be right or rich?
Cheers